70
Metascore
35 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Time OutDavid FearTime OutDavid FearThe film has its narrative flaws and, occasionally, distracting stylistic flourishes. Harrelson's portrayal of a swinging dick staring down the abyss, however, is perilously close to perfect; it's the finest, most harrowing thing he's ever done.
- 75Slant MagazineGlenn Heath Jr.Slant MagazineGlenn Heath Jr.Not only does its incredibly loose aesthetic challenge the traditionally controlled and slick conventions of the cop genre, it adds a certain visceral haziness that compliments Brown's own professional and personal immorality.
- 70TimeRichard CorlissTimeRichard CorlissHarrelson rewards watching; he's no less potent at rest than when he explodes in calculated rage.
- 70Village VoiceVillage VoiceHere the director pulls off the formidable task of marrying two unwieldy performances: Harrelson's, a volatile and vulnerable feat of showboating, and Ellroy's, whose writing voice is unmistakably the voice of the movie.
- 65MovielineMovielineWhile it provides a watchable, nuanced portrait of man in crisis, it's an insistently one-note affair, repeated until it induces a splitting headache.
- 60Boxoffice MagazineSara Maria VizcarrondoBoxoffice MagazineSara Maria VizcarrondoWith a powerhouse cast that also includes Steve Buscemi, Sigourney Weaver, Robin Wright, Ben Foster, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon and Ice Cube, the carefully crafted and trenchant drama will appeal to more audience members than it will to critics.
- 60VarietyJustin ChangVarietyJustin ChangWhile the film is drenched in atmosphere and packs a verbal and visceral punch, its relentless downward spiral makes for an overdetermined, not entirely satisfying character study.
- 60New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierNew York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierHarrelson though, is in every scene, and seeing him burn up Rampart is positively arresting.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttThe Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttHarrelson goes full bore from the opening scene and there are no scenes he is not in. But the effect is wearying rather than exhilarating.