Narc is a safe film; a safe film in the sense it retreads familiar territory but that territory is usually pleasurable if you're a fan of the genre although for everyone else it's a cliché. Take the romance genre or the sports genre in which an underdog is involved. If you like the genre and the route they usually go down when dealing with formulas, chances are you'll like the film if not then it's a dead zone. Narc for a lot of people, I'm sure, will disappoint on the level of familiarity and that odd visual element it carries; closely resembling an American cop serial TV programme. For others and fans of the genre, it will be a nice time passer as was the case for me.
I think the film will definitely hit a nerve with anyone male between the ages of thirty-five and forty-five and who have a family of their own. Narc is a very male orientated film about tough guys with big egos doing manly things in a job that requires you prove yourself everyday, that job being an undercover policeman. The film revolves around Detective Sergeant Nick Tellis (Patric), a man with a prior tragedy in the sense he shot a pregnant woman who then miscarried following a chase and a shooting, and his life following a case with fellow cop Detective Lieutenant Henry Oak (Liotta).
The reason I say it may appeal more to males in their 30s and 40s is the manner in which it gets across a person of this age in a working class life. Tellis is a family man; a wife and a young child are there to keep him company and the manner in which the film approaches its material sees a couple of scenes dedicated to family life as well as all the problems that might come with it. These include family rows between partners as the baby cries; sharing intimate scenes with the other half and the fact the film presents it protagonist in Tellis not as a young, hotshot cop but as a weary veteran; someone who knows their job well and mus balance it with home life. Certainly the opening scene that plunges the viewer straight into chaos and tragedy before they get a chance to figure where they are or what's going on adds to the effectiveness it might have on the target audience.
Likewise, if the said male in that age bracket watches a lot of television, particularly serials in the crime genre then they really will be hooked. Personally, I don't fall into any of the above and to me the film comes across as a typical, fast paced cop thriller with all the usual conventional content. As characters on screen together; Tellis and Oak play that good cop, bad cop partnership but they play it well. Note when I said fans of the genre may lap it up, others will be disappointed that they're being given more of the same they recognise. Along with this, you get the usual portrayals of young, Hispanic men all up to their eyebrows in drugs of some shape or form which again feels familiar to the veteran viewer but will suffice for most out for something merely entertaining.
It seems the film is about smart and experienced men, in a job that requires a fair amount of ruthlessness, falling out with society around them. As characters, Oaks and Tellis are both white Caucasian Americans in an ever-changing world of ethnicities. They fight the drugs imported from around the world and handled by Hispanics and African Americans in a fashion that is gritty and handled well but familiar to mostly everyone. But it does focus on the domestic sides of things as well; Tellis obviously with his marriage that gradually falls apart and after a while, Oaks reveals something about his past to do with relationships and marriage which brings a subtle amount of humanity to his character just when required.
There is a definite sense of urgency in Narc, aided by the camera work and editing. The film is lit in an odd, glowing manner bringing out the whites and, at times, greys that complement the rough, metallic atmosphere. The fact there is a lot of snow around at other times aids in getting across a cold atmosphere, both in temperature and character mindset. But the film cannot seem to nail being anything fantastic or particularly outstanding. The plot points that lead up to a possible betrayal in the force later on are fine but I didn't feel the punch I was maybe supposed to, it didn't come across as effective enough; certainly when you have a criminal basically trying to bargain his way out of being executed by giving a lead character the 'truth' as to what's actually going on.
Narc cannot help looking like a made for TV film because it is trying to get across that feeling anyway. The popularity of television serials and fast paced thrillers have become ridiculous very recently what with the Bourne films getting more recognition than they deserve but Narc predates those films and is better than some of the Bourne outings. For what it's worth, Narc is an interesting at times and touching at others film that doesn't outstay its welcome but leaves you satisfied with the journey, even if it is very familiar overall.
I think the film will definitely hit a nerve with anyone male between the ages of thirty-five and forty-five and who have a family of their own. Narc is a very male orientated film about tough guys with big egos doing manly things in a job that requires you prove yourself everyday, that job being an undercover policeman. The film revolves around Detective Sergeant Nick Tellis (Patric), a man with a prior tragedy in the sense he shot a pregnant woman who then miscarried following a chase and a shooting, and his life following a case with fellow cop Detective Lieutenant Henry Oak (Liotta).
The reason I say it may appeal more to males in their 30s and 40s is the manner in which it gets across a person of this age in a working class life. Tellis is a family man; a wife and a young child are there to keep him company and the manner in which the film approaches its material sees a couple of scenes dedicated to family life as well as all the problems that might come with it. These include family rows between partners as the baby cries; sharing intimate scenes with the other half and the fact the film presents it protagonist in Tellis not as a young, hotshot cop but as a weary veteran; someone who knows their job well and mus balance it with home life. Certainly the opening scene that plunges the viewer straight into chaos and tragedy before they get a chance to figure where they are or what's going on adds to the effectiveness it might have on the target audience.
Likewise, if the said male in that age bracket watches a lot of television, particularly serials in the crime genre then they really will be hooked. Personally, I don't fall into any of the above and to me the film comes across as a typical, fast paced cop thriller with all the usual conventional content. As characters on screen together; Tellis and Oak play that good cop, bad cop partnership but they play it well. Note when I said fans of the genre may lap it up, others will be disappointed that they're being given more of the same they recognise. Along with this, you get the usual portrayals of young, Hispanic men all up to their eyebrows in drugs of some shape or form which again feels familiar to the veteran viewer but will suffice for most out for something merely entertaining.
It seems the film is about smart and experienced men, in a job that requires a fair amount of ruthlessness, falling out with society around them. As characters, Oaks and Tellis are both white Caucasian Americans in an ever-changing world of ethnicities. They fight the drugs imported from around the world and handled by Hispanics and African Americans in a fashion that is gritty and handled well but familiar to mostly everyone. But it does focus on the domestic sides of things as well; Tellis obviously with his marriage that gradually falls apart and after a while, Oaks reveals something about his past to do with relationships and marriage which brings a subtle amount of humanity to his character just when required.
There is a definite sense of urgency in Narc, aided by the camera work and editing. The film is lit in an odd, glowing manner bringing out the whites and, at times, greys that complement the rough, metallic atmosphere. The fact there is a lot of snow around at other times aids in getting across a cold atmosphere, both in temperature and character mindset. But the film cannot seem to nail being anything fantastic or particularly outstanding. The plot points that lead up to a possible betrayal in the force later on are fine but I didn't feel the punch I was maybe supposed to, it didn't come across as effective enough; certainly when you have a criminal basically trying to bargain his way out of being executed by giving a lead character the 'truth' as to what's actually going on.
Narc cannot help looking like a made for TV film because it is trying to get across that feeling anyway. The popularity of television serials and fast paced thrillers have become ridiculous very recently what with the Bourne films getting more recognition than they deserve but Narc predates those films and is better than some of the Bourne outings. For what it's worth, Narc is an interesting at times and touching at others film that doesn't outstay its welcome but leaves you satisfied with the journey, even if it is very familiar overall.