Brooklyn's Finest

Director Antoine Fuqua returns to the gritty cop drama genre that made him a household name in 2001 with "Training Day." This time around, East Brooklyn's 65th precinct is home to three police officers whose ethical compasses are way off—in ways we’ve seen before. Richard Gere plays marginal cop Eddie Dugan, just days away from retiring. Dugan is assigned to a rookie partner whose lack of experience soon takes a toll on both of them. Like any good family man, officer Sal Procida (Ethan Hawke) wants the best for his ailing pregnant wife (Lili Taylor) and their five kids. Unfortunately,  their home is under attack from toxic mold. Naturally, stealing cash from drug busts seems like the way out of his predicament. Undercover drug agent Tango (Don Cheadle) has been "under" for so long that he barely knows which side he's on anymore. Fuqua massages the script's obvious clichés with a sense of personal attachment to his characters that makes you believe in them. Wesley Snipes makes a strong appearance as Caz, a drug lord and best friend to Tango.  Caz’s decision to get out of the business before it gets him can't come soon enough. The extraordinary demands on underpaid cops, this film seems to say, is the same no matter what big city they work in. There's nothing simple or pretty about any of it. It's still a lot closer to the truth, and more entertaining, than any episode of "Law and Order."

Rated R. 125 mins. (B) (Three Stars - out of 5/no halves)