This one is a real sleeper, a great performances by Michael Moriarty. That fact alone is the main reason I stuck this otherwise confusing and plot hole riddled story . Despite the flaws the movie pulls no punches. White people using the the N word with hard Rs is sprinkled thru out, resulting it making this movie so gritty you will have to pour the sand out of shoes .
I also saw that not much has changed regarding minorities and the reality that police on occasion getting away with murder. I believe that the problem is worse now than 47 years ago . The more things change the more they stay the same .
3 Reviews
Gritty, Atmospheric Look at A Good-Turned-Bad Cop
abbazabakyleman-9883429 June 2019
Though it has a low-budget look and feel to it, this film works well with Michael Moriarty as a well-respected, but crooked cop who murders a purse snatcher in cold blood, unaware that a black college student documented the whole thing on film. He then takes advantage of the situation and films more of the cop's illicit activities. The supporting cast is also excellent as well: Paul Sorvino as a disgruntled lawyer, Earl Hindman as Moriarty's laid-back detective pal Garrity and Anthony Charnota as pool hustler Sal. It's too bad this film has fallen into obscurity, though.
A Blaxploitation film that Saw the Future
dandmcguire14 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This is a rare and interesting film and sadly rarely seen. It has a great cast - Moriarty and Sorvino, and a great retro blaxploitation look. The script is highly literate as well. The story centers on a white cop who kills a black mugger in cold blood. He doesn't realize that the entire episode was filmed by a black film student. The student takes the opportunity to torment the cop - and indeed follows the cop and makes a documentary about him documenting his empty life.
The filming of the shooting recalls the Rodney King incident, where a videographer filmed cops beating a black motorist. The black filmmaker reminds you a lot of Spike Lee. This film, like "Do the right thing" ends with blacks rising up in revenge - anticipating the reaction of blacks in the wake of the Rodney King trial.
An interesting time capsule of the late 70's, and still very timely.
PETRUK
The filming of the shooting recalls the Rodney King incident, where a videographer filmed cops beating a black motorist. The black filmmaker reminds you a lot of Spike Lee. This film, like "Do the right thing" ends with blacks rising up in revenge - anticipating the reaction of blacks in the wake of the Rodney King trial.
An interesting time capsule of the late 70's, and still very timely.
PETRUK
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