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Ray Liotta, Jason Patric, Chi McBride, Busta Rhymes, Anne Openshaw ... see more see more... , Richard Chevolleau , John Ortiz , Alan C. Peterson

Suspended from the police force following an undercover drug bust gone horribly awry, Detroit undercover narcotics officer Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) is reluctantly goaded back into active duty in hop... read more read more...es that he can help to crack the case of a slain fellow officer. Promised reinstatement in the force in exchange for his efforts, Tellis is paired with the victim's volatile ex-partner Henry Oak (Ray Liotta) and soon begins to actively seek the killer in an increasingly complex case. A recent father whose wife fears for her husband's safety and begs him not to take back to the dangerous streets, Tellis struggles with his conscience as he navigates a twisting road of half-realized truths, shifting loyalties and questionable agendas. With every step closer to Tellis gets to solving the troubling murder, he grows farther away from his wife and newborn son, and edges ever closer to a resolution so complicated that it threatens to devour his soul and shatter every preconceived difference he has ever made between cop and criminal. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

75% liked it

26,357 ratings

Critics

83% liked it

154 critics

R, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Joe Carnahan

Release Date: December 20, 2002

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DVD Release Date: June 17, 2003

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Stats: 1,171 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,171)

  • yona71
    November 28, 2011
    yona71
    Brilliant film about an undercover narcotics officer in Detroit who is brought back into a murder case of a fellow policeman after he is suspended from the force due to a drug bust gone awry.
    Jason Patric and Ray Liotta star in this mesmerizing film that has quite a twist and moo... read mored to it created by the dim cinematography, apt score and of course, the bleak subject matter that allows for real suspense and tension between the good, bad, and the ugly.
    This is one of those films that kind of got swept under the carpet, but is definitely a fine film worth checking out. Jason Patric is an underrated actor who turns in yet another good piece of character work and probably his best since "Rush" and "After Dark My Sweet". I'd say that this film is kind of Jason Patric's "Serpico".
  • garyX
    September 23, 2011
    garyX
    A detective discharged after the accidental shooting of a pregnant bystander is partnered with a veteran detective with a reputation for excessive force to track down the killers who murdered an undercover cop. In the highly overpopulated genre of the cop thriller, Narc is neithe... read morer the most original or most action packed, but what it does brilliantly is in the details. Carnahan is obviously influenced by the gritty cop dramas of the 1970s, particularly the likes of Serpico and The French Connection and the result is a very hardcore and believable character study of the men trapped in the grimy world they are trying to bring to justice. It features dialogue that's not exactly high art, but always rings true (even in the unsentimental domestic drama involving Patric and his wife) which combined with the excellent central performances make you actually feel submerged in his twilight world. Carnahan is perhaps occasionally a little too filter happy and gimmicky in his direction and the ending feels a little too neat considering the grittiness of the rest of the story, but if you like modern cop dramas such as The Wire and The Shield, you'll love this.
  • FilmFanatik
    August 22, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    One of the best hard-nosed cop dramas of recent memory. I know it's not exactly original but I was riveted the entire time I was watching it. Jason Patric and Ray Liotta turn in some amazing performances. It's also great to see Chi McBride given a serious role for a change. Joe C... read morearnahan is one of my top directors to watch out for. The guy definitely has the chops to full off a good solid flick, and this is one of them. It has a lot of substance and style and keeps you interested at every turn. So what if it reminds me of Homicide: Life on the Street? I don't care. This is a damn good movie!
  • fb619846742
    December 16, 2010
    fb619846742
    A riveting, pulse-pounding story concerning a disturbed cop (Jason Patric) needing a rebound case to find his way back in to the good graces of the force after an ugly accident leaves him emotionally scarred. When he is offered the opportunity to partner up with a dirty, mean lie... read moreutenant (Ray Liotta) who is stalking the killer of his partner, he event...ually accepts. One of the best, most under-appreciated drug thrillers constructed in the last ten-fifteen years or so, this story excels mostly due to its direction. Joe Carnahan's desaturated color choice fits the mood of the city of Detroit so well, as he competently captures the depression and darkness associated within a crime-ridden region. Ray Liotta's explosive performance is something straight out of Hell. He never for a second feels like he's forcing it, as his monstrous and all too real feeling character won't leave your memory quickly. Jason Patric's tortured, yet very human performance as well proves to be very crucial to the success of this story. The ending delivers some nasty twists and turns I did not see coming. Without question a great thriller, whose only notable flaw is leaving the audience hanging at its conclusion.
  • TomBowler
    September 30, 2010
    TomBowler
    Gritty and hard hitting but not the most original plot line with a fantastic performance from Ray Liotta. Full review later.
  • imrealgod
    July 14, 2010
    imrealgod
    A well made, well paced & well acted thriller that's a bit flawed in its telling.
  • JonathanHutchings
    June 21, 2010
    JonathanHutchings
    Ray Liotta has spent his post 'Goodfellas' years in rental fodder like Corrina, Corrina, Turbulence, and Operation Dumbo Drop; however, in Narc, his turn as Harry Oak, a sweaty, overweight and coked-up detective is absolutely fantastic (hell, there isn't a bad performance to be f... read moreound... and that surprisingly includes Busta Rhymes as well).

