La Linea

Dir: James Cotten

2009

***

James Cotten's 2009 crime thriller La Linea translates as 'The Line' but there is nothing linear about it. On paper it looks like any other film of the mobster genre but in reality the film is a deeply poetic noir painting. The story really isn't anything out of the ordinary, it includes an aging hit-man, a dying mob boss, a power struggle among the family and moody looks, churchy bits and a few shoot-outs. It dabbles in politics, how the war on drugs is actually fought (or not) and the shady deals that are involved in drug cartels. It covers religion, sexuality, drugs, redemption, envy and pretty much all of the other seven sins and Ten Commandments. It's full of symbolism and metaphor, it oozes style and panache and is certainly one of the best looking films of the genre. There is a familiarity about it but it is original and certainly never predictable. The one problem it does have, and it's quite a big one, is that the setup is incredibly slow and the payoff is over far too quickly. The overall focus on the contradictions of life and crime are clear but it gets to the point in quite a clumsy manner at times, with issues such as east vs west and homosexuality often missing the mark and becoming a puzzling distraction. However, it always looks perfect. Ray Liotta is fairly subdued compared to his usual temperament in his other films in the same genre, this works exceedingly well and Andy Garcia is in a role that suits him to the ground. Esai Morales and Jordi Vilasuso are both utterly convincing in their performances and it is always nice to see Danny Trejo in a head henchman role. That said, these days seeing Ray Liotta and Danny Trejo listed together in a crime thriller might suggest the film is a low budget and low quality romp, La Linea is nothing of the kind, just make sure you're in the mood for it first.