“Tell me things haven’t changed!” a corrupt Mayor Hostetler (Russell Crowe) triumphantly calls out in the midst of a political debate, trying to convince his misguided audience that he has improved the living conditions of his jurisdiction. “Broken City,” a crime drama directed by Allen Hughes and released on January 18, presents a cast of several well-known stars and narrates the story of a disgraced ex-cop who finds himself inadvertently involved in New York City’s latest political scandal: the mayoral election.
Mark Wahlberg plays Billy Taggart, a cop-turned-private-detective who is hired to confirm the mayor’s suspicions about his wife’s affair. Billy quickly discovers that the investigation is more than just a marital issue — it’s a political ploy the mayor has set up to assure his own reelection. As Billy becomes more and more entangled within New York City’s twisted politics, he fights back against the double-dealing mayor in an attempt discover the truth and expose it to the public. The movie itself, however, fails to capture its audience’s attention, armed with unbelievable plot devices and flimsy dialogue.
Though a promising neo-noir at first sight, “Broken City” proves once more that, in any given movie genre, a cast consisting of numerous well-known stars (“Valentine’s Day,” “New Year’s Eve”) only overwhelms the screen with multiple talents vying for the spotlight.
The film’s dialogue lacks substance, striking the viewer as unrealistic and cliché, demonstrated by the stereotypical lovers’ banter between Billy and his girlfriend. Meanwhile, the predictable plot appears formulated out of an insecure need to keep the audience interested, introducing somewhat random characters throughout the movie whose only purposes are to further complicate the plot (e.g., the mayor’s sponsor’s son who happens to be best friends with the mayor’s opponent’s campaign manager).
Despite the film’s unsatisfying script, however, the highly-skilled cast does contribute to a few enjoyable moments, such as those in the scenes where the mayor threatens Billy to keep quiet and likewise in the genuinely heartbreaking break-up episode between Billy and his girlfriend.
Wahlberg’s straightforward acting style benefits his depiction of a defiant man still worthy of the audience’s sympathy. Likewise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, playing the mayor’s wife, captivates the audience by poignantly communicating strong emotion through simple facial expressions. Crowe also boasts theatrical skill when acting out a scene of political debate; he transforms the unethical mayor into a likable, congenial candidate through a charming smile and a savvy Brooklyn accent.
Unfortunately, a multitude of well-enacted scenes is still not able to bring such a meekly-written script to life. The stars of “Broken City” do give amusing performances, but the components don’t add up to a satisfiable whole. One leaves the theater disappointed in the film’s failure to rise above mediocrity or to present refreshing material to the crime thriller genre.
