DVD Corner

Brooklyn’s Finest DVD Review

“Brooklyn’s Finest” features terrific acting.

“Brooklyn’s Finest” focuses on three interconnected stories about 3 NYPD police officers in the BK housing project area. The officers are: 1. Sal- A shady cop who is willing to steal money from criminals in order to support his family. 2. Eddie- A cop who is nearing retirement. His life is a mess and he has clearly seen a lot during his time as an officer of the law. 3. Clarence/Tago- An undercover cop who wants a normal desk job because he feels like he’s losing himself. He has developed a bond with a criminal (Caz) and knows he has to betray him even if he doesn’t want to.

After a few clunkers (cough “King Arthur” and “Tears Of The Sun” cough), director Antoine Fuqua returns to the genre that made him a star- the cop drama. While ‘Finest’ isn’t on par with the fantastic “Training Day,” it’s still a dark and compelling drama with rich themes about corruption, redemption, betrayal, money and justice. Granted, the story has a “been-there-done-that” feel to it, but it’s the acting and well-developed characters that drive this film. Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, and Don Cheadle all give stand-out performances here as the 3 NYPD officers. Wesley Snipes and Ellen Barkin also provide scene-stealing supporting roles as well. Simply put, ‘Finest’ is worth seeing for the acting alone.

The 2.40:1 widescreen picture quality is a bit on the dark, grainy side, but it’s a solid transfer. I suspect the Blu-ray picture quality is vastly superior.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is also solid but the volume may need to be adusted during the quieter scenes.

Extras:

* A dull, monotone commentary by Antoine Fuqua.
* Starz trailers and “Brooklyn’s Finest” theatrical trailer.
* A half hour of deleted scenes (including alternate endings).
* “An Eye For Detail: Director Featurette”- A look at Antoine Fuqua’s directorial style.
* “Chaos And Conflict: The Life Of A New York Cop”- Featurette on the 3 cop characters.
* “Boyz N The Real Hood”- A featurette on the authenticity of the movie (including the Brooklyn location shooting).
* “From The MTA To The WGA: Writer Featurette”- An interesting look at writer Michael C. Martin’s life as well as his script.

July 5, 2010 - Posted by nicklyons1 | DVD review | Brooklyn's Finest DVD Review, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Richard Gere