Everett, Wash.
Published: Friday, April 11, 2008

'Street Kings': Reeves dresses up like Eastwood in weak dirty-cop yarn

By Robert Horton
Herald Movie Critic

 When Keanu Reeves acts tough, he generally comes up with a box-office hit. Since "acting tough" usually means he's straining to lower his voice and narrow his eyes in the world's mildest Clint Eastwood imitation, I can only assume that the audience feels sorry for the guy.

He looks out of place in "Street Kings," a movie with no shortage of grit. Conceived by crime writer extraordinaire James Ellroy, "Street Kings" wallows in crooked cops and slimy situations. The movie declares that everybody's bad, then goes on to prove it.

Reeves is messed-up rogue cop Tom Ludlow, famous for settling issues outside the law. For the most part, his boss (Forest Whitaker) is fine with that, because he'd like to be police chief someday and Tom's methods are effective.

An Internal Affairs investigator (Hugh Laurie, from "House") is sniffing around, and Tom's old partner might be cooperating. Then a sudden death under suspicious circumstances kicks off a chain reaction that leads the already unstable Tom even deeper into a hole.

Director David Ayer should know his way around this cop-movie turf; he wrote "Training Day" and directed the superior "Harsh Times." The L.A. locations have a good, dirty feel, and there are some surprises in the smaller roles. But the movie doesn't really ignite, for a couple of key reasons.

One is Keanu. Measure him against the swagger and charisma of Denzel Washington and Christian Bale in the two movies mentioned above, and you can see what a powerhouse actor might bring to this role. But Reeves never makes it sizzle.

The other problem is the plot: The solution to the movie's central mystery is so obvious that you can't help thinking some clever twist must await. Don't hold your breath.

Forest Whitaker is big and broad, Cedric the Entertainer adds a touch of panicky humor, and Hugh Laurie is intriguing. But none of them have much screen time.

Chris Evans, from the "Fantastic Four" pictures, actually scores well as a clean detective drawn into Tom's unclean orbit. He succeeds by underplaying in a movie where everybody else is going big.

The Ellroy connection makes it clear this movie aspires to the level of "L.A. Confidential." If you banish that notion right away, you might find "Street Kings" an acceptable time-killer.
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