Bad Lieutenant Movie Review By Zirp

This review may contain spoilers.

I’ve hated cops all my life, but after watching Harvey Keitel’s brilliant performance in Abel Ferrara’s neo-noir masterpiece, I now want to join the academy, so I can one day rise in the ranks to lieutenant, and be just like his character (referred to simply as “Lieutenant” throughout the film).

To be honest, I’ve always hated the “crooked” (for lack of a better term) cops the very most, due to the utter hypocrisy of stripping others of their freedom for engaging in the same behaviors and activities that they themselves engage in - but the lieutenant is just WAY too cool. I know he’s a fictional character, but he became my personal hero very shortly into the film, and I only grew to love him more with each minute.

Even though I myself have done most of the things the lieutenant does, he just does it with so much style, and I yearn be more like him when doing these things in the future.

The whole redemption angle was a bit of a bummer, as the lieutenant is a fine man who has done nothing wrong, and has nothing to be sorry about. If I were half as awesome as he, and found myself face to face with Jesus, I would tell him to fuck right off.

I almost considered giving this film four stars for this reason, but but I can’t stay mad about it. Everything the lieutenant does up to that point more than makes up for it, plus he hangs dong! Five stars all the way!