While "Report to the Commissioner" isn't a perfect movie, there is always a kernel of interest to keep viewers interested enough to watch to the very end. The first half I will admit is weaker than the second half - actor Michael Moriarty seems too wimpish and naive to be a police officer, and the plot moves along very slowly. But even during this weaker first half, the movie offers a fascinating slice of life of what New York City was like in the early 1970s; you can really feel the grit and atmosphere. Patient viewers will be rewarded with a lively second half. There are a couple of well directed pursuit sequences, and the whole elevator sequence is quite riveting. And the ending, while somewhat predictable, does pack a punch. Fans of cynical 1970s cop movies will enjoy this best, though it's also rewarding to others, provided they possess a reasonable amount of patience.
Review of Report to the Commissioner
