Edison (2005)

Director:

David J. Burke

Writer (WGA):

David J. Burke (written by)

Release Date:

11 November 2005 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

In this city, only the cops are above the law.

Plot:

Upon discovering a den of corrupt policemen, a fresh-faced journalist makes a shaky allies in a jaded reporter and investigator for a powerful district attorney.

Plot Keywords:

Journalist | FBI | Investigative Reporter | Interracial Couple | Pulitzer Prize

Cast

Morgan Freeman	...	Moses Ashford
Kevin Spacey	...	Levon Wallace
Justin Timberlake	...	Josh Pollack
LL Cool J	...	Officer Rafe Deed
Dylan McDermott	...	Sgt. Frances Lazerov
John Heard	...	Capt. Brian Tilman
Cary Elwes	...	D.A. Jack Reigert
Roselyn Sanchez	...	Maria
Damien Dante Wayans	...	Isaiah Charles
Garfield Wilson	...	Rook
Marco Sanchez	...	Reyes
Darryl Quon	...	Wu
Andrew Jackson	...	Ives
Timothy Paul Perez	...	Butler (as Tim Paul Perez)
Piper Perabo	...	Willow Summerfield

Also Known As:

Edison Force (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language, and brief drug use.

Runtime:

Canada:97 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Argentina:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Germany:16 | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:16 | Brazil:16 | Argentina:16 | France:Unrated | Norway:15 | Australia:MA | Portugal:M/16 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | New Zealand:R16 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Vancouver Public Library, 360 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Millennium Films

Trivia:

Originally set for a US theatrical release in 2005, the film was pushed back after poor test screenings. Ultimately the film was release direct-to-DVD in the domestic market after remaining unreleased during a sustained time of uncertainty.

Goofs:

Continuity: At 1:11:13 a gunshot is fired which sounds silenced, at 1:11:15 the gun which fires the shot is shown with no silencer and the slide of the gun is shown locked open as if its the last shot in the magazine, then at 1:11:17 the same gun is shown again with the slide closed back in its normal position without any noise or character interaction.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Absolute Power: The Making of Edison Force (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Never Again

Lukewarm performances in a fantasy world

LL Cool J performed much better in this movie that I expected! He did a fabulous job acting as a "renegade" cop within a "renegade" department. From the very beginning, he does a great job of building viewer empathy for his character and the predicament he's in. He acts as a sort of "gentle giant" -- a person whose rough exterior can scare anybody, yet whose heart is clearly in the right place from the very start -- and he does an amazing job. He was quite clearly the best character in the movie.

This was certainly a performance that will not win Morgan Freeman any awards. After starring in powerhouse films like the Shawshank Redemption this film was certainly a step down. His role in Edison simply did not allow him to show his true talents as an actor -- and in terms of the conglomeration of characters placed him sadly on a back burner. There are so many ways his character (Moses Ashford) could have taken a more pivotal role. That he didn't was disappointing and a true let-down. I was hoping to see more from him in this film.

Timberlake ought to have stayed in the music industry. His portrayal of a young journalist was poorly acted and unpersuasive. This movie is a typical action movie that (at least initially) bears some resemblance to corrupt police affairs LA has experienced in the past. Being an action movie, it has its share of shoot-em-up scenes, blood, and guts. These scenes are typically unrealistic and painfully predictable. Watching the beginning of the movie there is very little suspense as to what will happen at the end -- think of what you would typically expect in a good-cops/bad-cops conflict -- and it bears little resemblance to a REAL police shoot-out.

What irked me most was the way Timberlake's character behaved during shoot-out scenes. He starts out having guns and not using them. Then when he finally gets around to using one he fires it as if he's been firing a gun his whole life. Then he runs out of bullets and doesn't have a gun -- and 30 seconds later, without moving or anything -- suddenly has 2 more fully loaded guns AND extra ammo?! Little plot errors like this really ruined the movie for me.

If what you are looking for is a blatantly fictional plot in a fantasy world where everything turns out okay, then you'll probably love this movie. Personally, it doesn't matter to me what KIND of movie it is as long as it is realistic. Make me believe that the story is true. This story was so obviously fictional in so many aspects that I came away feeling unsatisfied.