Laikals The greatest movie ever made..!

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.

Allissa .Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

HotToastyRag There's really only one reason you'll sit through Broken City: to watch three good-looking people up on the big screen. It's always a more enjoyable movie when the stars are pretty to look at, isn't it? In this one, Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, and Catherine Zeta-Jones headline, but it's really only Catherine who looks particularly pretty. Russell has a strange hairdo and Mark just looks tired.Ex-cop Mark is a private detective, and Russell, the mayor of New York City calls in a favor. He's up for re-election, and he thinks his wife Catherine is cheating on him. To pre-empt the tabloids and opposition team, he asks Mark to spy on her and find evidence. But there's much more than meets the eye. . .To be honest, there's a lot more than meets the eye, and it's called a handheld camera. I went to see this movie with my mom, who suffers from vertigo, and the film was so devastating to her health, it took her over two years to fully recover. The camera is nearly constantly moving, turning, and swerving, and there are several scenes with strobing police lights, so if you suffer from the same ailment, stay very far away from this movie.As far as "dirty politician double-crosses the average Joe" movies go, Broken City isn't above average. It's pretty predictable and will only really appeal to fans of the cast. Young, impressionable girls who want to drool over Mark Wahlberg and young, impressionable boys who want to drool over Catherine Zeta-Jones will probably be the happiest audience members. Rent it, you youngsters, for a fun date night!DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie is not your friend. It's exclusively filmed with a handheld, active camera, and there are several scenes with strobing police lights. It will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

romanorum1 There are no opening credits. Streetwise New York police detective Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) is brought up on charges for the killing of Mikey Tavarez (Luis Tolentino), rapist-murderer of 16-year old Yesenia Barea. As protesters picket the courthouse, oily Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe) discusses the case with haughty police commissioner Carl Fairbanks (Jeffrey Wright). The two men are civil but are not really friendly. Hostetler defends Taggart against the police chief. As evidence incriminating Taggart has supposedly disappeared, the judge dismisses the case against him. The major praises but then fires Taggart because, as he says, there is a need to preclude the possibility of lost evidence being dug up and embarrassing the police department. Hostetler knows more than he lets on. Seven years later Taggart is a window-peeping private eye who lives with aspiring actress girlfriend Natalie (Natalia) Barrow (Natalie Martinez), the older sister of the dead Yesenia. Their relationship seems cool. Taggart's spunky office assistant is Katy Bradshaw (Alona Tal), who obviously is in love with him. She seems to be a better match than Natalie. Hostetler, still mayor, summons Taggart for a meeting. Seems like the mayor's wife Cathleen (Catherine Zeta-Jones) has been unfaithful, and Hostetler wants to hire Taggart for $50,000 to find out information of the lover. As the mayor is involved in a tight race with reform challenger councilman Jack Valliant (Barry Pepper), he cannot afford any negative publicity that finds its way into radio, TV, and newspapers. Taggart accepts, and receives the first $25,000. Helped by Katy, Taggart soon has the evidence: It appears that Mrs. Hostetler has been seeing Paul Andrews (Kyle Chandler), Valliant's campaign manager!At a fundraiser for the mayor's campaign at the Roosevelt Hotel, Cathleen confronts Taggart and tells him that she knows he has been tailing her. She adds that Taggart is in much deeper than he realizes. The mayor then pays Taggart the balance of the money and says that the case is finished. Not long after, Andrews is found shot to death, and Valliant is despondent. When Taggart makes him talk in front of Commissioner Fairbanks, Valliant doesn't say much except that he was attracted to Andrews. Valliant is homosexual. After checking out the Bolton Village Housing Project (BVHP), Taggart meets with Cathleen who says that Andrews was really just a good friend who was going to provide her with incriminating information about the development; in turn Cathleen wanted the evidence to get a good divorce settlement from the mayor. What Hostetler originally wanted from Taggart was to discover Andrew's source of information. Taggart visits Sam Lancaster's business; Lancaster (Griffin Dunne) is a big financial supporter of the mayor. While he is snooping the premises and gathering some info about the BVHP, a shot is fired at him; this action is followed by the mandatory car chase, complete with wrecked vehicles. Taggart survives. It is soon revealed that the Rockaway Group (Lancaster's company) will evict the residents and demolish the Bolton Village, setting up a $4 billion building project. Todd later roughs up Todd Lancaster (James Ransone), Sam's son. Todd, who opposes his father, freely gives Taggart the signed contract that he had hidden. He was Andrews' friend and source. When Taggart confronts Mayor Hostetler in his office, he shows him the BVHP contract and demands his resignation. If not, he will reveal the corrupt city real estate deal with the mayor's $2 billion kickback for a new complex. But Hostetler has his own ammo: he produces a tape that incriminates Taggart for gunning down Tavarez. Who wins the standoff? Or will both share the same cell in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary?The director does have good actors in key roles, and even supporting ones, like Alona Tal. Crowe, cast against type, is good as usual. But most of the actors are not generally likable; and yet they are much better than the movie. The feature is sunk by plot holes, undeveloped story-line, and a worn script by Brian Tucker. So the kickback and tape were the big secrets? Aren't there mayoral term limits in NY? How come only Andrews was caught with the wife under surveillance but not Fairbanks? Anyway, the Mrs. Hostetler-Fairbanks affair just does not ring true. Would Taggart really team up with the smug Fairbanks who was against him in the first scene and who was involved with his removal from the police force? Would a man like Taggart really tear up $50,000 in checks, especially since his clients were not paying their bills? What was the undertone between the construction owner and his son (the Lancasters)? It is difficult to accept Mayor Hostetler having just one strongman enforcer do his dirty work and not an entire ring to shield him from incrimination. Locations were shot in New Orleans, not New York.

