jackasstrange Let me start saying that i really tried to like this film. DeNiro is one of my favorite actors, and is an excellent actor, so is Duvall, but...that's impossible to like this film. It's too bad for anyone to like it. I have a highlight for the ripped-off marriage scene from the Godfather. It's perhaps the nicest thing that i've to say about this film, if that is saying too much. The plot is fairly nonsense. It goes around, comes back, and keep doing circles, but never go ahead until the last ten minutes, when the film suddenly ends. It's also one of these films which don't has any conflicts, and a thriller without any conflicts isn't a thriller. In fact, it looked more as a drama film with a crime investigation theme. Better, a nouvelle Vaguè film with a crime investigation. However, a crucial difference between this film and the conventional nouvelle vague, apart from the superior story- telling, it is while the latter is joking about the films, this one is the joke itself. The character development is also an abomination, but i'm sure that it isn't even worth mentioning. The characters just pop out and start doing things without any solid reason. So don't waste your time and skip this film. You aren't losing nothing. 3.7/10

PimpinAinttEasy This one is probably less well known than THE LAST TYCOON despite the star cast - De Niro, Duvall and Durning. The confrontation scene between Durning and Duvall was great - it was pretty violent and ugly, the two of them sort of exploded on screen. I wish the film had more explosive scenes like that. Despite the understated tone of the movie, I was never bored. And i guess guess that is mainly because of the mesmerizing performances by De Niro and Duvall. De Niro must have done this right after THE RAGING BULL. Here he plays a solemn but ambitious priest in direct contrast to his aggressive detective brother played by Duvall.The film was based on John Gregory Dunne's novel and was adapted by none other than Joan Didion (PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK) and Dunne who was her husband.

Movie Critic This movie seems like it is going to be great with De Niro as a busy young handsome competent monseigneur in 1947 LA....but it quickly deteriorates into skeleton scenes and irritating 40s detective style corny dialog--cynical one liners etc..(This kind of dialog needs to be delivered quick without blinking by the right actors Stanwyck or others and it works OK...not as done in this film.) Nothing fleshes the plot out with excitement or suspense--in fact what exactly is the plot? Is it a murder mystery? a tough detective story? an insider view of the church?? corrupt but basically good guy cops?? All these plot lines are fragmented and loose.Duval is frankly irritating in this movie and looks and acts so different from De Niro that it is jarring whenever he enters a scene as his brother.Where is the beef? It seems like there aren't enough people or large chunks of the story are missing. What is so captivating about a $5 hooker hotel?- What is the deal with the Chinese paying off the cops? why did the madam commit suicide or was she murdered?? Why did she spend time in the pen for Duval? None of it is tied together.You so hope that De Niro will get involved in an interesting story but there is no interesting story...there is a land developer who is corrupt but that is glossed over. A hooker/actress is killed and cut in two pieces but nothing much develops from that story. We find out De Niro gave her a ride in his car so that ruins his career...Why??You end up not caring about any of these characters and they seem cardboard and thin. Duval and his ugly side kick are repulsive to watch. Duval gets angry and throws some punches at the property developer...the oblique involvement of the Property Developer in the girls death (she is sliced in two) is vague and leads no where--apparently he didn't kill the hooker just introduced her to someone who probably did.DULL AND BORINGAVOID

TedMichaelMor "True Confessions" continues to be one of my favourite films. Many reasons define it as a great motion picture. Ulu Grosbard seems not to be well known but he is a great director, even if I do not always understand his work. The script based on one of the writer John Gregory Dunne's novels and written with his wife Joan Didion and Gary Hall is a tight, complex, nuanced, and satisfying story. Cinematography by Owen Roizman has a fine noir look at times and a great historical look at other times. The set design by Marvin March and art direction by Stewart Campbell facilitate these effects as does costume design by Joe Tompkins.Music by George Delerue with period pieces haunt imagination and define a tonality that lingers in memory.The cast is rich. Some critics think De Niro does not convince as a priest, but, in fact, he get is just right. Robert Duvall, De Niro, Charles During, Cyril Cusack, Kenneth McMillan, Ed Flanders, Rose Gregorio, Burgess Meredith, and several others work as a fine ensemble, as if they were all part of a Swedish acting group. This is an elegant, adult film--a masterwork and like fine wine rich three decades after its release.The film is not anti-Catholic but instead celebrates how a priest finds salvation. The film ends on a fine note like excellent coffee at the end of an elegant meal. I very much appreciate this film and apologize for not writing better about it.