Having w]
itne(ssed _@his (junkie f+ather] kille!/d Russ(el[l Stevens =:g
`=rows__. up to b\ecom!:e ^a ?!poli-c$+[:eman- ^[.and [mak/=e a diff)eren[\/ce.# When he,[, is
;;_offered an u!$nder[\c
=%/o
@[ver job by]* G#era$_l=/d :)C,arve*;r*% he ac/ cepts and begin]=
s to([ _= build a@/) re +lationship with David Jason i =%n o`; rder to
 ge+t to the m]ain dealers. However as he is #+/for$ced t )o d[eal drugs and kill to$^ k$eep his cover h)e finds the lines between cop and cri([minal =bein
! g lost – i\s^^=#  he a cop pretendi;`ng to; be \+a, de*;!/aler or a d:,ealer(# =-:p,#?ret@+-ending to  !%be a cop　　Larry (as he was *\then) Fishburne's f@#irst lead@ role w:as a typically da+**`rk vehicl ==e. The st$
.ory is the usual/+; on+(.e of cop losing himself when ;
u]/nder !?cover, how!\ever \it ma-^nages to be more than  that for most of the time. Co.;^-written by Tolkin, who wrote The Player, this natura.
lly has +__a nice .@)cynical# edge to i%!t when ^ i=$,t loo:-ks at the US's= hypocritical -approa+)ch to drug contro/([l and the po.`l;[!itical li:_nks bet@%_/[ween=! the )+ \/str#ee%t( hustlers_- and $*t he *political high rollers w`*ho court respectab_^i/ lity.^^+ The?(% story do=es even- tually settle_ into a tradit?ional setting :but
^even then% i;^\t% ,@+wor/ ^ks\ well as a :!thrill=!er.　　The multi-t alented Bill^ ;Duke di rects well with a gritty fe;el/ an.,_*d a few nice _touche]s. However s!everal th.+ing)_s$%* are a bit iffy?. For mos#t of the f-$ilm Fish%/)bur+#_ne's narratio(\^%nvoice over is a bit like a cross ]betw(e _en+ ?:Ap#ocalyps_@e/ Now][ and ]-:*#B^:-lad$e@[= Run:($ner – it comes a#cross as a?!/ litt`[le too dark and heavy and also explain[!s things like we can't figu
[re it out ,! ourselves. Howe-;v/er once$
 you get into(^/` the fil+$))m it's n+ ot as b :+`ig a *!d
!eal. My- ma _in pro#.?/ble?%m lies with the c+;hara%* cters. ]　　Fishburn)=e (_*i);s ;excellent,) a rea#\(l model of un$derlyi=n ,=g^ anger and vio($l[)en/+ce,/ Goldb(l \+um( is good but per\haps #%a littl% e OTT on the y_.uppiev-iolence thing, bu@t there's -g.ood support from ( S`=mi%%th and Spin City]'s; beaut,)iful (]$and often u.) n:der*us(ed – bu=*t not he_+re)  #Vi!ct? */\oria Dillard. How%ever the t$#wo: `[m;[$[ain wh\:it] @e + chara?ct,]:ers (!_-)G[oldblum  and S[;mith)_  are bo`_th ,^*smeared with racist insinuat[$ions – Smi^.]th app-*?#ears to insult his blac%k off*;.i`\cers a.*nd doe!sn+?%'t care about the junkies;, wh,)#il -e Goldblum is-) fascina$ted abo ut all things bl %ac$(
k and tal*%ks about th#*/em as wild beaut(?if/=!:u ]?l b;:eas#]ts$. an);d l.[`oves having sex ;/with black'. Th,ese things aren't $(a ,major problem, bu]=t with bas (.ically .,only. two white %.chara;ct`ers _ in [@it,?`^! it's a ?little worry(_ing that both are] !given that edge.　(　@However these a;/!re min/or compl_?@aints t* hat g ,et los]t  with ,^a (_
good thrill,:er. F
%@is/hburne excels and Duke delivers a sto%#ry that @%-is`- a go
od thriller b+ut% a!lso has a jad]( ed, s+,ub+;ve`rsive ed%ge.