Writer/Director: William Friedkin
Starring: Willem Dafoe, William L. Petersen and John Turturro
‘A Captivating Classic’
Not many actors that achieved fame years ago are as beloved as Willem Dafoe. Ever since his recognition in the 1980’s, Dafoe has become a beloved icon. Whether it is detectives inspecting murders, psychotic killers or green goblins, Dafoe has played several characters. Arguably, Dafoe’s finest strength as an actor has always been his strong commitment to his craft. He is one of those rare actors that has always had the talent for stealing the show in supporting roles which have limited screen-time. Even when he isn’t a focus of a movie, Dafoe has often left a lasting impression. Although he is most well-known for his famous role as Green Goblin within the Spider-Man movies, Dafoe has proven he can make engaging movies in every genre. Throughout his long-lasting career, Dafoe has created several memorable movies which are worth talking about.
I’m a huge fan of Dafoe and adore all films which he has made in his career. However, “To Live and Die in L.A.” is unquestionably his most underrated work. Released back in 1985, William Friedkin’s film offered a bold portrait of L.A. crime. Packed with stunning production design, spellbinding storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a mesmerizing period piece. At the centre of it all is a bold performance by Willem Dafoe, portraying a detective which faces sorrow. Although “To Live and Die in L.A.” is a captivating period piece, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from uneven pacing that tests viewers’ patience. Nevertheless, it offers strong entertainment which would definitely satisfy fans of crime dramas.
Set in 1980’s L.A., “To Live and Die in L.A.” tells the story of cops which experience a price to pay. Willem Dafoe embodies Rick Masters, a dedicated detective seeking to investigate murder. Rick has often excelled at solving murders in his city which prove to be tragic. However, Rick’s life dramatically changes when he’s assigned a dangerous mission causing disaster. Working alongside his strong partner Richard Chance (William Petersen), Rick embarks upon a mission to resolve murder investigation. As all odds are stacked against his favour, Rick questions whether it’s truly possible for him to become a police officer.
William Friedkin has alway been fascinated with the city of L.A. A legendary filmmaker, Friedkin has often made engaging movies about Los Angeles. His iconic movie “The French Connection” offered an engrossing portrait of detectives solving a grim murder investigation. With “To Live and Die in L.A.”, however, Friedkin crafted his first ever L.A. crime drama.it was the director’s first ever attempt to capture the lives of detectives in a doomed city but he succeeded immensely. Using captivating cinematography, Friedkin captures an L.A. detective seeking to solve murder mystery. Evoking Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown”, Friedkin successfully employs montages to capture detectives that seek to solve crime in a doomed town. For instance, the montages enhance the detective scene. During this unforgettable scene, Rick seeks to investigate a gruesome murder which has taken place in Los Angeles. Using montage, Friedkin constructs a portrait of Los Angeles that’s engaging. Montages are complicated techniques. As Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” proved, montages elevate comic book films. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this film. Using captivating visuals, Friedkin captures tensions L.A. cops are facing.
Another strong aspect of “To Live and Die in L.A.” is production. From a technical point of view, it’s one of the best films about L.A. you will ever see. Friedkin successfully employs locations across L.A. to capture tensions of cops facing a price to pay. For instance, the Los Angeles locations enhance the murders scene. During this intense scene, Rick faces tension engaging in a murder investigation. Using stunning locations, Friedkin creates a portrait of Los Angeles which is compelling. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Nick Feldman’s music is key toward success of the movie. It gives the movie an engaging atmosphere capturing a heavy burden that detectives bear. Through strong production, Friedkin captures detectives in Los Angeles facing tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “To Live and Die in L.A.” is a film about L.A. that’s engaging. The film is extremely well-written, and successfully uses silences to capture tensions faced by detectives that seek success in L.A. For instance, silence enhances the detective aftermaths scene. During this unforgettable scene, Rick faces grief when he stumbles across a gruesome crime causing depression. Through silence, Friedkin crafts a portrait of Los Angeles that audiences can easily relate to. Silence isn’t an easy technique to use in most movies. As Robert Eggers’ “The Lighthouse” claimed, silence enhances period piece films about isolation. Oliver Stone’s “Platoon” claimed that silence enhances Vietnam war movies. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this film. Through a spectacular screenplay, Friedkin captures the harsh realities of crime evident in L.A.
One appreciates amazing performances.
William Dafoe delivers one of his best career performances as Rick Masters. Dafoe first earned appreciation for playing menacing villains in comic-book movies. With “To Live and Die in L.A.”, however, Dafoe took upon his most complex role. It isn’t easy to play a detective seeking success in a doomed city but he succeeds. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: intense, strong and emotional in his most memorable role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, bravery and grief of a detective on a journey. It’s a powerful performance by one of the finest actors today.
While the movie is mainly a showcase for Willem Dafoe; the supporting cast is also amazing. William Petersen is wonderful, capturing the dedication of cop embarking on a dangerous mission. John Turturro is terrific, bringing sorrow to a cop that has dreams to follow. Lastly, Dean Stockwell merits appreciation. As an FBI officer, he is unforgettable.
Although “To Live and Die” is a captivating L.A. crime drama, it isn’t a flawless movie. If there is a shortcoming to the movie, it lacks strong pacing. Friedkin’s choice to integrate political subplots into the movie is bold but doesn’t succeed. Due to this faulty choice, scenes focusing on L.A. political figures are not as engaging as detectives embarking on a journey. As suggested by Curtis Hanson’s “L.A. Confidential”, subplots about politics in L.A. elevate noir movies. Therefore, “To Live and Die in L.A.” can’t quite capture cops in L.A.
Nevertheless, fans of Willem Dafoe would definitely admire “To Live and Die in L.A.” and so would audiences seeking strong entertainment. A captivating crime drama, it honours an actor with charisma.
Nearly 40 years following the release of a groundbreaking crime film about cops that face tension in L.A., it’s a riveting reminder of an actor that has established a career by his ability to portray compelling characters in memorable movies which are absolutely worth celebrating today.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 