"Tough, gritty, down to earth performances by Liotta and Patric makes for great viewing. It may not be easy to digest but in the end it goes down well. Very well." Richard Surfield THE MOVIE PAGES

"In an era where big stars and high production values are standard procedure, Narc strikes a defiantly retro chord, and outpaces its contemporaries with daring and verve." Rob Vaux FLIPSIDE MOVIE EMPORIUM "Jason Patric and Ray Liotta make for one splendidly cast pair." Geoff Pevere TORONTO STAR "Fresh and raw like a blown-out vein, Narc takes a walking-dead, cop-flick subgenre and beats new life into it." Marc Savlov AUSTIN CHRONICLE "The two leads, nearly perfect in their roles, bring a heart and reality that buoy the film, and at times, elevate it to a superior crime movie." Norm Schrager FILMCRITIC.COM "A realistically terrifying movie that puts another notch in the belt of the long list of renegade-cop tales." Dennis Schwartz OZUS' WORLD MOVIE REVIEWS

"The best thing I can say about this film is that I can't wait to see what the director does next." Ron Wells FILM THREAT "Equally served by its acting and filmmaking, Narc is pure template, an absolute example of how a cop film should be." Jim Slotek JAM! MOVIES "An entertaining, grimy view of the traps of machismo tucked inside a cop thriller." Elvis Mitchell NEW YORK TIMES "Narc is fast, brutal and a lot smarter than it at first appears to be." Tom Long DETROIT NEWS "Puts the dirt back underneath the fingernails of a finely manicured Hollywood." Alex Sandell JUICY CEREBELLUM

At A Glance

"Narc is a no-bull throwback to 1970s action films. It zips along with B-movie verve while adding the rich details and go-for-broke acting that heralds something special." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE

In light of some films I have seen lately it really surprises me that in this day and age, when the illegal use of drugs continues to climb, when violence is an unfortunate part of everyday life that "Narc" has been slapped with an R18+ rating. I mean, hells bells, you can see far worse than this every night on the bloody television. And yes, at times, far worse in the nightly news. Its a real pity because this is a film with a very strong message and one that leaves a lasting impression. That "Narc" comes across so strong can be attributed to the fact that a real 'narc' was used to assist in getting a real feel to this highly entertaining film. On top of that is "Narc" was inspired by the acclaimed documentary "The Thin Blue Line" which featured the actual slaying [in 1976] of a Dallas Police Officer. In fact Writer & Director Joe Carnahan had first developed "Narc" back in 1994 as a short film entitled "Gun Point". Carnahan had developed a fascination with the story and as such, had wanted to expand it from its 30 minute format. "The story just stuck with me," he said. "It had a resonance that I really wanted to go back to, which is rare for me." And why is that? "I usually write something and it's out of my system, but in this particular case, I felt there were things worth mining cinematically", he explained. And that realistic feel that sets "Narc" apart? That was left to adviser NYPD Detective Todd Merritt who has been on the force since 1986 and on the narcotics squad for the last nine years. For him it was just a matter of getting it in to the heads of the actors. "I explained the psychology of what it means to be a narc and discussed tactics and body language," he explained. "In the end, I think the film as a whole turned out absolutely great and I found it to be believable from beginning to end," he added. Does that include the family life of Det Nick Tellis? Merritt felt the family life depicted in "Narc" was right on target. "You see, most undercovers are paranoid because, while they may be working from the right side of the fence they're doing it from the wrong side of the fence and they think that any minute they're going to be found out", he said, "In fact, I've seen a lot of wives act just the way Nick Tellis' wife acts in the film, scared." So do the undercover narcs ever fall foul of drugs? "An undercover agent will try to talk his way out of having to ingest anything, but sometimes it can't be helped, Merritt explains. "When it does happen, an officer immediately reports the incident and can be removed from active duty for up to a month." And what if addiction occurs? "In New York, an addicted officer is immediately suspended and thats it," says Merritt. "But in Detroit, where this film is set, they have rehab centres where they send narcs who get themselves in too deep." That accounts for the realism, so wehat did the cast members and others think about the film?
Ray Liotta plays his most powerful role to date, that of Detective Lt Henry R Oak. "I was just blown away by the script," says Liotta. "I loved the way it leads you in different directions. It's structured in such a way that it kept me guessing so that I never saw the end coming."
Jason Patric plays Detective Sgt Nick Tellis, a complicated man torn between family, guilt and the job. "Joe certainly knew what he wanted from the movie and he had a real naturalistic style with the camera that he was always ratcheting up," says Patric. "In that way he not only furthered the story but he also accentuated the struggles that all the characters were going through." Busta Rhymes is well known as a rap artist but he really rises to the challenge with his role as Beary. "My character is a hustler, a real street guy," says Rhymes. "I thinl that even though he's kind of a bad guy, a drug dealer, he's not all black or white. No one is as they seem on the surface, and I fekt that every time I expected something to happen or someone to act in a particular way, I was always surprised."
"Narc" is definately a film full of surprises with a super hot ending. Once seen "Narc" leaves a lasting impression particularly for that realism. So in closing here's a couple of film facts. The shooting took 27 days in the dead of winter. 10 of those days were spent shooting the final scene. It was shot in a real 'chop shop'. The temerature inside dropped to 16 below. And the grime dripping off the roof? It was real, they didn't have to add a thing. The Story

