Broken City

Broken City

Rated R and Released 1/18/13

Reviewed 1/18/13 at Celebration Cinema North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary and Denny

3 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Mark Wahlberg is always a favorite of mine, no matter what he is in. Broken City doesn't leave time for any dull moments. With the wild pace it is reason to pay attention to the names and characters otherwise it might take you awhile to catch up. Russell Crowe, who plays Mayor Hostetler of NYC, is really a spectacular actor but this might not be my favorite role because of his New York accent. Gary, dad, and I all thought it was worthwhile to see with a 3 or 3 1/2 rating.

The mayor is planning to steal the impending election that is too close to risk, with just a few days away. The challenger's campaign manager (Kyle Chandler) seems to be intertwined with the mayor's own wife played by Catherine Zeta Jones. Enter Billy Taggart (Wahlberg), who is recruited by the mayor to tail the mayor's own wife and secure evidence of her lover. Taggart is currently a private eye who is an ex-cop and also has a past with the city, the mayor, and the chief of police. The cash strapped Taggart eagerly accepts the job, coincidence or not. You guessed it, there is more to the convoluted story than just that. The innocent, but also the not-so-innocent, lives are all part of the game of chess that are being played out in NYC politics. Being double crossed doesn't deter a character like Taggart who has been around the block. Car chases, incriminating evidence floating about, crooked police and politics, all the usual that complicate a storyline like this. Still, it's gratifying down to the twists that erupt in the end. Follow along, ride along and be entertained!

QUIET Rating system:

Quality: JJj

Understood story:  JJJ

Interest: JJJj

Entertainment:  JJJ

Time:  JJJj