David Ayer, Street Kings

Photo Credit: Kathryn Durfee

by Chris Flippo
04/16/2008

After a bad movie, most moviegoers will tell you that they didn’t like it “because it didn’t have a plot.” For the most part, that’s a valid argument. However, I find that lately movies have been suffering from a bad case of “over-plotting.” You may recognize the symptoms. There are lots of twists and turns and unexpected character betrayals, but there just seems to be something missing. The fact is, at the end of the day, that there may be plenty of plot, but the story itself is tired and dull. Street Kings, despite the high pedigree of its cast, is such a film.

For a movie that disappoints, Street Kings starts out well enough. Detective Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is an emotional wreck after the death of his wife. Returning to the force, he continues to be a danger to both himself and those around him. Ludlow pops pills and drinks tiny bottles of vodka to make it through the day. In an interesting turn, Ludlow is revealed to be a “dirty” cop by staging a fake shoot-out to cover up his murdering of a few prime suspects.

After a fellow cop is killed, Ludlow is brought under investigation. This serves as wake-up call and he soon begins to call into question his own ethics as well as those around him. As he and fellow Detective Paul Diskant (a surprisingly strong Chris Evans) begin to uncover the secrets around the murder, they begin to suspect that the real threat may come from within the force itself.

The early part of the film is handled with skill. A few off-putting lines aside (there are a few real howlers here), Street Kings seemed to have the makings of a perfectly respectable entry in the crime genre. However, that’s not to be. It's when the bullets start flying that Street Kings loses its way. The film fails to follow through with its central premise, content to let violence take the place of dramatic tension.

The actors do the best they can with the rather dated material. I have defended Keanu Reeves’s strengths as an actor before and will continue to do so here. He has a laid-back charm that I believe complements action movies well. Forest Whitaker, as Captain Jack Wander, brings more energy and enthusiasm than the picture probably deserves. Then there is Hugh Laurie (TV’s House) as Captain James Biggs, who is here given a chance to prove his range. Instead of a brilliant but emotionally-distant doctor, Laurie is given the chance to play a brilliant, but emotionally-distant policeman. As always, he’s fun to watch, but it’s a phoned-in role.

Okay, enough about the bad. Despite the clichés, the performances are enjoyable, and I always cherish an opportunity to see some of my favorite actors chew on some scenery (there is a scene toward the end where I’m surprised there was any set left at all). Oh, and I also enjoyed how the film’s biggest dilemma comes from within the police force itself. In Street Kings, the good and bad guys both wear the same shade of blue. The execution may be flawed, but there is something to that idea. One day it might even give way to a decent film.

Street Kings is not as bad as you feared. However, the flip side of this phrase is that its not as good as you hoped. With this much talent both in front of and behind the camera, one can’t help but be disappointed. Does the world need another film in the already over-crowded crime genre? Maybe. Maybe not. But I don’t think it needs Street Kings.

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Street Kings Keanu Reeves Hugh Laurie Crime Thriller Cop Drama Cinema Review

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