The DVD Review  

NARC   

Released by Paramount. Out now to buy/rent.  

Extremely gritty crime drama starring Jason Patric as  suspended undercover narcotics officer, Nick Tellis who finds himself back on the force investigating the brutal murder of rookie cop Michael Calvess, joining forces with Michael’s former partner Henry Oak (played by a bulked up Ray Liotta). Oak is a real firebrand and will stop at nothing to track down the killer.

Narc is a first rate movie with Patric and Liotta working extremely well together, surprisingly honest for a modern day police flick, writer-director Joe Carnahan, clearly influenced by the whole 1970’ school of cop movie, is not afraid to let the audience think for itself, you really don’t have to spell everything out.  As the story progresses Oak and Calvess find their roles being blurred, blinded to everything but revenge and “justice”, Liotta is a great actor whose role encompasses a low key stakeout scene where he tells Patric about his dead wife to mements of all out rage.

Admittedly a violent movie but still pretty much essential viewing.

EXTRAS: Excellent commentary from director Joe Carnahan and editor John Gilroy and four featurettes Making The Deal, Shooting Up, The Visual Trip and The Friedkin Connection, these touch on everything from the financing the film to the fact that some 21 producers (including a chap by the name of Tom Cruise) worked hard to bring the movie to a wider audience following a showing at the Sundance Film festival.