Retro Film/Television Review: Hollywood Confidential (1997)

Failed television series pilots are often very depressive films to watch. Their poor quality often has very little do with it. Too many times the subject matter, quality of writing, acting and direction indicate that the show could have been something great and the audience is left with the bitter taste of wasted opportunity. Hollywood Confidential, 1997 thriller directed by Reynaldo Villalobos, provided one of those missed opportunities, although it subject matter alone provided clear explanation why there weren't any subsequent show.

Plot of this film is set in Hollywood and it deals with private detective agency led by Stan Navarro (played by Edward James Olmos). The agency has very special clientele which is almost exclusively made out of big Hollywood studios and local power- wielders associated with entertainment industry. Most of the detectives are former policemen who, just like their boss Navarro, had to leave their former job because of certain tragic or traumatic event. For Navarro this job is much easier, although it provides plenty of opportunities to witness various forms of human wickedness and misery. One job, which requires of Navarro and his men to cover-up adulterous affair of famous director, is going to change everything. Navarro is forced to chose between his career and the life of young innocent woman.

Anthony Yerkovich, scriptwriter and executive of this film, is best known for his work on Michael Mann's classic TV show Miami Vice. That show has many things in common in Hollywood Confidential - both are set in paradise-like, glamorous setting where wealth, power and beauty only cover crime, depravity and various forms of human misery. Yerkovich approached this from the position of insider and this film gives great insight into dark side of American film industry – backstabbing, manipulations and sad fact that the triumphs and glamorous lifestyles of the few are at the expense of many more less fortunate. Dark, depressive and world-weary atmosphere of the film make Hollywood Confidential into one of the more honest and effective television films to come from Hollywood. This effect is helped by the good role of Edward James Olmos, who gives very realistic portrayal of the world-weary protagonist. The rest of the cast, on the other hand, suffers from undeveloped characterisation (left for the future episodes that were never shot), but Charlize Theron stands out among them, and not only because of her looks (and subsequent fame). The real problem for Hollywood Confidential, apart from somewhat unconvincing "happy end", is the more than obvious fact that Hollywood - institution based on illusion - simply couldn't have maintained so devastatingly honest portrayal of itself, at least not on weekly basis. This failed pilot is the best the audience could have hoped for and therefore it deserves recommendation.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on February 12th 2004)

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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/96298-hollywood-confidential
Critic: AA