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The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans (2009) - Trailer Included
The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans - Available on DVD
Director: Werner Herzog
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Val Kilmer, Eva Mendes, Fairuza Balk, Michael Shannon, Xzibit, Jennifer Coolidge, Brad Dourif, Shawn Hatosy, Nick Gomez
The laugh of a fool or the release of joyful enlightenment?
John Doe needs to start this review with full disclosure. He’s breaking the golden rule of critiquing, “know your opinion”. Werner Herzog’s The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans is as vexing as its protracted title. JD still can’t decide if it’s a great “bad” film or a bad “great’ film. Whether it’s quality or trash, there is no denying the deranged eccentricities and artistic indulgences entertained Johnny with hilarious aplomb.
The boisterous Werner Herzog made it clear from the start that this is not a remake of Abel Ferrara’s cult classic starring Harvey Keitel but rather an alternate adaptation of the story. Stating that he had never even heard of Abel Ferrara let alone seen any of his films triggered a war of words between the two Directors that you can read more about by clicking HERE. It’s worth noting that the studio was the one who ultimately insisted on using the precursor Bad Lieutenant.
Geographically shifting the locale from New York City to post Katrina New Orleans the only similarity to the 1992 film is that the central character (baring a different name) is another drug fuelled, weak willed contradiction that surrenders to his vice and exploits his position of authority. Still challenging, it's not as dark, nor morose and the warped motivations here are different plus there is no core desire for holy redemption either.
Teddy is a man determined to get the job done!
We first meet Detective Terence “Teddy” McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) in a locker room where it is made clear that he is an arrogant go getter and a talented cop. Notably he is also clean, sober and lacking the traits that will later define him.
"You think fish have dreams?" - Teddy
Heading into the flooded bowels of the police stations lockup with his partner Stevie Pruit (Val Kilmer) a prisoner is struggling to keep his head above water. An ill advised leap of mercy into the shallow waters to save the man leaves Teddy in permanent agony from a back injury. It is this one event that marks the descent into uncontrollable addiction that see’s the decorated cop earn the moniker of Bad Lieutenant.
"You want me to get wet? On account of you? I have on Swiss cotton underpants!" - Teddy
Assigned to investigate the slaughter of an entire family as his obsession with the case and constant craving for pharmaceutical relief dominate his world soon Teddy is out of control. His perspective dissolves and corrupt, violent reactions to the many criminals he encounters launch him on a path of destruction.
"It's amazing how much you can get done when you've got a simple purpose guiding you through life. My purpose is to find out who shot up this apartment on Josephine. I know the guy that was living there was from Senegal. I know he was selling heroin. I know whose territory he was stepping on. And I know who went over to the apartment to straighten him out. I found out all that in the past few days." - Teddy
Do you see what I see?
John Doe says:
The world through a fish eyed lens.
The chemical reaction of a camera and a Herzog in a Cage.
Cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger (Rescue Dawn, Grizzly Man) has collaborated with Herzog on several of his most recent projects and his work here treads a line between daylight noir and detached realism to match the reptilian intentions of the man in charge. An experimental courage to lens choices expresses the detached state of our anti hero.The nadair shot of a shark infested fish tank is artistic in its ambiguous message and can be interpreted in numerous ways.
The screenplay written by William M Finklestein (Law and Order, NYPD Blue) has to be credited for its farcical dialogue set in a context that doesn’t draw overt attention. His organic structure somehow offers a procedural narrative cohesion that allows us to continue watching even when proceedings spiral into the ridiculous.
The mad leading the psychotic or the looney's running the asylum?
The most notable failure in casting is Eva Mendes (We Own the Night) as the hooker with a heart of gold named Frankie. Admittedly she brings an eye candy element, but the lack of flesh and uneven portrayal means that the attention wanes whenever her clichéd part walks into frame.
Val Kilmer (Spartan, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Salton Sea) doesn’t seem to be trying very hard, but this apathetic approach actually makes for added layers placed upon his small role.
