导演:比尔·杜克
主演:劳伦斯·菲什伯恩 杰夫·高布伦 查尔斯·马丁·史密斯
HavingwitnessedhisjunkiefatherkilledRussellStevensgrowsuptobecomeapolicemanandmakeadifference.WhenheisofferedanundercoverjobbyGeraldCarverheacceptsandbeginstobuildarelationshipwithDavidJasoninordertogettothemaindealers.Howeverasheisforcedtodealdrugsandkilltokeephiscoverhefindsthelinesbetweencopandcriminalbeinglost–isheacoppretendingtobeadealeroradealerpretendingtobeacop Larry(ashewasthen)Fishburne'sfirstleadrolewasatypicallydarkvehicle.Thestoryistheusualoneofcoplosinghimselfwhenundercover,howeveritmanagestobemorethanthatformostofthetime.Co-writtenbyTolkin,whowroteThePlayer,thisnaturallyhasanicecynicaledgetoitwhenitlooksattheUS'shypocriticalapproachtodrugcontrolandthepoliticallinksbetweenthestreethustlersandthepoliticalhighrollerswhocourtrespectability.Thestorydoeseventuallysettleintoatraditionalsettingbuteventhenitworkswellasathriller. Themulti-talentedBillDukedirectswellwithagrittyfeelandafewnicetouches.Howeverseveralthingsareabitiffy.FormostofthefilmFishburne'snarrationvoiceoverisabitlikeacrossbetweenApocalypseNowandBladeRunner–itcomesacrossasalittletoodarkandheavyandalsoexplainsthingslikewecan'tfigureitoutourselves.Howeveronceyougetintothefilmit'snotasbigadeal.Mymainproblemlieswiththecharacters. Fishburneisexcellent,arealmodelofunderlyingangerandviolence,GoldblumisgoodbutperhapsalittleOTTontheyuppieviolencething,butthere'sgoodsupportfromSmithandSpinCity'sbeautiful(andoftenunderused–butnothere)VictoriaDillard.Howeverthetwomainwhitecharacters(GoldblumandSmith)arebothsmearedwithracistinsinuations–Smithappearstoinsulthisblackofficersanddoesn'tcareaboutthejunkies,whileGoldblumisfascinatedaboutallthingsblackandtalksaboutthemaswildbeautifulbeastsandloveshavingsexwithblack'.Thesethingsaren'tamajorproblem,butwithbasicallyonlytwowhitecharactersinit,it'salittleworryingthatbotharegiventhatedge. Howevertheseareminorcomplaintsthatgetlostwithagoodthriller.FishburneexcelsandDukedeliversastorythatisagoodthrillerbutalsohasajaded,subversiveedge.