Seen on: November 17, 2009

The players: Director: Werner Herzog, Writer: William M. Finkelstein, Cast: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Xzibit

Facts of interest: Won the Christopher D. Smithers Award in Venice.

The plot: The film follows a corrupt New Orleans cop who's addicted to drugs and tries to solve a brutal murder.

Our thoughts: Nicolas Cage is really bad in Werner Herzog’s “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” and I’m so glad and relieved he is. It’s great to see him back in total control of an intriguing role after a whole bunch of recent failures, and he’s undoubtedly the main reason this film worked for me so well. In other words, Cage totally delivers the goods.

“Bad Lieutenant” bears the same title as Abel Ferrara’s 1992 film with Harvey Keitel, but the two films actually don’t have too many things in common. Herzog’s film is set in post-Katrina New Orleans and follows Terence McDonagh, an eccentric detective who sets out to investigate the brutal murder of five immigrants.

Terence, however, has bigger problems than just finding a bad guy. He’s got a bad back that requires him to be on strong medicine, which explains why he’s totally addicted to drugs. He’s also got a serious gambling problem, and his debt just keeps growing. His girlfriend Frankie (Eva Mendes) is a prostitute, and his father is a drunk.

In other words, Terence has a lot of shit to deal with, and “Bad Lieutenant” follows him on his way to a state of desperate madness. With this film, Herzog has created a captivating portrait of a corrupt cop falling victim to drugs and abuse of power, and even though parts of it are definitely depressing, I found this to be a fascinating big-screen experience.

“Bad Lieutenant” is sold as a crime drama, but I find it succeeds more as a black comedy. It’s a very dark film at times, yes, but Cage’s character and especially his fantastic performance create many comic moments that made me and the audience I saw the film with break out in laughter more than once. Again, it all works thanks to Cage’s splendid work.

Cage has delivered a bunch of disappointing performances in mediocre flicks recently, but to be honest, I could not imagine any other actor in the role of Terence McDonagh. In the end, I was just blown away by his whole posture, the way he delivers these brilliant lines, and his ability to authentically portray a nasty drugged up bastard.

Also, William Finkelstein’s clever script and Herzog’s ability to create unique atmospheres on screen certainly help create this vibrant study of a messed-up character who does anything from wielding his badge to offering a drug lord (Xzibit) protection in order to score drugs, get what he wants, and deal with the many problems he’s facing.

Aside from the fabulous acting (which also includes a memorable role by Val Kilmer), “Bad Lieutenant” also boasts a stunning photography, which comes forward especially in shots of a devastated New Orleans. The connection between the ruinous state of the city and Cage’s deteriorating character worked flawlessly for me.

Let me point out though that the rather bizarre humor in the film may be off-putting to some cinemagoers. Before you make your decision whether to see this, know that “Bad Lieutenant” is not your traditional cop drama. The focus here remains entirely on character development, and big action and suspense are almost non-existent in this movie.

Freaky quote: "His soul is still dancing." - Nicolas Cage 

The final word: Watching Cage spend most of the film finding ways to get his drugs and get himself out of trouble can be quite arresting, and I can only repeat that the fabulous acting made it very easy for me to fall in love with this film. It’s yet another great Herzog production I will certainly revisit, and this probably more than once.

Article by Franck Tabouring