"If my guys were doing something, I would know about it, trust me."

Some films really get on to ones nerves.. So did the film that I watched yesterday: directed by Gavin O’Connor, who also wrote the script (Joe Carnahan did some of the writing, too..) and whose twin brother Greg O’Connor produced the film:

PRIDE AND GLORY (2008)

In an nutshell:

New York, late December: Four police officers were killed – together with some gang members.

Officer Ray Tierney (Edward Norton) is – after some pushing by his father Deputy Chief Francis Tierney (John Voight) - going to find out who is responsible for that.

~ Francis, senior and Francis, junior at the funeral ~

His brother Francis “Franny” Tierney, jr. (Noah Emmerich) was the superior of the dead cops and Jimmy Egan (Colin Farrell) - who is married to Franny's and Ray's sister Megan (Lake Bell) - is a fellow officer of them..

~ Officers Sandy and Jimmy - not on a Sunday afternoon walk.. ~

The more Ray investigates the more he finds out about corruption in and beyond the New York Police Department – even reaching into the Tierney family..

~ Ray, Jimmy and Franny - some brothers in law.. asking themselves: who knows what? ~

Watch out for:

• John Ortiz as Ruben "Sandy" Santiago.
  
  
• Manny Perez as Coco Dominguez.
  
  
• Rick Gonzalez - yeah, the guy from REAPER (2007-2009).. - as Eladio Casado.


• Jennifer Ehle - she plays Abby the wife of Franny - you may know her from another "PRIDE": she was Elizabeth Bennett in the 1995 BBC-version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE... (.."the accurate one"..)
  
  
• Not really a task to watch out for her - because you can hardly ignore her: Lake Bell as Jimmy's wife Megan.

~ Don't tell me you didn't notice her.. ~

Schmooze:

• The film was planned in 2001 and the filming was about to start in February 2002 but after the events of September 11, 2001 it was cancelled – it seemed to be very disrespectful to the actual New York Police Department to make a film about corruption. The filming was done in 2006 - but the film wasn't released till 2008..
  
  
• Hugh Jackman and Mark Wahlberg were supposed to star in this film when it was first planned in 2001.
  

  

• Nick Nolte was supposed to play Francis Tierney, sr. – but after three days of filming he left the production because of a chronic knee injury - so his part was given to Jon Voight.
  
  
• The German title is DAS GESETZ DER EHRE = The Law of Honor.
  
  
• Gary and Greg O’Connor are sons of a New York police officer.

~ The family is about to celebrate christmas: Francis sr., Franny and his wife Abby. ~

Let’s face the music:

The score was delivered by Mark Isham.

~ Colin Farrell - a guy I wouldn't like to be tackled by.. ~

No real glory:

The film is dedicated to Eric Hernandez.

24year old Hernandez was a New York cop and supposed to play in a bit part in the beginning scene of this movie (in which the police team does a football game).

In the night of January 28, 2006 he got in trouble with a group of others in front of a fast food restaurant. Hernandez who was out of duty at that time felt threatened so he pulled out his (service) firearm. In that moment another officer arrived – and shot the person who was armed..

Eric Hernandez died a week later due to the gunshot wounds.

Stay away from this film if you have problems with:

• violence - there is some blood shed in this film..
  


• harsh language. I was about to count all those "f-words" but after two minutes I had to give in because I lost track.. - I was at ca. nine "f...'s" ..

• Suicides
  
  
• corrupt cops
  
  
• cancer - though it is no main part of the story - Abby obviously is not as healthy as one would wish for her to be..

~ Jennifer Ehle is doing some very fine and quiet acting in this film. ~

Quotes Corner:

"I was a good man once."

This line is delivered by officer Ruben "Sandy" Santiago (John Ortiz) who struggles with the ways he and his fellow officers have chosen - John Ortiz is doing a great job here.

This quote above like this one following:

"When we were kids, all we ever talked about was being cops."

shows that there is a difference between what a cop is supposed to be or in cliché is - and what he/she (ok - no "shes" in this film..) has to face in reality.

That being a good guy is a tough thing when the world around you is not good. It's a hard job to stay upright - and this is why this film makes me a bit sad.

Ray: "Have a few nips this evening, pop?"

Francis, sr.: "I had a glass of scotch, officer."

Ray: "Just one, huh?"

Francis, sr.: "I used that same glass, yeah."

Have a look:

Here's the trailer:

I think this film is not only a film about corruption but also about families. It's a main part of the plot that all men of the Tierney family are cops. (Don't talk about women.. They don't have big parts in this.. They are wives and mothers.. - or maybe drug addicts..) So the question of loyalty is a really tough one - who's first? Your family? - Or your team? - Or perhaps honesty?

Talking about the cast:

Let's be honest.. Edward Norton could act a cookery book. That man is awesome. Period. I won't discuss that.

And Colin Farrell is nothing but intense in his acting.

In the first minutes of the film I thought: "Oh.. sure.. here we go again.. Edward Norton is the nice guy again - and Colin Farrell means nothing but trouble.. oh.. surprise.. he is smashing a mirror.. ~yawn..~" - but actually: It works perfectly. And after a few minutes I was fully into this film.

I have to confess that I like cops to be the good guys. I don't like the idea that a cop runs into a grocery shop and takes all money from the cash box while threatening the shopkeeper with a gun or officers making a man tell them what they want to know by holding a hot flat iron very close to that man's baby.. No wonder that Daddy decides to not being friendly anymore.. ~ Listen to me Jimmy! It's like they told you in kindergarten: If you hurt Coco - Coco is going to hit you.. and let me add: He is going to hit you hard.. .. ~

I am a bloody romantic. I want cops to be like Edward Norton.

~ Actually, I want a lot of men to be like Edward Norton - but that's not the point now.. ~

I want to trust people.

And now that I made butterflies vomit because of me being so bloody naïve I am going to tell you something that might seem to be completely illogical:

I love this film. It's awesome.

Mr. Farrell is doing a great job in this film. I especially like his last scene - in which he is holding back a lot.

*SPOILER* This scene made me think of the famous scene of SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER (1959) - though it's not that horrible.. - but I think you get the image.. *SPOILER*

But actually the whole cast is amazing..

Thank you very much for listening,

yours (very well and) truly

Irene

- who prefers her world filled with butterflies and starshine.. or like they would say it in this film: F'##' butterflies and starshine..