It’s been a long while since I’ve seen a good cop movie. The Departed came out in 2006, and Training Day five years before that. So it’s good to see Antoine Fuqua back on form with his latest film, Brooklyn’s Finest.

This is not a happy film. Following the stories of three New York police officers you see their lives, and the troubles they face. One is struggling to support his growing family, another is falling deeper undercover and the last is living out his remaining days until retirement. None of them are perfect creatures and the question of what they are willing to do, and more importantly not do, is a core tenet of the film.

Action, when it happens, is brief and violent. The slow crescendo leaves you almost on edge by the time the shots ring out, and the fallout is often just as powerful. Perhaps the storylines could have been a bit tighter, especially as they weave around each others peripheries, but overall Brooklyn’s Finest is a film definitely worth watching.

My rating: 8/10