Extremely well-written and colorful dialogue. Grainy, gritty cinematography that gives the film an extra authentic feel. Good performances. Nick Nolte, bigger and more towering than ever before, as the ultimate Bad Cop. This is a worthwhile movie, and it would make a great "police corruption" double bill with the same year's "Internal Affairs" (a topic for discussion: who is scarier as a villain, Nolte or Richard Gere?). Only problem is that the film is a bit overloaded with supporting characters, making the plot unnecessarily complex at times. (**1/2)