"An absolutely riveting crime drama ... an exhilarating ride that will leave you exhausted and satisfied." Steve Rhodes STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS

It's tough, gritty and very convincing. Narc is a powerful look at those officers who go undercover, placing their lives and the security of their families at risk in the fight against drugs. Undercover narcotics officer Nick Tellis has been on suspension since his last operation went horribly wrong. Tellis has had enough and is tossing up whether to take a desk job or quit the force. Called to face an inquiry he is surprised when he is offered a lifeline. He will get his desk job if he assist on one last case. The department wants him to find the killer of an officer shot while working with drug dealers. Tellis will be working with the slain officers partner, Detective Henry Oak. Oak is a tough nut with a 93% conviction rate. If Tellis can find the killer all charges against him will be dismissed and life will be a lot easier. First though he has to survive working with the highly volatile and secretive Oak. And, taking the assignment might just cost him his wife and kid. Then again, he could be killed on the job! The Verdict "A tough, gritty and very serious look into the daily routine of undercover officers fighting the drug war. Liotta & Patric make for an explosive combination. Solid and workmanlike, "Narc" reveals much about a world most of us acknowlege but thankfully will never experience." The Cast

Dan Leis Ray Liotta Jason Patric Lloyd Adams Chi McBride Meagan Issa Lina Felice Alan C. Peterson Karen Robinson Booth Savage Alan Van Sprang Gavyn Donaldson Myles Donaldson Krista Bridges Thomas Patrice Garry Robbins Lilette Wiens Omar Samuels Mauricio Rodas Darren John Steve Hunt Paulino Nunes Marilo Nunez John Ortiz Busta Rhymes Richard Chevolleau

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Elvin Dowd Det Lt Henry R Oak Det Sgt Nick Tellis Walter Dandridge Captain Cheevers Little Girl Jeanine Mueller Freeman Franks Liz Detmer Cecil Mitchum Michael Calvess Tellis' Infant Son Tellis' Infant Son Audrey Tellis Officer Marcotte Biker Strung Out Woman Crackhead Junkie Strung Out Man Drug Dealer Porn Shop Dude Officer Ellis Breaves Ruiz' Smoldering Squeeze Octavio Ruiz Darnell 'Big D Love' Beery Latroy Steeds

The Crew Directed by Joe Carnahan Screenplay by Joe Carnahan Original Music by Dan Kolton Additional Music by Cliff Martinez Cinematography by Alex Nepomniaschy Film Editing by John Gilroy Casting by Felicia Fasano/Mary Vernieu/Claire Walker Production Design by Greg Beale & Taavo Soodor Art Direction by Greg Beale Costume Design by Gersha Phillips Run Time 105 minutes Rated R18+ [AUST] Copyright © 2003 - - All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2003 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved