On the face of it, "Internal Affairs" is a routine crime drama about an investigation into the activities of an LAPD cop who's suspected of being corrupt. What elevates this movie to another level, however, is a sensational performance by Richard Gere as an extremely memorable villain who's not only corrupt, cruel and complex but also extremely manipulative and murderous.
Dennis Peck (Richard Gere) is a street cop who's popular and respected by his superiors. He's a married man with three ex-wives and 8 kids and enjoys good relationships with all of them. Over the years he's been helpful to many of his fellow officers and his ability to call in favours from them whenever needed has provided him with a power-base which he effectively used to operate his criminal activities.
Peck comes to the attention of a newly appointed LAPD Internal Affairs investigator called Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia), after the conduct of his partner Van Stretch (William Baldwin) gives cause for concern. Avila and another investigator called Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf) interview the young cop and it quickly becomes clear that he's a drug addicted racist who's prone to outbursts of unprovoked violence. Subsequent checks into Stretch's financial status and Peck's extra curricular activities then start to raise certain suspicions.
A short time later, Stretch is killed on duty and the body of his killer is found nearby. Peck explains that he shot the murderer but doesn't disclose that the killer was actually a hit-man employed by him. Avila suspects this and soon elicits the confirmation he needs from one of the hit-man's associates before going on to discreetly keep Peck under surveillance.
Peck is adept at identifying people's weaknesses and exploiting them for his own purposes and so arranges a confidential meeting with Avila's neglected wife Kathleen (Nancy Travis). He asks her some questions which he infers he's authorised to do but his real purpose is to unsettle Avila who he knows will see his meeting with Kathleen and become uncontrollably jealous.
Peck's plan works well and Avila becomes so unhinged that he embarrasses and beats his wife in public at her workplace. Despite this spectacular loss of control, Avila and Wallace are later able to continue their determined investigation to its conclusion although there is a significant price to be paid for what they achieve.
The tense atmosphere which runs through this movie is predominantly generated by its brooding score and the intensity of the conflict between Avila and Peck who are both tough, uncompromising and remarkably similar in certain ways. The threat of extreme violence is also ever present as Stretch and Avila are both volatile men who can't control their tempers and also beat their wives.
Avila appears to be cold, confident and conventional when he's first appointed to his new job but as events proceed it becomes clear that he's very ambitious, has problems with his marriage and also has a darker side to his personality which is brought out when Peck pushes the right buttons. Andy Garcia does well as he portrays the range of behaviours of his character who lacks any real warmth or the ability to empathize with others.
Peck is a charming psychopath and an inveterate womaniser and Richard Gere's magnificent as he shows brilliantly his ability to be equally convincing whether he's playing the helpful colleague, a calculating manipulator of other people or a vicious killer.
"Internal Affairs" is ultimately a surprisingly enjoyable movie with some strong characters and an exceptional villain.
Dennis Peck (Richard Gere) is a street cop who's popular and respected by his superiors. He's a married man with three ex-wives and 8 kids and enjoys good relationships with all of them. Over the years he's been helpful to many of his fellow officers and his ability to call in favours from them whenever needed has provided him with a power-base which he effectively used to operate his criminal activities.
Peck comes to the attention of a newly appointed LAPD Internal Affairs investigator called Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia), after the conduct of his partner Van Stretch (William Baldwin) gives cause for concern. Avila and another investigator called Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf) interview the young cop and it quickly becomes clear that he's a drug addicted racist who's prone to outbursts of unprovoked violence. Subsequent checks into Stretch's financial status and Peck's extra curricular activities then start to raise certain suspicions.
A short time later, Stretch is killed on duty and the body of his killer is found nearby. Peck explains that he shot the murderer but doesn't disclose that the killer was actually a hit-man employed by him. Avila suspects this and soon elicits the confirmation he needs from one of the hit-man's associates before going on to discreetly keep Peck under surveillance.
Peck is adept at identifying people's weaknesses and exploiting them for his own purposes and so arranges a confidential meeting with Avila's neglected wife Kathleen (Nancy Travis). He asks her some questions which he infers he's authorised to do but his real purpose is to unsettle Avila who he knows will see his meeting with Kathleen and become uncontrollably jealous.
Peck's plan works well and Avila becomes so unhinged that he embarrasses and beats his wife in public at her workplace. Despite this spectacular loss of control, Avila and Wallace are later able to continue their determined investigation to its conclusion although there is a significant price to be paid for what they achieve.
The tense atmosphere which runs through this movie is predominantly generated by its brooding score and the intensity of the conflict between Avila and Peck who are both tough, uncompromising and remarkably similar in certain ways. The threat of extreme violence is also ever present as Stretch and Avila are both volatile men who can't control their tempers and also beat their wives.
Avila appears to be cold, confident and conventional when he's first appointed to his new job but as events proceed it becomes clear that he's very ambitious, has problems with his marriage and also has a darker side to his personality which is brought out when Peck pushes the right buttons. Andy Garcia does well as he portrays the range of behaviours of his character who lacks any real warmth or the ability to empathize with others.
Peck is a charming psychopath and an inveterate womaniser and Richard Gere's magnificent as he shows brilliantly his ability to be equally convincing whether he's playing the helpful colleague, a calculating manipulator of other people or a vicious killer.
"Internal Affairs" is ultimately a surprisingly enjoyable movie with some strong characters and an exceptional villain.