On D List of Movie Reviews

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Deep Cover (1992)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 6/05, 9/10, 11/15, 4/20

Deep
6/05: Deep Cover comes off as somewhat amateurish, but the story is good.

Laurence Fishburne gets high marks for bringing style to the table. Had the role gone to, say, Larenz Tate, it wouldn't work. Jeff Goldblum is surprisingly good, but Charles Martin Smith is more of a disappointment who can use more screen time.

All in all, Deep Cover is an intriguing neo-noir.

9/10: Marred by awkward start, Deep Cover creates momentum as soon as Roger Guenveur Smith's character is killed.

From there on, Bill Duke shows what style is all about, and he does this with a big dose of neo-noir. Laurence Fishburne is the coolest ever when he glances at somebody with his sexy eyes. That's when he becomes special. I love Jeff Goldblum here, too. In spite of looking miscast on screen, he's a natural actor.

The story is filled with twists and turns during the intricate maze of drug dealing. It has been done before, but Laurence Fishburne's presence and Bill Duke's neo-noir style are the reasons why the film stands apart from the pack.

All in all, Deep Cover is my all-time favorite Laurence Fishburne picture.

11/15: Laurence Fishburne is at his best in Deep Cover which is a stylish neo-noir at the hands of Bill Duke.

Jeff Goldblum also makes things more interesting. If there's a negative, I don't like the experimental camera work which is thankfully dropped not too long after.

All in all, if I want to see a great Laurence Fishburne film, Deep Cover is my first choice.

4/20: Deep Cover is my favorite Laurence Fishburne film.

Never been this good before or since then, Laurence Fishburne hits all the right notes and is at his sexiest because of his eyes. The neo-noir look is excellent and serves him well. Jeff Goldblum is a treat as he gets to play the bad guy probably for the first time in his Hollywood career besides Death Wish.

Yes, the film is hurt by some exaggerated acting early on, but as soon as Roger Guenveur Smith's character is bumped off, it's when things start to take off. The plot is interesting because I kept wondering when it's time for John Hull to get out of the situation. Slowly losing his faith in what's right and wrong, he's been blinded by money, power, and, most of all, pussy.

All in all, I wish there were more movies in the same vein of Deep Cover for Laurence Fishburne.