Deep Cover **** (1992, Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Lira Angel) – Classic Movie Review 9979

The 1992 film Deep Cover is a strong, tough neo noir genre action crime thriller from director Bill Duke, who earlier made the artier African American thriller A Rage in Harlem (1991), with Laurence Fishburne [Larry Fishburne] as a cop sent undercover by his boss (Charles Martin Smith) to bust a drugs ring.

Fishburne, finally rewarded with his first starring role, makes a powerful, introverted action hero, and Jeff Goldblum gives a sympathetic portrait of his opponent, a showy Jewish lawyer and drug-dealer.

Duke keeps it rattling along, with a noir-style, Humphrey Bogart-style voice-over narration from the hero, and just the odd arty touch. Mostly he buckles down to telling the tale as excitingly as possible.

Henry Bean and Michael Tolkin’s screenplay rings a few fresh-look changes on the familiar situations, with many sharp scenes and snappy dialogue.

Also in the cast are Victoria Dillard, Charles Martin Smith, Sydney Lassick, Clarence Williams III, Gregory Sierra, Glynn Turman, René Assa, Alex Colon, Roger Guenveur Smith, Clarence Williams III and Lira Angel.

Duke and Fishburne went on to make Hoodlum (1997) together.

Deep Cover is directed by Bill Duke, runs 106 minutes, is made by Image Organization and New Line Productions, is released by New Line Cinema (1992) (US) and First Independent Films (1992) (UK), is written by Henry Bean (screenplay) and Michael Tolkin (story and screenplay), is shot by Bojan Bazelli, is produced by David Streit (executive producer), Pierre David and Henry Bean, is scored by Michel Colombier, and is designed by Pamela B Warner.

By chance, both stars played young thugs in the Death Wish franchise, with Goldblum appearing in his film debut as Freak #1 in Death Wish (1974) and Fishburne appearing as Cutter in Death Wish II (1982).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9979

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