Dorathen
Better Late Then Never
TeenzTen
An action-packed slog
2freensel
I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.
qormi
Copland is very subtle in its character development and revelations. The characters are very real and complex. This film will not take you by the hand and show you around. You have to be astute and infer what is going down. The key to this movie is that the people are real. The acting is top notch. Besides all the familiar names doing an outstanding job, the entire cast of characters... and there are many.. all come off as very real, surprising the viewer as they are just as unpredictable as real people. That's why this movie is a masterpiece... it demands more than one viewing to fully appreciate the unfolding drama. Stallone's character, who never shakes off his naïveté and self doubt, emerges victorious in spite of himself. Kietel and his minions are vain, nasty creeps..like many people you may know. Liotta is a tortured soul who somehow has a shred of decency left. DeNirio's character lacks integrity and is in a position of authority; a man who lacks the courage to pursue the truth. All these people are real.
videorama-759-859391
I'll be honest. Copland is not a great film. It's a better watch the second time around, where it entertained me much more. Stallone is in his element, and will surprise you, especially people doubting his acting ability, as a beaten cop, who got the bad end of the stick. He works in this town on the other side of the Jersey river, that offers a much more prosperous future. In his own town, he just discovers police corruption which runs a deep path, headed by old colleague (Keitel, in a tight performance). The police force here, is a front for drugs, and other things, where we meet a few bad apples like T2's Robert Patrick, an actor who always brings something to the table. A supposed jumper, cop Rappaport disappears, and later on, becomes a liability, where the only cop he can trust is overweight, apathetic Stallone, who's just so good in this film. Copland does have some original and fresh touches about it, regarding plot, one scene borrowing, or resembling that one in Striking Distance. De Niro as a tough, hard as nails IA detective, of course, does us solid. A beefy Liotta is also very good, as Stallone's good friend and partner, adding a kind of doubting menace regarding his standing as a honest cop, which I liked, as well as his excellent talent at demonstrating very real anger, but apart from Stallone, Keitel was the other one who really impressed me. There's nothing but good actors in Copland, Cathy Moriarty, worse praising too, as a Keitel's haggard wife, doing a younger cop. The movie does keep falling to patches of ordinary, as it's not the best pick off the shelf, but definitely watch this good acting over story, especially when the films heralded by Stallone's really impressive acting you gotta witness.
Leofwine_draca
This heavyweight thriller seemingly slipped under the radar, but offers enough top casting, excellent scripting and twists and turns to rival Oscar-acclaimed films such as LA CONFIDENTIAL. It's a film with a small, central cast of characters and a number of plot threads which eventually converge into a big conspiracy. The film aims for a low-key, realistic approach throughout, and the characters emerge as the most important elements; these are real, recognisable people, and the corruption running throughout the movie seems all too believable.Stallone gives what I believe to be his personal best performance as the somewhat slow, dim-witted, mild-mannered sheriff who solves the riddle, and he is ably supported by star turns from Keitel, De Niro (in an extended cameo) and Liotta. A bunch of other notable actors fill out solid, more minor roles, like Michael Rapaport, Robert Patrick and Peter Berg. Everybody is great here, right across the board from Keitel to Sciorra.I loved this movie due to the suspense and the intrigue, and mostly the likability of Stallone's leading character, who really is an unconventional chap, deaf in one ear, with no muscle, just a load of flab. Stallone is really touching in this part and definitely should have received an Oscar, but hey, just watch the film and enjoy watching, knowing that he gives his all. The film culminates in an amazing shoot-out which puts an atypical soundtrack effect to brilliant use, although short, I preferred this to more grandiose shoot-outs in the like of OPEN RANGE. The film as a whole can't be faulted – crime fans will love this one to bits.
jgls-1
Yeah, Stallone is v good, director better. You can kinda see where he has maybe told Stallone 'Here, lower your head, a bit of contrition, you're an elected sheriff, you gotta kowtow to the others' but dammit it is well done. Keitel of course great but a few others make it a good movie too, well scripted, Liota surprising, and Janine rocks as sidekick partner, love her role, v understated given her usual thing. The scene with Stallone and one of the good ones that had been taken, is actually really well done and short, simple, and sweet, but not overly done. I'm thoroughly enjoying this movie. I have been searching and sadly can't find much but I think it deserved more awards.
