Sidney Lumet's The Offence is a exploring to a dark side of the human mind. At the beginning of the movie it may seem like an ordinary crime film about a maniac who rapes and kills young girls. But soon the film gets deeper into the inspector Johnston's mind (played by Sean Connery) and it becomes a character study between the killer and the inspector. Ian Bannen gives a great performance here as a neurotic killer Baxter. Sean Connery is pretty good too but somehow it feels that he isn't completely familiar in this kind of role. There are good moments especially when he has a long talk with the police who is questioning him for the murder of Baxter. But sometimes it feels that Connery really tries too hard and he's not convincing for the whole movie.
They could have maybe cut a little from the conversations between Johnson and his wife and Johnsons and Baxters scene at the end seems to go nowhere from time to time. But even if there are a little flaws here. it's still a good movie and it's not an ordinary cop movie. Usually Police officers in the crime movies are tough guys who can handle all the pressure and horror that comes along with their job but Johnson has lost it completely and he is starting to lose his mind. He only sees all the murders, rapes and suicides in his mind and he even asks his ex-wife "why aren't you beautiful" as even a woman can't take her thoughts disappear. Very effecting moments here.
And one of the best part of the film is Lumet's great directing as he paints Johnson's visions on the screen and the really creepy soundtrack also works great.
They could have maybe cut a little from the conversations between Johnson and his wife and Johnsons and Baxters scene at the end seems to go nowhere from time to time. But even if there are a little flaws here. it's still a good movie and it's not an ordinary cop movie. Usually Police officers in the crime movies are tough guys who can handle all the pressure and horror that comes along with their job but Johnson has lost it completely and he is starting to lose his mind. He only sees all the murders, rapes and suicides in his mind and he even asks his ex-wife "why aren't you beautiful" as even a woman can't take her thoughts disappear. Very effecting moments here.
And one of the best part of the film is Lumet's great directing as he paints Johnson's visions on the screen and the really creepy soundtrack also works great.