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Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton, Armand Assante, Patrick O'Neal, Lee Richardson ... see more see more... , Jenny Lumet , Luis Guzman , Charles S. Dutton , Paul Calderon , International Chrysis , Dominic Chianese , Leo Cimino , Fyvush Finkel , Tommy A. Ford , Cynthia O'Neal , Jose Rafael Arango , Gustavo Brens , Martin E. Brens , John Capodice , Jerry Ciauri , Victor Colicchio , Jose Collazo , Danny Darrow , David Dill , Drew Elliot , Burtt Harris , Gloria Irizarry , Michael Joseph , George Kodisch , Hal Lehrman , Anibal O. Lleras , Olga Merediz , Susan Michell , Brian Neill , Junior Perez , Frank Raiter , Javier Ríos , Rod Rodriquez , Edward Rogers III , Frederick Rolf , Edward Rowan , Maurice Schell , Richard Solchik , June Stein , Sonny Vidiz , Harry Madsen , Peter Gumeny , Alex Ruiz

Following Serpico (1973) and Prince of the City (1981), veteran urban crime film director Sidney Lumet completed a thematic trilogy about New York City police corruption with this noir drama. When New... read more read more... York City cop Mike Brennan (Nick Nolte) shoots an unarmed Hispanic drug dealer in cold blood, he quickly plants a gun on his victim and manufactures some eyewitness testimony. D.A. Kevin Quinn (Patrick O'Neal) calls in his assistant district attorney, Al Reilly (Timothy Hutton), to conduct a perfunctory investigation of the incident, but Brennan's obvious guilt during a question and answer session makes Reilly dig deeper. The crusading lawyer is soon uncovering a web of corruption that reaches from Brennan into Quinn's office. At the same time, Reilly learns that his ex-girlfriend Nancy Bosch (Jenny Lumet, the director's daughter), is now dating his chief witness, Puerto Rican drug dealer Bobby Texador (Armand Assante). Q&A (1990) was based on the novel by Edwin Torres, a New York State Supreme Court judge whose two other novels were later adapted into the film Carlito's Way (1993). Lumet would again return to the subject of New York's corrupt criminal justice system with Night Falls on Manhattan (1997). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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47% liked it

2,790 ratings

Critics

83% liked it

23 critics

R, 2 hr. 12 min.

Directed by: Sidney Lumet

Release Date: April 27, 1990

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DVD Release Date: May 25, 1999

Stats: 70 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (70)

  • hunterjt13
    September 12, 2010
    hunterjt13
    Q&A is a fairly typical Lumet film in the tradition of Prince of the City, Night in Manhattan, and well, everything else since Serpico (with the notable exception of the brilliant Before the Devil Knows You're Dead). In a lot of ways it seems that Lumet got stuck on this corrupt... read moreion in the force thing and devoted the rest of his career to pounding that theme to death. I'm not denying the importance of his subject, but I've found it very easy to see where his films are going. What's odd is that because I'm such a fan with a broad knowledge of his work, I've found watching his movies for the first time less enjoyable.
    One good thing about watching these older films (1990 is not that long ago) is I'm reminded of just how good some of these actors were in their prime. Hutton and especially Nolte deliver excellent performances.
    Last, I did have trouble with the ending. I don't think the final note of the film was developed as the film's principal conflict. Hopefully that was vague enough to avoid giving anything away.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    August 24, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Nick Nolte plays a greasy smell bad racist cop, who tries to intimidate Timothy Hutton. Justice is served to the pig.
  • deano
    March 19, 2007
    deano
    Really dull and silly tale of New York police corruption.
  • Dannyrovira
    August 1, 2010
    Dannyrovira
    A powerful gritty well-acted crime drama, brilliantly directed by Sidney Lumet. About a wet-behind-the ears Assistant D.A. superbly played by Timothy Hutton who is assigned by his boss a smoothly villainous Patrick O'Neal, too investigate a killing of Puerto Rican drug dealer, wh... read moreich involves a veteran detective who is corrupt and psychotic, he is played by Nick Nolte in a powerhouse performance. Nolte steals the film hands down, he has never been so brutal and imposing, his foul-mouth maniacal cop is an unstoppable force of evil. O'Neal is a man with unbridled political ambitions and wants Hutton to do a routine by numbers investigation, to get Nolte who is his personal enforcer off the hook, writing up a Q & A with Notle and other principal players, they must fine a fall guy for Nolte. The film is rich with outstanding characterizations by a terrific cast that includes Armand Assante, Lee Richardson, Charles Dutton, Luis Guzman, and Paul Calderon. This is a hard-hitting crime drama that realistically depicts the racism and corruption in the New York City justice system of the early 1990s. Highly Recommended.
  • Lemure
    October 17, 2011
    Lemure
    The acting, the cast, the script, the direction...it's all first class. The problem is that we're supposed to be surprised that politicians are corrupt. There's no shock there. Don't get me wrong, it's a good film, just don't expect to be blown away.
  • threefolddado
    May 13, 2009
    threefolddado
    Good cast and director fails to hit home in this tale of corruption.
  • trisarahtops22
    June 25, 2008
    trisarahtops22
    This movie was too long and it felt like a dozen other mob/cop movies I've seen before. It was pretty much ::yawn::
  • vincent5506
    February 5, 2007
    vincent5506
    Not the greatest film ever but one that always stuck out in my mind as interesting for the levels of corruption it showed. Which I believe mirrors the corruption in the police departments and government offices throughout the country. Nothing horrific just nepotism, blackmail a... read morend kickbacks (or business as usual).

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Critic Reviews

James Berardinelli
August 11, 2008
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Q & A is testimony to the validity of the old adage: a good story, when well told, can never be told too many times. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

''Q and A'' is most memorable for its performances, beginning with Mr. Nolte's. Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

Unfortunately, Lumet isn't the brawny social commentator he would like to be -- he's a Jimmy Breslin manque'. Full Review

April 27, 1990
Entertainment Weekly

Q&A is a major film by one of our finest mainstream directors. As both a portrait of modern-day corruption and an act of sheer storytelling bravura, it is not to be missed. Full Review

Andrew L. Urban
June 19, 2009
Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile

A New York at odds with Woody Allen's, albeit also filled with angst; where Allen dissects the middle class in the throes of its own insecurities, Lumet cruises the underbelly Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
April 5, 2006
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Lumet pulls no punches showing a contemporary NYC plagued by racism, violence, crime, tribalism, cronyism, and corruption. Full Review

Clint Morris
March 11, 2006
Clint Morris, Moviehole

Another tour-de-force for Lumet

Derek Adams
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

While this tough, fundamentally sound New York thriller has its moments, it's no Prince of the City. Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
January 26, 2006
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

Sidney Lumet's third film about corruption in the NYC police department is a gritty, gripping and profane thriller with a powerhouse performance by an intimidating Nick Nolte.

Scott Weinberg
April 2, 2005
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Underrated crime drama with a great performance by Nick Nolte.

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