Rampart

A Lightstream Pictures, Waypoint Entertainment presentation in colaboration using the 3rd Mind Pictures. (Worldwide sales: Sierra-Affinity.) Produced by Lawrence Inglee, Clark Billings, Ben Promote, Ken Kao. Executive producers, Michael DeFranco, Lila Yacoub, Mark Gordon, Paul Currie, Garrett Kelleher. Co-producers, Luca Borghese, Ross Ioppolo. Directed by Oren Moverman. Script, James Ellroy, Moverman.With: Woodsy Harrelson, Ned Beatty, Francis Capra, Ben Promote, Anne Heche, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Audra McDonald, Cynthia Nixon, Sigourney Weaver, Robert Understanding, Robin Wright, Steve Buscemi, Jon Bernthal, Jon Promote, Stella Schnabel, Sammy Boyarsky.Casting a cynical backward consider the police ripoffs that rocked La inside the late 1990's, author-director Oren Moverman ("The Messenger") and resident crime-fiction specialist James Ellroy deliver a very-wrought but considerably narrow account from the scuzzy cop's personal and professional meltdown in "Rampart." Woodsy Harrelson is excellent just like a cynical, trigger-happy officer oblivious for the fresh winds of change and accountability sweeping through his embattled department. But because the film is drenched in atmosphere and packs a verbal and visceral punch, its relentless volitile manner produces an overdetermined, not entirely satisfying character study with modest niche-release prospects. The title alone seems to promise a dense, meaty ensemble piece examining the large network of corruption and misconduct that found light within the La Police Dept.'s Rampart division, that greater than 70 cops were charged with functions of unprovoked brutality, evidence falsification together with other crimes. But while Ellroy has written plenty of books in this intricate, layer-by-seedy-layer vein (and formerly co-scripted the 2008 L.A. corrupt-cops thriller "Street Nobleman"), his collaboration with Moverman keeps the ripoffs largely without anyone's understanding in the Rampart cop who drives the film's every scene. It's 1999, and Officer Dork Brown (Harrelson) can be a rough-justice type whose 24 years concerning the pressure have trained him involve bending the recommendations once in some time. Early moments give a quick sketch from the charismatically crooked figure, from his combative associations along with his fellow authorities, laced with delicately racist and chauvinist put-downs, to his oddly functional associations along with his ex-partners (Anne Heche and Cynthia Nixon), who still accept him and each use a daughter by him. (Also, they're brothers and sisters.) It's implied that Dave's fierce protectiveness of his kids partly motivated his alleged killing from the serial rapist in the past. That inclination for boundary-pushing violence again rears its mind when Dork chases lower and sometimes beats a suspect, an action caught on video and rapidly disseminated in news reports, threatening to fireplace in the type of Rodney King-like embarrassment the LAPD doesn't need inside the wake of Rampart. Soon he's being pressed to retire by assistant da Joan Confrey (a wonderful Sigourney Weaver), most likely probably the most satisfying of many distaff nemeses Dork squares offered by these men Linda Fentress (Robin Wright), a foxy defense lawyer whom he ill-advisedly builds up in the bar. Tightening the noose round their own neck, Dork surprises a trio of armed thieves in the tense, terse setpiece that invites the scrutiny of D.A. Investigator Kyle Timkins (Ice Cube). After making some off-color insinuations about Timkins, Dork supplies a very cynical self-justification: "Bear in mind that i am not just a racist. Generally I personally don't like everyone.Inch The feeling seems being mutual, as everyone who knows Dork triggers him inside the film's partner. Pic greater than bears the intelligence and moral toughness of Moverman's 2009 pointing debut, "The Messenger," which featured Harrelson and Ben Promote (almost unrecognizable just because a destitute informant). But that is one film stood a searching quality that uncovered new depths in every single scene, "Rampart" seems to choke off feeling since it progresses, as if the filmmakers, getting determined humanity's cynical equation, had nothing left to supply psychologically. Getting spent its first half creating its antihero for defeat, the pic has nowhere to go to but lower, showing up in the same punishing note to ever-diminishing returns. But even when he seems to remain in permanent moral free-fall, Harrelson keeps you watching his uncontrollable energy and demon-may-care attitude make Dork as enjoyable while he is wretched, and also the refusal to buckle to forces of political correctness and hypocrisy instructions some admiration. Harrelson slimmed lower by 25 pounds to get a guy who, the general status of cops notwithstanding, has short amount of time to eat, and also the dedication is displayed in many sex moments carried out getting an entire insufficient vanity. Aside from one immersive latenight club sequence, the raw, handheld lensing and fleet editing never call concentrate on themselves inside the expert tech package. The city's sun-bleached outdoors to experience a tough, hellish cast in d.p. Bobby Bukowski's color-saturated HD lensing, as well as the pic fairly teems with local atmosphere, specifically in its quantity of moments within the original Tommy's hamburger joint in a corner of Beverly and Rampart.Camera (color, widescreen, HD), Bobby Bukowski editor, Jay Rabinowitz music, Dickon Hinchliffe music supervisor, Jim Black production designer, David Wasco art director, Austin Gorg set decorator, Sandy Wasco costume designer, Catherine George appear (Dolby Digital), Lisa Pinero appear designer/supervisory appear editor, Javier Bennassar effects coordinator, Larz Anderson visual effects supervisor, Dottie Starling visual effects, Wildfire Visual Effects stunt coordinator, Tim Trella connect producers, Charlie O'Carroll, William Paul Clark assistant director, William Paul Clark casting, Laura Rosenthal, Rachel Tenner. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (Special Presentations), Sept. 10, 2011. Running time: 103 MIN. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com