Movie: Pride and Glory

By Matthew Crooks

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Gritty crime dramas generally follow a rigid formula. They begin with a series of crimes that the audience is meant to believe were committed by some character, follow the police/FBI’s attempt to find said criminal, and end with a big reveal that one of good guys was behind the crimes all along. We’re shocked and outraged, have our cathartic release, and everyone goes home happy. Pride and Glory follows this formula, but takes away the surprise in favor of developing the psychology of its main characters.

The movie depicts a family of New York cops who get caught up in corruption and murder for hire. The well-meaning Ray Tierney—expertly played by Edward Norton—joins a task force in charge of solving a murder spree in which four police officers under his brother-in-law’s (Colin Farrell) authority lose their lives. From there he discovers a seedy underbelly to his older brother’s (Noah Emmerich) department. More bloodshed and death are in store before the end, but unlike most crime films, Pride and Glory is able to keep you guessing.

The heart of this film is its transformation of the convoluted plot-driven crime drama into an emotionally connected family story. John Voight gives a stellar performance as the father, and the supporting cast is strong, making the movie a legitimate work of filmmaking art.

Most of the developing material is sound, but the ending strikes a slightly silly chord, which keeps Pride and Glory from ascending into the next echelon of cinema. Don’t let that dissuade you, however, from seeing this utterly violent yet touching thriller.

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