Pride and Glory (12a)
Film ReviewsPublished November 25, 2008 at 9:10 No CommentsRay Tierney (Edward Norton) is forced to investigate his stepbrother Jimmy Egan (Collin Farrell) after four cops are found dead in a New York drug den. Family loyalties are further tested as father Francis Tierney Sr. (Jon Voight) and brother Francis Tierney Junior’s (Noah Emmrich) police roles come under scrutiny. After an odd opening (starting at an American football match) we see Jimmy and his unit robbing, killing and covering up their crimes, but an incorruptible Ray is on the case. It’s all a little cliché.
Pride and Glory (PAG) should act as a fast paced thriller, but instead decides to trudge along through its 130-minute running time. Even after several revelations in the film it never really picks up. It takes far too long for the story and characters to be built up. Ray is given a dark and murky back-story and estranged family that is never developed. This is all despite the fact family plays such a big part in PAG and Ray’s facial scar is always visible. The scriptwriting is hit and miss with only a handful of them being interesting. Too much time is spent showing bent cops argue and abuse their jobs, neither of which is entertaining.
PAG does have a couple of shining moments, Jimmy’s interrogation of criminal Coco made me squirm. I’ve never hated a character so quickly in a film, it’s hard not to give it away but PAG doesn’t resort to a cheap gore film. It’s shocking and shows just how far Jimmy will go to cover his own back. When Ray hunts a suspect PAG seems to speed up; contacts are met, leads are followed and the backstabbing commences. This only lasts for about 20 minutes as PAG decides to focus on family values and police politics.
PAG doesn’t know what to focus on, Ray’s inner struggle with personal and work matters, a gritty and crime infested New York, bent cops or family disputes. It attempts to mix them all but doesn’t succeed. The cast all work perfectly, I even liked Colin Farrell for once; the problem is they have little to work with. The films finale feels like an action film and left me feeling as confused as the film is.
2/5
By Kiron Ramdewar