    From its harrowing and spellbinding opening sequence, right through to the shocking finale, Narc is bleak and relentless, but fans of police dramas from both TV and the 70s shouldn't miss it. Director Joe Carnahan -- who also penned the script -- finds the perfect mix of procedure and predicament as Tellis (Jason Patric) and Oak (Liotta) scour the streets of Detroit only to find that their clues lead right back to the force they're part of.

    What makes the film stand out is the absence of real hero characters. As Tellis, Patric has the advantage over Liotta, but the fact that the two detectives have let their personal lives become drowned out by crime makes you wonder if you could bet on either of them to do the right thing. Liotta eats up the scenes, whacking a wife beater with a cue ball in a sock, warning Tellis not to get in his way and charging through every door shotgun first.

    Trapped between admiration and suspicion for the older man, Patric's character gets slowly swallowed up again into a job that nearly killed him 18 months before and his desire to solve the case becomes a way of redemption from his past mistakes. You'll think you've spotted the ending from a long way off but just when you're convinced the evidence is air tight, Carnahan twists the whole story, leaving you with this ache of regret that the mismatched duo didn't have more faith in each other from the start.

    Impeccably shot, and relentless in its gritty realism, Narc may go down in history as the greatest police drama nobody has seen -- which is a shame. Made for just $5m - if there were any justice, it would have earned 15 times that -- there isn't singly once of this film that isn't fully realized. A masterful effort from Carnahan and company.
  • SirPant
    September 25, 2009
    SirPant
    A great, intelligent action thriller, grabs your attention straight away and doesn't let go!
  • kenstachnik
    February 14, 2009
    kenstachnik
    Well crafted and stylish but kind of everything you've seen before. The opening sequence is spectacular.
  • arashxak
    August 25, 2008
    arashxak
    Grimy, Gritty & Brutal with great perfs from Liotta & Patric, But what made this movie really interesting for me was its fantastic ending, Carnahan's great debut

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Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
April 9, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

As a director Carnahan definitely has the goods... Unfortunately the script is your basic renegade-cop narrative, with the usual hoo-ha about justice versus the law. Full Review

Duane Byrge
June 11, 2003
Duane Byrge, Hollywood Reporter

A chokehold of a movie, grabbing us but not ultimately engaging us.

Desson Thomson
January 10, 2003
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

A well-sustained allegory-cum-cop drama.

Stephen Hunter
January 10, 2003
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

It's a stunner that sadly grows tiresome at the end.

Geoff Pevere
January 10, 2003
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

Jason Patric and Ray Liotta make for one splendidly cast pair. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
January 10, 2003
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

There are things to admire about Narc, but they're individual things, not the movie as a whole. Full Review

Joe Baltake
January 10, 2003
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

A truly great B movie. Full Review

Jay Boyar
January 10, 2003
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel

Finesse is certainly at a premium in Narc. What we get is brute force and a whopping load of testosterone.

Eric Harrison
January 10, 2003
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle

The movie works dramatically right up until the end. Full Review

Tom Long
January 10, 2003
Tom Long, Detroit News

Narc is fast, brutal and a lot smarter than it at first appears to be. Full Review

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    • Lt. Henry Oak: There are no lawyers, dumb-f***!! It's just me and you, and I am in your s*** for the duration!
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Narc Trivia

  • Which of the following films does NOT star Kevin Spacey  Answer »
  • Which film stars Ray Liotta, Jason Patric and Busta Rhymes?  Answer »
  • Busta Rhymes portrays an undercover cop in Narc.  Answer »
  • Before making the 2007 film "Smokin' Aces", Joe Carnahan made a movie starring Ray Liotta and Jason Patric. What is the name of that movie?  Answer »
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