Retro Film Review: Cop (1988)

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Few films have so effective opening like Cop, 1988 neo-noir thriller written and directed by James B. Harris. While the opening titles roll, the audience hears the voice of apparently black burglar, desperately trying to notify police about the horrific murder he had stumbled on while trying to rob a house in Hollywood. First policeman to arrive at the scene is Lloyd Hopkins (played by James Woods), LAPD Detective Sergeant. He discovers the terribly mutilated corpse of a young woman and begins investigation. Comparing the scene with the previous unsolved murders, Hopkins becomes convinced that the murder was work of a serial killer who had apparently preying on women for past 15 years. However, his attempts to get extra men and other resources from the superiors fail because LAPD brass fears that the presence of serial killer would make them look incompetent. Hopkins is not discouraged and spends all of his energy to find the clues about the killer. One of them leads him to feminist bookstore owned by attractive Kathleen McCarthy (played by Lesley Ann Warren) whose hard past might be the connection between the murders. Before the killer is found, the investigation would take a heavy toll on Hopkins' private life and career.

The script was based on Blood on the Moon, novel by James Ellroy. Fans of Ellroy's work would find many familiar elements in this film's plot - sexual perversions, police corruption and deeply flawed protagonists. The protagonist in question is played by James Woods, one of the most recognisable faces in modern Hollywood. Woods, who had built reputation of a superb character actor by playing villains, seemed perfect for the role that gave him rare opportunity to play hero. However, one reason for that is in the fact that Hopkins is not a hero in traditional sense. Because of his zeal to catch evildoers and even go against law and common sense to do so, he might resemble countless vigilante cops of 1970s and 1980s, but underneath Woods portrays man full of contradictions and weaknesses. So, our protagonist tries to be a loving father and husband and in the same time doesn't feel a little bit of remorse while sleeping with potential witnesses. Woods plays this character with gusto and the entire film lies on his shoulders.

Because of this iconoclastic characterisation, Cop could have been one of the genre classic. Unfortunately, the direction was in the hands of James B. Harris, man whose skills were insufficient to hide its low budget. Because of this, the film has few interesting and memorable scenes (after the opening, the best one features Hopkins telling crime-fighting stories to his eight-year old daughter) but the connection between them is blurred and overlong. The main villain in the film is pathetic and the final showdown is anti-climactic and predictable, although the last shots are in the same time very unconventional and very 1980s. The rest of the cast is also way below Woods' standards, with Charles Durning and Lesley Ann Warren being the only exceptions. Many of the viewers who make their assumption on Cop based on the opening are going to be disappointed, but Woods is nevertheless consistent in the movie. And that is the reason enough for Cop to be recommended as one interesting piece of 1980s cinema.
RATING: 6/10 (++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on October 22nd 2002)