Nicolas Cage turns in his best performance since Adaptation in Bad Lieutenant
Although the film’s title borrows, at least partially, from 1992’s Bad Lieutenant, let’s make one thing clear: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is not really a remake, a re-imagining or even a re-invention. No, this Bad Lieutenant, directed by the acclaimed Werner Herzog (Rescue Dawn), is a film that completely stands alone. Herzog claims he has never seen Abel Ferrara’s film, and although it sounds hard to believe, it may be true, as Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans seems as though someone gave Herzog a vague plot summary of the original, and he ran with the idea.
Nicolas Cage (Knowing) stars as Terence McDonagh, a police officer who, after jumping into a flooding jail cell to save a prisoner post-Katrina, is promoted to the rank of lieutenant. The jump comes at a price however, as it causes chronic back pain, which is treated medicinally with painkillers. McDonagh is a straight cop before this jump, and Herzog uses McDonagh’s problem with prescription drugs as a jumping off point for the “bad lieutenant’s” infamous use of cocaine, heroin and alcohol.
But again, this is really where the comparisons between the two films end. Whereas Ferrara’s film is a study of a junkie cop’s inner turmoil during a specific case on the job, Herzog chooses to make this film more about the case at hand — a multiple homicide in lieu of a nun’s rape — and the effects of McDonagh’s drug use on others.
This film also stays a little closer to the Hollywood norm in its proceedings by creating more of a story arc about the actual case and police work involved. The viewers also get a glimpse of McDonagh’s personal life through his kinda-sorta girlfriend, Frankie (Eva Mendes, The Spirit), and his relationship with his alcoholic and sometimes comedic parents.
But, like the previous film, Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant hinges on the performance of the lieutenant himself — surprisingly, Cage shines in the opportunity. Showing range that has been absent since 2002’s Adaptation. Cage is terrific as the off-the-wall title character. Sometimes, it’s hard not to laugh as Cage thrashes his way through New Orleans on a seemingly endless bender. But it’s alright in this film, and sometimes it’s even the point.
Yes, it’s still a serious film. But what Herzog has crafted is more in line with black comedy. And although that’s a bit hard to believe given the deadly serious subject matter and the previous film, Cage clearly has fun with the role. As McDonagh delves deeper and deeper into McDonagh’s his drug habits, Cage is able to go farther and farther off the deep end and into full-on drug-riddled insanity. This sounds excessively dreary, yes, but it’s a blast to watch.
Whether McDonagh is trying to convince detective Stevie Pruit (Val Kilmer, Déjà Vu) that he’s not hallucinating iguanas, convincing local drug king Big Fate (Xzibit, American Violet) to take a hit of his “lucky crack pipe” or casually smoking a joint in front of a murder suspect, McDonagh’s depravity is there for our enjoyment.
Yet, as much fun as the film can be, it can just as easily be muddled in nature and execution. At times, it’s hard to know when to laugh at or when to be concerned for McDonagh, as the film tip-toes along a very fine line between the two feelings. There are also quite a few story lines that enter the film too abruptly to be digested properly and others don’t come to any real conclusion.
If movie-goers are looking for a straight comparison between the previous Bad Lieutenant and this one, well, it’s going to be hard. Cage, while still portraying a violent druggie maniac, comes nowhere close to Harvey Keitel’s incarnation almost two decades ago.
Cage isn’t nearly as promiscuous, his gambling isn’t nearly as out-of-hand, and he seems to actually care about his job. Because the subject matter and stories of the two films are so different, no real comparison can be made.
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is absurd, serious and funny all at the same time. Some things will shock you, some things will confuse you, and some things will make you laugh. But the film will definitely make you think. You won’t know exactly what to make of it immediately, but by no means is that a bad thing.
klucas@umdbk.com
RATING: 3 out of 5 stars