Surprisingly another really strong presence in the film is Jennifer Coolidge (Best in Show, Gentlemen Broncos). As the alcoholic lush her lived in look replaces any vanity with a genuine worn down by life air that nicely works in unison with where Teddy is seemingly destined to be.
Fairuza Balk seduces a mad man!
Even after writing this John Doe is still having trouble distilling flaw from strength but one thing remains clear, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans is an acquired taste bursting with indescribable flavors. It will make you laugh and scratch your head simultaneously. Those who enjoy effervescent surrealism and strong outside the box performances will certainly want to discuss it once the final credits roll. It’s an experience that contains some unforgettable craziness like a never filmed David Lynch montage of midgets in drag dancing upon a two headed Donkey. The soulful, romantic mood of Johnny Adam's 'Release Me" playing while Nicolas Cage stares longingly at a pair of Iguana’s still has JD giggling at the impact it had.
Trailer for The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans
Nic Cage and The Iguana's, that could be a cool band name!
Not from the film - Nicolas Cage will say "yes" to anything and this funny clip shows just how low he will go when unsupervised.
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hmmm indeed
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if your going into this to compare it with Ferrera's film then you will be sorely disappointed. (After all the only reason it even has the Bad Lt in the title is because of the studio.)
This one is a black comedy and should be viewed as such.
I can't recommend it because it certainly flawed, but the bottom line is it did entertain me and make me laugh.
i think everyone will get something different from it, (Just look at Bryn's opinion) in the end I think it is Herzog giving the big middle finger to Hollywood and its contrived products.
Film & TV on DVD
I did read your review when it was published but had completely forgotten that you had done it.
I can't fault you for your opinion, after all I still don't know if it was good or bad. All I know is it entertained me and made me smile. (4 stars from Filmink is retarded, I do know that for sure)
I think you may suffer from not being able to separate it from Ferrara's film. (again i remind it was the studio who chucked Bad Lt in the title, not Herzog.)
It is novel for sure because this is probably the closest we will ever see Herzog get to making a mainstream film and I also believe its a big "Fuck you" to Hollywood filmmaking in general.
The other point I need to raise that i didn't in the review is that this is what a remake should be. A completely different vision from an original source that offers a fresh take on something old. Good or bad it does at least have integrity. Going the crime comedy route was brave and I never found the film boring at any stage. I found it ludicrous, conceited and many other adjectives, but never dull.
It wasn't meant to be a thriller in my eyes but Herzog working within the system while still having the freedom to express himself. It's disjointed but each scene has its charms in my eyes.
As for the Russian Poster, I just really dug the image more than the other ones. (Eva cleavage makes a statement beside Cage's weapon.) Boobs and guns, that's what the film is about, deep trashy indulgence in my opinion....shit look at that i finally worked out what I think of the film
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If filmmakers are going to do remakes, but change so much about them, then for fuck's sake call it something else. I suppose if this had been called just Port of Call New Orleans, I may have come into the movie with fewer expectations, but at the end of the day, the movie sucks. It does. Herzog's docos crap all over this. He hasn't made a decent drama since Nosferatu, and that, I should add, is a great remake.
20/20 Filmsight
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I'm not championing the film in any way Bryn, as I said before I acknowledge its massive flaws and even I can't decide if it is in fact good or bad...but few films have left me confused about my own opinion in the way this one has.....everything about it screams failure and yet there I was entertained and amused
So you got some white powder for daddy
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Hi David,
That's a good way to describe it "I liked it more than I hated it". Certainly a non conventional Herzog work.
I agree Eva has little talent to speak of. But I would prefer her to the likes of Sandra Bullock or Julia Roberts whose lack of talent is actually overtly demonstrative. In a perfect world all of them would be relegated to non speaking parts in the background
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Thanks Matt, I really paid attention to my verbiage with this review and hoped someone would appreciate the turn of phrase.
Same as Shaun, I won't recommend it just say it is a film that is uneven but amusing.
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