On G List of Movie Reviews
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The Glass Shield (1994)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
5/13, 11/19
5/13:
You're going to see Ice Cube as the face of The Glass Shield, but his role is so small that he has nothing to do
with the film.
Because of the story, it's, quite frankly, a compelling movie, thanks to Charles Burnett's superb direction. Two rookie cops,
one white female and one black male, face an uphill battle of racism, sexism, and seniority. At the same time, an alleged
murderer is powerless when he's pitted against the system. Ultimately, it's the police corruption that ruins their lives.
Michael Boatman may come off as goofy, but the way he acts for a police officer is perfect. Lori Petty's character makes things
interesting by peeling off the layers of police corruption. She desperately wants to believe in the system but loses in the
long run. It also helps to have Bernie Casey and others at hand to keep the picture serious as much as possible to let
an array of topics flesh out: misuse of police power, mishandling of evidence, and disregard for proper law enforcement
procedures.
All in all, The Glass Shield is a remarkable cop picture that has a lot to say.
11/19:
A stylish neo-noir thriller, The Glass Shield follows the tradition of Sidney Lumet's pictures when it comes to
police corruption.
Don't be fooled by the cover: it's not Ice Cube's movie. He only appears for ten minutes max. Instead, it's Michael
Boatman in the lead role, and he is excellent. The cast is very good, and Lori Petty should've gotten more credit
for her performance.
Like Serpico, The Glass Shield is about going against the system. Everybody, even me, has been there before.
As T.S. Eliot would say, "Between the idea and the reality...falls the shadow." The truth is a tough, frustrating thing to
accept. Yeah, it's unfortunate that J.J. was charged with perjury for falsifying the arrest report, but he did break the law.
All in all, The Glass Shield isn't an easy film to swallow, but it presents the reality of police corruption on
an intellectual level.