I rented this movie mainly because I was interested in seeing a different approach to a character from Sylvster Stallone. In this regard I wasn't disappointed, because Sly gave a decent performance as a laid back and dispirited loner who always wanted to be a New York City cop but had to settle for becoming a sheriff in a small New Jersey town due to a hearing deficiency. When he was a youth he saved a girl from drowning in a car submerged in water, which was how he came by his misfortune. On the other side of the water in NYC, unscrupulous policemen lead by Harvey Keitel are not running the show honestly, and corruption is everywhere. They even try to cover for one of their own when he faces arrest, by pretending he committed suicide. While these cops work in NY, they mostly live in Jersey, where Stallone works. The cast is impressive -- aside from Keitel and Stallone, we also have Ray Liotta as a loose cannon, Robert Patrick as one of Keitel's deceiving accomplices, and Robert De Niro in a supporting part as an Internal Affairs agent who'd like to get Stallone's help in busting Keitel and his gang. The performances are strong enough, but unfortunately this isn't as good as it might have been, mainly because the story often lacks clarity and meanders every which way with too many distracting subplots. It doesn't allow the viewer to keep focused. **1/2 out of ****
Review of Cop Land
