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DVD Officer Down
 Run time: 98 min Rating: 5.6 Genres: Crime | Drama Director: Brian A Miller Writers: John Chase Stars: Stephen Dorff, Stephen Lang, David Boreanaz |
| Storyline In Bridgeport, Connecticut, Detective David ‘Cal’ Callahan is a family man, married with Alexandra with the teenage daughter Lanie. Cal has an unscrupulous past, drug and alcohol addicted, and he has reborn when he was shot by a drug dealer and saved by a stranger. When a stranger meets Cal in a bar, he tells that he was the one who saved him and gives the journal of his deceased daughter to Cal. He tells to Cal that she committed suicide after Angel, a regular of a night-club owned by the drug dealer Royce Walker where she danced, beaten up on her and raped her in the parking area. Cal investigates Angel and when he sees the man in his car in front of the school where Lanie studies, he believes that Angel is a pedophile and Cal decides to take an attitude. But her finds that someone is pulling the strings and watching him dance. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
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| Plot Keywords: journal, bar, bridgeport connecticut, two word title, revelation | |
| Details: Country: USA Release Date: 21 February 2013 (United Arab Emirates) |
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| Box Office Budget: $12,000,000 (estimated) Opening Weekend: $1,061 (USA) (18 January 2013) Gross: $1,184 (USA) (18 January 2013) |
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4 comments
When I started watching this film I was trying to figure out where it was going for the first hour. And with a film that approximately 1hr37mins that's pushing my limits on clarity (or as the politicians call it, transparency). On the other hand what fun would it be it we could figure out what was going to happen next (but I do like to know what's happening now).
All the actors do a good job. James Woods is always great and he maintains his standing in this film. Dorff is believable as the alcohol/drug abusing detective, although I don't know if many police departments would allow his attire, demeanor and foul odor to continue for very long. I like Walton Goggins in this although I don't think there was enough of him. That broad toothy smile of his is a trademark but we did not see any of that in this flick.
Even after the film discloses part of the overall plot and what you think is the missing piece there is still a finish that surprises. Otherwise, this would be a humdrum movie.
One concept that was used extensively were flashbacks, especially at the beginning, that left me confused about what the actual storyline was or which storyline I was suppose to follow. But I got past it and enjoyed the movie.
This film is worth a watch.
"Today is the day I die." Detective Callahan (Dorff) is a good cop with a checkered past. While out protecting someone he gives chase and does what he has to do, when the person he is chasing turns out to be a cop he wonders what is going on. Things begin to become confusing to him and he is struggling to do his job and fall back into his old ways. This movie starts off very exciting and gripping and stays that way for about half the movie. Then it starts to slow down a little. I think the problem with this is that it is a really good idea for a TV show but when stretched out into a full length movie they have to drag some things out and that really hurts the pace of the movie. This is still worth watching though and keeps you interested for most of it. While not amazing this is still better then most of the movies like this that have come out. Overall, worth seeing but would have been better as a TV show like "Blue Bloods" or "NYPD Blue". I give it a B.
In Bridgeport, Connecticut, Detective David 'Cal' Callahan (Stephen Dorff) is a family man, married with Alexandra (Elisabeth Röhm) with the teenage daughter Lanie (Beatrice Miller). Cal has an unscrupulous past, drug and alcohol addicted, and he has reborn when he was shot by a drug dealer and saved by a stranger.
When a stranger meets Cal in a bar, he tells that he was the one who saved him and gives the journal of his deceased daughter to Cal. He tells to Cal that she committed suicide after Angel (Walton Goggins), a regular of a night-club owned by the drug dealer Royce Walker (Dominic Purcell) where she danced, beaten up on her and raped her in the parking area. Cal investigates Angel and when he sees the man in his car in front of the school where Lanie studies, he believes that Angel is a pedophile and Cal decides to take an attitude. But he finds that he is a marionette and someone is pulling the strings and watching him dance.
"Officer Down" is a good police story with a non-linear screenplay developed like a puzzle with flashbacks and plot points that keeps the truth hidden until the conclusion. Detective David 'Cal' Callahan is tailored to Stephen Dorff that has good performance and James Woods is great as usual. The conclusion with the redemption of Cal is a little disappointing and unbelievable especially considering that Cal has a family to support and certainly mortgage to pay, and spending five years in prison does not seem to be a second chance in life. He could have accepted the report offered by Captain Verona and turned into a good cop. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Rastros de Violência" ("Violence Tracks")
A fabulous combo of gritty cop drama and action, with just the right amount of 'who dunnit' (or rather, 'who is it?') thrown in. There is a lot of ambiguity amongst the characters and their intentions, heightened by the use of flashback/dream sequences… which could annoy the less attentive but completely captivate problem-solving film viewers. It made it all the more enjoyable for me – putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Superb acting and an original story never short of a twist. I knew little about this film before going in, and I'm thankful as I was fully immersed throughout all the confusion and plot arcs. I think the title was the only thing that didn't do it justice – it is more than just another police-action-drama story.