L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

Drenched in the tawdry glamour of Hollywood in the early 1950s and up to its ears in corruption, L.A. Confidential is an irresistible treat with enough narrative twists and memorable characters for a half-dozen films. Curtis Hanson's rich adaptation of James Ellroy's novel will satisfy mystery fans and probably represents the best film of its type since Chinatown. This superbly acted policier packs plenty of surprises and satisfies on virtually every level. Ellroy's knotty yarn involves seamy aspects of Southern California's political, business, racial, legal, journalistic and underworld history, to excellent effect. Working deeply within film noir territory, Hanson concentrates upon telling the story in superbly chosen settings that convey a pungent sense of a virtually vanished L.A. --Variety