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Gang Related
Despite overheated direction and a spotty screenplay, the 1997 crime drama Gang Related is still worth a look thanks to a solid cast, including the final movie for the late Tupac Shakur.
Davinci (Jim Belushi) and Rodrigues (Shakur) are a pair of dirty cops trying to make some money out of a big time drug drug dealer and end up murdering him. The murder case falls in their laps and they learn that the guy was really an undercover DEA agent. Davinci and Rodrigues decide the only way to protect themselves is to set upsomeone else for the crime. After lame attempts to entrap thugs with proven records don't work, they decide to pin the murder on a homeless man named Joe.
Director and screenwriter Jim Kouf (Stakeout) has provided a difficult assignment for the audience here, trying to make us like a couple of central characteres who really don't deserve to be liked. It does become a little clearer as the film progresses that though they are both on the take, there are differences between these two guys and there are lines that one of them are not willing to cross, creating a break betweem an initial allegiance betwee Davinic and Rodrigues which initally appears unbreakble.
The plot thickens about midway when we learn Davinci has thrown his stripper girlfriend under the bus to get out of this and we learn exactly who this homeless guy really is, taking the story to a direction we didn't see coming. i did love the early scenes of the partners trying to set up known criminals for the crime and the way they seduced the homeless guy into believing he did what they said was really kind of stomach turning.
Belusi and Shakur are first rate, with surprisingly solid work from Belushi, channeling Willis and DeNiro in his bringing this character to life. Shakur lights up the screen in his final film and Gary Cole, David Paymer, and James Earl Jones also score in supporting roles. LOVED Dennis Quaid in a gut-wrenching turn as homeless Joe, but Wendy Crewson was a bit much channeling Marsha Clark as the DA. Nothing special here, but some solid entertainment provided and a treat for Tupac fans.
Despite overheated direction and a spotty screenplay, the 1997 crime drama Gang Related is still worth a look thanks to a solid cast, including the final movie for the late Tupac Shakur.
Davinci (Jim Belushi) and Rodrigues (Shakur) are a pair of dirty cops trying to make some money out of a big time drug drug dealer and end up murdering him. The murder case falls in their laps and they learn that the guy was really an undercover DEA agent. Davinci and Rodrigues decide the only way to protect themselves is to set upsomeone else for the crime. After lame attempts to entrap thugs with proven records don't work, they decide to pin the murder on a homeless man named Joe.
Director and screenwriter Jim Kouf (Stakeout) has provided a difficult assignment for the audience here, trying to make us like a couple of central characteres who really don't deserve to be liked. It does become a little clearer as the film progresses that though they are both on the take, there are differences between these two guys and there are lines that one of them are not willing to cross, creating a break betweem an initial allegiance betwee Davinic and Rodrigues which initally appears unbreakble.
The plot thickens about midway when we learn Davinci has thrown his stripper girlfriend under the bus to get out of this and we learn exactly who this homeless guy really is, taking the story to a direction we didn't see coming. i did love the early scenes of the partners trying to set up known criminals for the crime and the way they seduced the homeless guy into believing he did what they said was really kind of stomach turning.
Belusi and Shakur are first rate, with surprisingly solid work from Belushi, channeling Willis and DeNiro in his bringing this character to life. Shakur lights up the screen in his final film and Gary Cole, David Paymer, and James Earl Jones also score in supporting roles. LOVED Dennis Quaid in a gut-wrenching turn as homeless Joe, but Wendy Crewson was a bit much channeling Marsha Clark as the DA. Nothing special here, but some solid entertainment provided and a treat for Tupac fans.