  Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansMPAA Rating:
 for drug use and language throughout, some violence and sexuality._____
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:
Adults
Genre:
Crime Drama Remake
Length:
2 hr. 1 min.
Year of Release:
2009
USA Release:
November 25, 2009 (limited—20 theaters)
DVD: April 6, 2010 
 
Relevant Issues
“The only criminal he can’t catch is himself.” Remake of “Bad Lieutenant” (1992) Producer’s synopsis: “In Werner Herzog’s film ‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,’ Nicolas Cage plays a rogue detective who is as devoted to his job as he is at scoring drugs—while playing fast and loose with the law. He wields his badge as often as he wields his gun in order to get his way. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina he becomes a high-functioning addict who is a deeply intuitive, fearless detective reigning over the beautiful ruins of New Orleans with authority and abandon. Complicating his tumultuous life is the prostitute he loves (played by Eva Mendes). Together they descend into their own world marked by desire, compulsion, and conscience. The producer calls this film “a singular masterpiece of filmmaking: equally sad and manically humorous.”
Volunteer reviewer needed for this movie—Request this assignment See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.   Movie Critics
…it gradually reveals itself as a sly comedy about a snaky but courageous man. No one is better at this kind of performance than Nicolas Cage. He’s a fearless actor.… [4/4]
—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times …deadpan zaniness, stemming from a steadfast conviction in its own absurdity… ends up being, of all things, a fairy tale with a wrap-up no one would expect.…
—Todd McCarthy, Variety …Dark, druggy, funny ‘Bad Lieutenant’ is one of Nicolas Cage’s best acting jobs… (FYI: This movie has nothing to do with the Abel Ferrara/Harvey Keitel original). [A-]
—Gary Thompson, Philadelphia Daily News …Nicolas Cage is such a “Bad Lieutenant,” he’s good… It’s a maniacal performance, complete with mad gales of laughter and insane bouts of temper.… it’s a pleasure to see him in the kind of role his fearless acting style seems meant for.…
—Claudia Puig, USA Today …Herzog offers dark comedy, an exaggerated exploration of what he calls “the bliss of evil.”… Making a bad movie this good is harder than it looks.…
—Christopher Orr, The New Republic Comments from non-viewers
Negative—We were looking for a good action flick and Nicholas Cage has carried a fairly good reputation for creating movies of that nature. We watched for the first 10 minutes or so (maybe even less than that) and had to shut the movie off. Every other word in this movie is the "F" word, there was a lot of explicit drug use, and more importantly there was a repulsive sex scene that we just couldn’t bare to watch. It was so nasty that I really can’t begin to describe it. We shut the movie off immediately.
This movie has left such a stain in my mind with regard to Nicholas Cage. I was previously a fan of many of his films but can’t imagine what kind of a man would even choose to star in such a film. What does it say about his character as a person? Everything about this film has bothered me to the core. This film is what caused me to find this Web site. It is nice to have a place to turn-to to try and avoid making such horrible film choices in the future. The filth we watch on television and in the movies gets taken into our minds, and whether we realize it or not, it has a direct effect on our spirits and how we think. As Christians it is important to remember this when making decisions regarding the types of programs that we are willing to watch. —Kara, age 27 (USA) |
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