Based on the best-selling novel by James Ellroy and directed by Curtis Hanson, this award-winning crime drama explores both the dark side of the Los Angeles police force and Southern California's criminal underbelly in the early '50s, when Hollywood was still seen as America's capital of sophistication, glitter, and glamour. Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) is the head of the LAPD and is loyal to his officers and eager to turn a blind eye to violence or corruption within his department, as long as it's the "bad guys" who are getting hurt. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a police detective whose violent and cynical nature is often at war with his basic sense of decency and justice. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is a beat cop-turned-detective whose strict by-the-book philosophy and willingness to blow the whistle on other officers is balanced by a shrewd and opportunistic understanding of the internal politics of the department. And Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a flashy "Hollywood" detective who serves as technical advisor for the TV series Badge of Honor. He is also in cahoots with Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito), publisher of the scandal sheet Hush Hush, who throws kickbacks to Vincennes in exchange for being brought along when showbiz figures get busted. White, Exley, and Vincennes find themselves drawn into a tangled and sticky web of violence and betrayal following a multiple murder at a coffee shop that is believed to be part of an effort by Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle) to consolidate his hold on organized crime in L.A. This lead appears to be connected to the discovery of a bizarre ****** and call-girl ring operated by Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn), whose women are given plastic surgery so that they more closely resemble well-known movie stars. White's role in the investigation is complicated when he falls for Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger), one of Patchett's prostitutes, who is the spitting image of Veronica Lake. L.A. Confidential was nominated for nine Academy Awards and netted two, with Brian Helgeland honored for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Kim Basinger taking home a statuette as Best Supporting Actress. Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Genre: Crime & Espionage
- Category Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Police Detective Film
- Theme: Scandals and Cover-Ups, Prostitutes, Police Corruption, Murder Investigations, Rookie Cops, Fighting the System
- Studio: Warner Home Video
- Run Time: 02 hr 18 min
- Language: English, French
- Subtitle Language: French, Spanish, English
- Picture Format: widescreen
- Format: DVD
- Release Date: February 2, 2010
- Lead Actor: James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey
- Supporting Actor: Danny DeVito, David Strathairn, Paul Guilfoyle, Ron Rifkin, Amber Smith, Matt McCoy, John Mahon, David St. James, Simon Baker-Denny, Paolo Seganti, Gwenda Deacon, Graham Beckel, Fred Scialla
- Director: Curtis Hanson
awards
- Awards: Academy Awards (3), Golden Globe Awards (1)
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Supporting Actress, 1997, Kim Basinger
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Picture, 1997, Michael Nathanson
- Winner: Golden Globe Awards, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Ro, 1997, Kim Basinger
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Adapted Screenplay, 1997, Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland
- Nominations: Academy Awards (7), Golden Globe Awards (3)
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, Best Screenplay, 1997, Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Editing, 1997, Peter Honess
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Art Direction, 1997, Jeannine Oppewall, Jay R. Hart
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Director, 1997, Curtis Hanson
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, Best Original Score, 1997, Jerry Goldsmith
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Dramatic Score, 1997, Jerry Goldsmith
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Cinematography, 1997, Dante Spinotti
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Sound, 1997, Kirk A. Francis, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Picture, 1997, Curtis Hanson
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, Best Director, 1997, Curtis Hanson