Bryan Kluger I was majorly impressed with Allen Hughes of the Hughes brothers 'Broken City'. I've seen a lot of political crime dramas before, but none like this. This particular story dives into the deep dark corners of politics and the police force in New York City at the end of a big mayoral election. I'm calling it now. Brian Tucker's debut screenplay deserves at least an Oscar nomination for next year. This multi layered drama and its intense characters made this film shine above the rest in its genre.We focus on the trail end of a mayoral election campaign between the incumbent Mayor Hostetler (Russel Crowe) and the new young and rich opponent Jack Valliant (Barry Pepper), who both are trying to win the people of New York over housing and tax issues. However there are a lies, betrayals, murders, and other atrocious acts of violence and crime that riddle this complex story.We see the film through the eyes of Detective Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg), who was forced to quit the police force by Mayor Hostetler several years ago due to a crime scene gone wrong. Now present day during the tail end of the new mayoral race, Taggart has opened a Private Investigative practice and works with his assistant Katy (Alona Tal). Business is very good for Taggart, though his clients haven't been paying him on time, and he is owed over $40k in completed work, or else he might have to shut down his practice. Much to his fortune, Mayor Hostetler calls Taggart and hires him to take pictures of his wife Cathleen (Catherine Zeta- Jones) and find out who she is having an affair with. Taggart accepts the job in that the Mayor has just given him more than what he is owed from all of his clients.From here on out, we are led into a dark territory that seems to fall under the noir category as we find clue after clue that adds another twist to the story and we find out it wasn't just an affair the mayor's wife was having. I've never seen a film where every character hates one another. Sure, Taggart and his assistant work well together, but there is not a scene that goes by with them together where she doesn't call him an "asshole." And we don't only get the relationships between politicians here, but each character has a family too, which all seem to have a high level of hatred and violence for one another.The script is very well done, with quick, smart dialogue that is fresh and new. Plus we get a glimpse of each characters strengths and weaknesses, which showcase just how well each character was thought out. Wahlberg did an amazing job, which I think might be his best work since 'Boogie Nights'. He shows what a tortured soul he is and how he wants to do good, even if it's his downfall. Truly remarkable. And Crowe's performance is perfectly played out as a charming and witty politician with a very sinister undertone. Plus his New York accent is very good and believable. Zeta-Jones' character probably has the most depth and mystery surrounding her. She plays it perfectly, never knowing what side she is on. Unfortunately, she receives little screen time, but when she's on, she's golden.If you're looking for an action crime movie, this probably isn't it, although it has a few very rough scenes with violence and a small car chase, but this film mostly relies on smart dialogue, two-faced characters, and surprises at every turn to keep you on the edge of your seat, which it does from start to finish. Usually, the films that are released in January are sub-par, but 'Broken City' breaks that tradition. Highly recommended.

g-bodyl Is Broken City going to blow your mind away with something new and unexpected? Is Broken City the most original thriller you'll ever see? The answer to both of these questions is no, but don't worry because not all hope is lost. This film manages to be an interesting, half-entertaining thriller that pays thoughtful tribute to the period from the 1930's to 1950's when noir films were the most prevalent. This isn't the best thriller out there, but it certainly gets it's job done.Allen Hughes directs a film about how corruption and injustice is prevalent in politics. After ex-cop now turned private detective Billy Taggert is set up and framed by none other than the mayor himself, Billy goes out for some tasteful revenge.This film has a very good cast, better than one would expect for a January thriller. They won't blow you away, but they manage to be respectable. Mark Wahlberg brings some life to the role of Taggert. Russell Crowe does a good job as the mayor. Catherine Zeta-Jones does a good job and I could have used some more scenes with her.Overall, Broken City is a solid thriller that has some tricks up it's sleeves. This film definitely reminds me of noir films of old because of the way it was filmed. Most of the film is in darkness and shadows and I can appreciate that. The script is average at best, but good acting tries to make up for that. There's nothing new here, but at least it makes for an interesting film experience. I rate this film 8/10.