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Cop Land

Cop Land

Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1997

Freddy Heflin is the sheriff of a place everyone calls “Cop Land” — a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he’s long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town’s peaceful facade. And when Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents, he is forced to take action and make a dangerous choice between protecting his idols and upholding the law.

Movie details

Cop Land

“No One Is Above The Law.”

1997 Crime · Drama · Thriller 1h 44m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

Freddy Heflin is the sheriff of a place everyone calls “Cop Land” — a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he’s long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town’s peaceful facade. And when Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents, he is forced to take action and make a dangerous choice between protecting his idols and upholding the law.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Cop Land?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Bad Lieutenant

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

James Mangold

Written by

James Mangold

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone

Sheriff Freddy Heflin

Harvey Keitel

Harvey Keitel

Ray Donlan

Ray Liotta

Ray Liotta

Gary "Figgsy" Figgis

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro

Lt. Moe Tilden

Peter Berg

Peter Berg

Joey Randone

Janeane Garofalo

Janeane Garofalo

Deputy Cindy Betts

Robert Patrick

Robert Patrick

Jack Rucker

Court is in session

Put Cop Land on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.