True Confessions (1981)

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall are compelling and believable as two brothers, Des and Tom Spellacy. Des (De Niro) is a savvy Monsignor with the Catholic Church of L.A., and Tom is a hard driving detective with the L.A.P.D. Tom is soon on the case of Louise Fazenda, a "party girl" who's been hacked into two pieces. The case will involve various characters, chief among them a truly slimy construction magnate played superbly by Charles Durning. The case will even involve the Church, to some extent.Scripted by Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne, from the latters' novel, this takes its inspiration from the notorious unsolved "Black Dahlia" murder of real life. The material does have real emotional resonance, as well as an enjoyably sordid and sleazy quality as things like prostitution and a stag film factor into the tale. As we will see, the characters are often compromised to one degree or another, even if they're not outright corrupt like the Amsterdam (Durning) character. Deliberately paced, and moody, "True Confessions" benefits from a straightforward approach by director Ulu Grosbard ("Straight Time"). The filmmaking is slick, but doesn't call attention to itself at the expense of spinning a good and meaty yarn. The music by Georges Delerue is affecting without ever becoming overly manipulative.Two moving performances by the two Roberts are the heart and soul of this fine film. The supporting cast is exemplary, with Durning scoring as the vile antagonist. Kenneth McMillan regularly steals his scenes as Toms' cheerfully, mildly sleazy partner Frank Crotty. Ed Flanders, Cyril Cusack, Burgess Meredith, Rose Gregorio, Dan Hedaya, Jeanette Nolan, and Pat Corley all add an indelible presence and gravitas to the proceedings. Be sure to watch for Louisa Moritz, Darwyn Carson, Matthew Faison, Richard Foronjy, and James Hong in small roles.Well worth watching.Seven out of 10.

Two high powered Actors and an attention to detail Period Piece set in the Post War Film-Noir era, so to call this Neo-Noir would be accurate. It is the story of flawed Characters among corruption and vice and in this atmosphere the gravity is intense.It pulls down righteous Men into a Hellish realm of money scams perpetrated by the Church who seemingly admire surface Saints who are ready to fill the collection plate. It is this hypocrisy that is at the heart of the Brother Detective and the Brother Monsignor Story and with some spice in the form of a Hooker Murder and some embarrassing sexcapades.This is a great looking Movie with some stunning Performances and a terse, if confusing at times, Script with some scenes that simmer, percolate, and are intense from Dialog exchanges. There is virtually no Action and all the Violence comes from either off screen or is buried in the Soul. So the entertainment comes from watching these two Brothers trying to keep from drowning in this cesspool and at least keep their heads and their Spirit (The Holy Ghost) above it all. If this was a True Confession, it would have to be admitted, they both failed. But will be forgiven if they say a few Hail Marys so they can be buried in Sacred Ground.

A rating I think I might amend upwards if I broke my habit of a lifetime and watched films more than once initially, as there's unquestionably a lot going in this post-war drama which borrows from the infamous "Blue Dahlia" murder for period colour and effect, which would be repaid I'm sure through further investigation.What I saw was good enough however, superb ensemble acting (in even the smallest parts). great set design (count the number of authentic cars milling about in the street, or smell the mustiness and dried in blood at the pornographer's studio where the butchery was done) and an absorbing and involving narrative intertwining the lives of the great and the good in a tale taking in sibling relationships, sex, corruption, murder of course and even religion...it's quite a heady mix as you can see from these ingredients.For all that, this is a film with periods of inaction, relying on dialogue and the spaces in between for effect. I had some difficulty believing that De Niro and Duvall were brothers (a character's reference to their family resemblance has to be an in-joke), never mind that one is a cop and the other a priest. Both actors have undeniable presence and certainly inhabit their characters but I didn't think their relationship rang true - the piece could have worked if they were just long-standing friends.The support players are better yet, Kenneth McMillan as Duvall's "look-the-other-way" partner, Charles Durning as the big-fish-in-a-small pool local property baron, greasing the palms of the church and police to further his ends until the tap is turned off on him (and who does a mean Irish jig at his daughter's wedding near the start, indulgently watched by his acolytes) and best of all for me Rose Gregorio as Duvall's old flame, a burned out brothel madame, left to fend for herself.The plotting is intricate and many scenes seem to be inserted purely to define a character rather than to advance the story but in the end this is no accident and you feel at all times that the people and situations depicted are real. Women don't come off very well in the piece, all bar the brother's mother maltreated in some way or other, which is to its detriment.The final scene between De Niro and Duvall effectively reminds the viewer that the story is above all about their fraternal relationship and how that overcomes even career-destroying conflict. Having fractious relationships with each of my own two brothers myself, I could certainly relate to that...

I thought this movie was OK. I'm a huge Robert De Niro fan and whilst this is probably one of his weaker movies and I thought his performance is top notch here again. He's brilliantly convincing as a young catholic priest and plays the role very gently & with great empathy, its almost like he's whispering through the whole film, I don't know if any other actor could do a better job. Robert Duvall is excellent too as a tempesterous cop, brother of the priest, & there is wonderful chemistry between the two actors. For this alone this film is worth seeing.As for the movie itself, well, at times I found it difficult to know what is exactly going on and I felt the movie could have gone a bit faster pace and there could have been more dialogue in places to explain certain things. Its a type of film that sort of leaves the viewer to make their own mind about certain issues such as corruption in the catholic church, prostitution, & sibling relationships.