10s Movie Review - Broken City

Director: Allen Hughes
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Pepper, Alona Tal, Natalie Martinez, Michael Beach, Kyle Chandler

Description: In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed by its most powerful figure: Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe).

I WATCHED THIS FILM FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 11: A MURDER MYSTERY
 
Review: “Broken City” begins with a trial in which private investigator Billy Taggart is charged with murder. Nicholas Hostetler, the mayor of New York City, gets him off by suppressing evidence and preventing a witness from speaking. After all, Billy is a hero since the victim was a rapist. The mayor is well aware that it is an election year and does everything he can to keep the voters on his side. After his release, Billy goes back to work and notes the mayor calls him for a job. Hostetler suspects that his wife is cheating on him and wants to know all about it. Billy indeed finds out that the first lady of New York is having a secret relationship, after which her lover is found dead.
The first thing that stands out is the great cast they managed to assemble for this film. Mark Wahlberg does his tough guy routine perfectly. It may be a copy of previous roles, but why change something that works? Russel Crowe is also in good form. He visibly enjoys his role as a sleezy politician who thinks only of himself. The best moments are the cold scenes between Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays his wife. Their hatred for each other is very visible and it’s a shame they don’t get much screentime together. Other roles are played by Barry Pepper, Jeffrey Wright and Kyle Chandler. Still, despite the fantastic cast, “Broken City” has not become a top-notch film. The story just isn’t engaging enough. It’s clear that director Allen Hughes and screenwriter Brian Tucker have tried to make it a contemporary “Chinatown”, but that level is nowhere met. At times the plot seems to get complicated, only to be too simple again.

Rating: 2,5 / 5