Taut, atmospheric, acted with confident ease -- this is one of the greatest American movies of the 1990s.
Comment
04/09/08
L.A. Confidential (1997)
99
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:80
Fresh:79
Rotten:1
Average Rating:8.6/10
Consensus: Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride.
Runtime: 2 hrs 18 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Director Curtis Hanson captures the duality of 1950s Los Angeles in this striking film noir adaptation of James Ellroy's novel. The City of Angels might be sunny, inviting, and glamorous to the... [More]
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger
Director: Curtis Hanson
Reviews for L.A. Confidential
Top CriticAs the emotional nexus, a Veronica Lake lookalike trapped in a web of male desires, Basinger is arguably the pick of a perfect cast. Subtle, shocking, compelling and immensely assured.
06/24/06
Top CriticDirector Curtis Hanson's elegant film is faithful to Ellroy's multi-layered and labyrinthine book, requiring some concentration to keep up with the subtle plot twists and coded dialogue.
04/17/01
Top CriticActed to perfection with more twists than you can shake a stick at.
04/21/03
Top CriticClick to read the article
03/24/02
Top CriticIt's the story of good white actors stranded, in the name of noir, in a movie that refuses to kick into gear until it's far too late.
01/01/00
The script has the type of deft plotting that made films like The Crying Game and The Usual Suspects so popular.
01/01/00
Top CriticL.A. Confidential is a tour de (police) force. With characters as intricate as any you'll find on film this year, and performances that rise to the occasion.
01/01/00
Top CriticA parlor game has already begun as to whether the supreme acting revelation in L.A. Confidential is provided by Mr. Crowe, Mr. Spacey or Mr. Pearce.
04/27/07
Curtis Hanson has captured the flinty, sweaty days of post-World War II Los Angeles in his slick policier, L.A. Confidential.
01/01/00
It may be set almost 45 years ago but it's as urgently up-to-date as tomorrow.
01/01/00
If the critics overrate this one, it's only because it looks so damned good in contrast to the rest of what's out there.
01/01/00
Director Hanson's convoluted plot -- tracing the rise, fall, and redemption of L.A. cops played by Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, and James Cromwell -- is all over the map until its handy, bloody ending (body count > 25).
01/01/00
You have to pay close attention to follow the double-crossing intricacies of the plot, but the reward for your work is dark and dirty fun.
04/09/08
Stop reading. Put this review on hold until after you've seen L.A. Confidential.
04/09/08
This is the rare film that displays a perfect sense of star power, and how it plays to an audience.
01/01/00
A solid, confident thriller.
01/01/00
The feel of the movie is of nostalgia for the Hollywood glamorous life of [the 1950s]...
01/01/00
L.A. Confidential is a rarity, a major Hollywood film with smart acting, dialogue and production values that actually works from beginning to end.
01/01/00
Take strong performances, an involved story and period atmosphere, then throw in sex, violence, corruption and politics to make one hell of a crime drama.
01/01/00
Latest News for L.A. Confidential
April 09, 2008:
Total Recall: The 10 Most Corrupt Cops in Movies
In honor of David Ayer's Street Kings we did a little bad-to-worse survey of the boys who soil their blue. Some of them are hot, some of them caustic, but all of them are... More...
May 04, 2007:
The Weekly Ketchup: Dunst Forgives Self For Bad Acting, Downey Reflects On "Iron Man," New "Magneto" Director, And More!
In this week's Ketchup, Kirsten Dunst talks about the woes of blue-screen theatrics, Robert Downey Jr. discusses his "Iron Man" pedigree, and the new... More...
May 03, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Spidey Senses Tingling For a Record Opening Weekend
Will the friendly neighborhood webslinger reclaim the holy grail of the movie biz - the opening weekend box office record? More...
July 27, 2006:
Trailer Bulletin: Eric Bana & Drew Barrymore in "Lucky You"
I was wondering when we'd start getting smacked with all the poker movies ... and here comes one! Curtis Hanson's "Lucky You" stars Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, and... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube 
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds