Deep Cover

Starring:Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Victoria Dillard, Charles Martin Smith, Sydney Lassick, Clarence Williams III, Gregory Sierra, Roger Guenveur Smith, Alex Colon, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Erik Kilpatrick, Joseph Ferro, Tyrin Turner, Roberto Santana, Sandra Gould, Lira Angel, Kamala Lopez-Dawson, Shannon Macpherson, Bruce Paul Barbour, Def Jef
Director: Bill Duke
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Bill Duke (A Rage in Harlem) directed this edgy action yarn that stretches the barriers of the genre. It explores the fine line between good and evil, while testing the resolve of a moral man seduced by an easier, more pleasurable lifestyle. Although the plot eventually becomes too overblown and earnest, Deep Cover proves far more intelligent than the average action pic. Laurence Fishburne is the straight-arrow undercover cop who gets so far into his assumed identity that he has trouble recognizing the good guys from the bad. The characters, all flawed, are fleshed out and believable as they face their decisions with questions and doubt, unlike most in this genre. Jeff Goldblum provides smarmy comic relief as an eccentric mid-level drug dealer/attorney who is probably a psychopath and most definitely paving his path to hell. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

Classic Fishburne!.......2007-07-03

This is probably the movie that catapulted Laurence Fishburne's career. It is also one of the movies are consider as a follow up to New Jack City. If you are a fan of Fishburne, then this is definitely the movie to have in your collection. It's as deep cover as you can get far as cracking down on the drug game can get.

Deep Cover.......2007-05-14

I consider the song selections very good. Basically, I purchased the CD for the title cut. In my opinion, it is Dr. Dre's and Snoop's best cut together ever.

Solid and well-acted 90's "war on drugs" fantasy - implausible but entertaining.......2006-12-06

The opening scene of this film is probably the best, and sets up nicely the tone of the remainder of the film. It is Christmas time and snowing heavily as a father drives his son to the liquor store, snorts some coke, and then asks the boy what he wants for Christmas. He then robs a liquour store at gunpoint, and is shot in the back in front of his son Russell and next to a fake Santa. The scene captures a nightmare from a child's perspective, that will haunt and inform him until the end. It is a nice example of how an effective opening scene can simultaneously set a tone, develop sympathy for a main character, and (naively and simplistically but memorably) explain a contradictory set of motivations that will drive him throughout the film. He doesn't want to be like his father, so he will want to be straight. But he knows his father loved him, so he won't be quick to judge someone like his father; and he will be looking for a father figure throughout the film. The film is really not so much about drugs as about parenting and the relation of the child to the missing parent.

He finds a surrogate father, at first, in his racist boss at the DEA, where he works. The boss sends him on a mission precisely into the kind of life that his own father had warned him to avoid (by words, if not by example, except for the example of getting himself killed). Yet he continually reminds him that he is doing this effectively to save people like his father. This first surrogate father seems to be everything his father wasn't: educated, successful, and "clean." Still, just as Russell's father asked him to sit by while he committed a crime, Russell's boss asks him to turn away from an investigation when it gets political.

He finds a better father figure in a "preacher" cop, who warns him in the same tone as his father had, but unlike his father practiced what he preached. At the same time, he is one who clearly has faced the demon in himself that he is trying to exorcise in others. Effectively, the movie is about Russell (the lead character played well by Laurence Fishburne) learning to face up to the fact that nothing he does will redeem his father or bring him back, and growing up by not merely avoiding his father's sins but by passing through and beyond them. In the end, he is neither a "straight arrow" or a "lost soul" but is faced with a choice that he poses to the audience, in order to suggest that there are no easy answers to the existential questions faced by those who are caught up in the world that killed Russell's father. (In a subplot, he develops a relationship with a young hispanic boy whose mother is in effectively the same position as was his own father.)

On top of that, Russell is paired with a "brother" of sorts, a lawyer played by Jeff Goldblum, who is in many ways his mirror image. Unlike Russell, David (Goldblum) has everything: a beautiful family, a nice house, a good job. He doesn't do crime, like Russell's father, out of necessity but out of a fascination with the other side, with the criminal element and even (in a not entirely developed but intriguing sub theme) with the idea of being black (he has a black lover, he is fascinated nearly to the point of an erotic attraction by Russell - who he describes in action as a "beautiful beast"). Unlike Russell's father who hated the life of crime that he felt obligated to pursue, David gives up his family to pursue the dark life of crime for its own sake. It is against this "double" that Russell defines himself -- refusing in the end to be a criminal and insisting that he is still a cop.

Sure it's simplistic, but it's a fun and entertaining film, that plays with the psychology of motivation and with moral questions that are inevitable in the "war on drugs" (or the "war on terror," for that matter). The directing is solid and some scenes like the first one are quite good. The script is engaging and mostly clever, with convincing characterizations. The reversals in the story and the fact it uses a grand scheme to address highly personal issues of morality and choice are to be expected from a film that was co-scripted by Michael Tolkin -- who also wrote Altman's "The Player" and wrote and directed "The Rapture." There are some extraneous side plots here and there, and both the DEA and the mafia didn't seem very well developed or plausible. For that matter, the idea that with a little bit of luck and a charismatic "tough" attitude one can get to the top of the drug mafia food chain in a matter of weeks or months is sheer fantasy (of a sort that makes "Miami Vice" look realistic). Still, the fantasy elements are really subordinate to the personal story of a boy facing up the consequences and implications of a tragic childhood event. Worth seeing if you can get in to this kind of thing.

Laurence Fishburne Catapults to Stardom.......2006-10-27

Although he was featured as the moral father in the landmark film "Boyz n the Hood" the year before and had been acting for ten years, "Deep Cover" was the film that made me sit up and take notice of Laurence Fishburne, then stand up and applaud. "Deep Cover" was directed by Bill Duke and he fashions a film that allows Mr. Fishburne a tour de force performance.

Like a lot of people, I like good Cops and Gangster movies. But I would argue that films like "The Godfather" and the more recent "The Departed" are successful in ways that "Scarface" is not because we get to see the humanity in the characters. It's not interesting to watch a bad guy who is nothing but bad through and through in every second of the film. Good guys aren't interesting in a film unless they're a little wrinkled. Michael Corleone is interesting in the Godfather films because he WANTS to be a good father, husband and man, but he keeps getting dragged into criminal situations that he would avoid if he could. By contrast, in Scarface Al Pacino portrays a sociopath and I quickly grew tired of his "I'm the baddest bad guy there is" act.

"Deep Cover" is a movie that has layers and Laurence portrays these many layers in an acting performance that is one of the best I have ever seen. His character grew up in the streets. He watched his father killed and is determined to grow up and stay on the straight and narrow. He becomes a policeman. Because of his intelligence and background he is recruited to go undercover to infiltrate a drug ring. He is hesitant, but Charles Martin Smith's DEA Agent character talks him into it. Smith has had a great career playing nerdy government types, and you can see that HE can't go infiltrate this drug ring, so Laurence seems a good choice.

Under cover Fishburne descends by layers, either becoming or simply pretending to become exactly the kind of man he has tried to avoid his entire life. Jeff Goldblum is flip and charming in a sociopath lawyer-turned-drug dealer kind of way - reminiscent of Sean Penn in Carlito's Way. Clarence Williams III is absolutely terrific in his few scenes as the good street cop who doesn't know that Fishburne is actually a cop too, and tries to steer him away from the trouble that he seems headed for.

What really makes Deep Cover burn is the performance of Laurence Fishburne. He is so convincingly conflicted about putting on the act of becoming a drug dealer. Will he be put into a position to commit serious crimes? To kill? After he has spent such a long time undercover becoming a Prince of the street, what will he do when he is offered the chance to move up to the big time in the drug ring? The climactic scene of "Deep Cover" contains one of the most intense acting performances I have ever seen. It would be worth watching this film only for that scene - but it's a good ride getting there. Enjoy.

Do you know the Jungle's Creed ?.......2006-09-25

I love good underrated movies, they make you feel like you're part of a priviledge club of connoisseurs. I'm not a movie buff, but Deep Cover has all the elements you would expect of a classic : great acting, memorable lines, interesting ( and logical ) plot and a decent ending.
Laurence Fishburne is at his best in his role of an undercover cop slowly crossing the line between pretending to be a drug dealer and pretending to be a cop. Jeff Golblum is one of those actors you either love or hate, and I loved him playing the dirty lawyer laundering drug money. There's a great chemistry between the two and the supporting cast, which to me, was one of the main weakness of New Jack City.
The use of Laurence Fishburne's character as the narrator works wonder, and somewhere between the slow, dark wailings of the movie theme, the nightime shots of downtown LA and Laurence Fishburn's poetic lines, the movie grabs you into a world, an urban jungle, crowded with nightime vultures, heartless killers and hopeless junkies. Deep Cover is somewhere between Fables and magical realism, a place where reality exceeds fiction.
A great movie, the DVD is so so, almost no extras, and the picture quality is good, without being great.

NBC News Presents: Deep Throat - The Full Story of Watergate

Average customer rating:

Not one of the best documentary on this subject

NBC News Presents: Deep Throat - The Full Story of Watergate
Starring: NBC Presents-Deep Throat
Manufacturer: Genius Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

NBC News Presents | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Watergate

ASIN: B000FAOCBI
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Customer Reviews:

Not one of the best documentary on this subject.......2007-02-06

Apart from revealing the identity of the famous informer of the Washington Post, in the Watergate investigation, this is not a very good documentary. The narrative style is somehow superficial, lacking a real insight in the matter, almost exclusively concentrating on the character of "deep throat" as if we were looking at a Hollywood star biography, rather than a simple piece of a more complicated and important plot. In the end the documentary focuses on an important yet secondary character of the story. Putting "deep throat" in the center of your "solar system" instead of President Nixon, alters the whole balance of the narration, loosing the proper perspective and therefore the necessary historical depth, making this account of Watergate a sideshow of a sideshow.

Murder in the Heartland: The Search for Video X

Average customer rating:

commentary
Thrilling for a documentary.
Murder and bloodletting for all time
video x is a ride
A fake "documentary" done poorly

Murder in the Heartland: The Search for Video X
Starring: Jack Kyle , Joey Gibson , and Michelle Moretti
Director: James D. Mortellaro
Manufacturer: Vanguard Cinema
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000095J5G
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Description

17 robberies . . . 11 murders . . . 6 states . . . 1 camera . . . A documentary crew sets out to find answers to the worst crime spree in years, and uncovers a secret they never dreamed - the criminals, Dwayne Foote and Darla-Jean Stanton, actually video-taped their robberies and brutal murders. But where is the tape? Now the search begins to find this unimaginable tape called "VIDEO X" and who is hiding it and why? Arrested and risking their lives, the film crew travels through the Deep South to interview family, friends, and corrupt police officials to find out why "VIDEO X" is missing and why authorities are lying about it. Only one question remains, as the mystery unfolds, one bloody crime scene after another - what is on this "VIDEO X" that's so bad it must be kept out of the public eye? Only the tape itself can answer.

Customer Reviews:

commentary.......2006-01-20

JUST ALOT OF GOSSIP AND TATTLE TAILS IS ALL ON THIS DVD, I WANTED THE MOVIE LIKE I SEEN ON T.V. THIS DVD SURE WAS INTERESTING BUT I FEEL I WASTE'D MONEY ON THI ORDER CAUSE IT WAS NOT THE MOVIE I WAS AFTER. I HAD A FEELING RIGHT FROM THE START THIS WASN'T WHAT I WANTED. WELL FOR OTHER PEOPLE 'GO ON ORDER IT YA MIGHT LIKE IT. SEE FER YA SELF. THANKS FOR READING MY SAY SO HERE.

Thrilling for a documentary........2005-09-10

Obviously, this is not my type of movie fare, but it looked interesting in a mysterious way, and it does not disappoint. From the chilling 911 calls in the opening seconds, to the unfolding of bizarre interviews, this documentary is really a psychological mystery that tries to explain why two "good" young people went on a murder spree. The documentary ends up searching for the home movie made by the criminals, "Video X: Evidence." "Video X: Evidence" I'm sure is too violent for me to want to view, but one does wonder what is on the tape. Although I feel sorry for the two young killers, their deeds are reprehensible. It is a sad commentary on the bleaker aspects of our children and society, and shows why a healthy family unit is truly the most important institution we have. Beware of the graphic crime photos, which might be prohibitive for some viewers.

Murder and bloodletting for all time.......2005-09-06

My angry children of the night, you will want to join with them, in this movie. These two innocents, Dwayne and Darla Jean, are ripe for nightcrawling. For the living: Set aside your daytime ways and take up their rage. Kill as one. For the undead: Embrace them as our own, for they kill with their hearts only. I want to hold them in the Dracule, and turn them myself. The time for bloodletting is now. Soil the day with your death flight, my innocents. Fly...

video x is a ride.......2005-08-22

dudes, let's be real, it's like "murder in the... whatever..." (is that a title, or the definition of a sponge?) is like a warmup for the real movie. checked out the movie that THIS movie is supposd to be searchin for -- "video x: evidence" -- was like, now i get it, and it wet my drawers. "video x..." is better than Kalifornia... looks realler than **ck. i respect low budgt filmmaking, like when dudes get together with a camera, and go, let's do something creative... okay, Kubrick had to start somewhere... but "video x: evidence" did creep my sh** out. had a seriel killer in my nighberhood once -- word. "murder in... sponge..." seems like its a followup fake-doc to fill gaps. indy awake at 5am. j.

A fake "documentary" done poorly.......2005-01-12

I checked this out of the library thinking it was a true case, before I got a chance to watch it a friend of mine who reads every true crime book he can get his hands on told me it was a fake. Nevertheless I figured it might at least be entertaining...wrong again! It has all of the excitment of watching a slideshow of someone's family vacation. I could only tolerate 30 minutes before I turned it off. I can only assume that the people that wrote positive reviews are friends of the filmaker. I gave this one star because it wouldn't allow me to give it none.

Average customer rating:

Classic Fishburne!
Deep Cover
Solid and well-acted 90's "war on drugs" fantasy - implausible but entertaining
Laurence Fishburne Catapults to Stardom
Do you know the Jungle's Creed ?

Deep Cover [Region 2]
Starring: Laurence Fishburne , Jeff Goldblum , Victoria Dillard , Charles Martin Smith , and Sydney Lassick
Director: Bill Duke
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00023JHLI

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Classic Fishburne!.......2007-07-03

Deep Cover.......2007-05-14

I consider the song selections very good. Basically, I purchased the CD for the title cut. In my opinion, it is Dr. Dre's and Snoop's best cut together ever.

Solid and well-acted 90's "war on drugs" fantasy - implausible but entertaining.......2006-12-06

Laurence Fishburne Catapults to Stardom.......2006-10-27

Do you know the Jungle's Creed ?.......2006-09-25

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