Released in 1997 and directed by Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential was a throwback to the original film noir, seedy detective films of the 1940's and 50's. For the uninitiated, the movie tells the story of three mismatched Los Angeles police detectives, Bud White (Russell Crowe), Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), who get entangled in several interrelated schemes involving high-dollar prostitutes, police corruption, and organized crime. The story is complex, and the characters are intriguing as they put aside their conflicting personal philosophies and personalities to unravel the conspiracies. James Cromwell does his normal stellar job in a supporting rule (Police Chief Dudley Smith), and Kim Basinger was okay as prostitute Lynn Bracken (though I did not see how her screen time merited the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress). On more technical matters, the pace of the film and cinematography is well done to give the movie that retro film noir aura. The bottom line is that L.A. Confidential is a very good mystery drama along the lines of Chinatown (1974).