The French Connection (1971)

User Review

• 

  Barneyonmovies

  8 / 10

  WHAT I LIKED: William Friedkin's 'The French Connection,' is essentially a film where cops follow drug dealers around for almost two hours, so it's frankly a wonder that it's as gripping as it is. Yes this movie really will have you hooked from start to finish, and that's largely testament to Friedkin's expert hand as he constantly builds tension in his usual show-don't-tell-obsessed major and ramps up the desperation in a way that plays with audience's expectations. He also manages to capture and thrill with his all-consuming portrayal of New York and the infamous car chase and shoot-out sequences, and when you couple that with a coincidentally brilliant cast who bring their respective characters to life wonderfully, you've got yourself a thoroughly gripping and perfectly-crafted cop-thriller that rightfully played a big part in this genre's overall resurgence.
  WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It is just a film about cops following drug dealers around for almost two hours, and in that respect it doesn't really have all that much to say about the world, or even its own characters.
  VERDICT: A perfectly-crafted and thoroughly gripping cop-thriller from Friedkin, 'The French Connection,' is a film that surpasses its narrative to become a properly brilliant piece of New-Hollywood filmmaking.

  Like?

  0 member like this review.