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Bad Lieutenant

Bad Lieutenant

1992
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 36m
Harvey Keitel portrays a New York City police lieutenant who takes advantage of his position in order to steal, take, and sell drugs, and who in addition has a major gambling problem. He investigates the rape of a nun, but is even more preoccupied with betting on the National League Championship Series between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Between these two events, his life seems to be plunged in directions beyond his control.
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Bad Lieutenant

1992
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 36m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 59.88% from 1589 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1589)
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Compact view
Rated 19 Apr 2018
82
85th
Ferrara's lurid sweaty mess somehow comes off as a sincere expression of Catholic guilt & spiritual torment in its most violent & destructive extreme. It's a real character/mood piece in which everything revolves around a core idea often to brilliant effect, but the narrative can feel as redundant as some of the symbolism & dramatic effects. Uses baseball, church & police as cornerstones of some depraved American purgatory that incidentally reaches its miserable conclusion under a Trump sign.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
97th
A superb movie in which all the elements from conception to execution seem to have come together very fortuitously (Zoë Lund probably deserves a large portion of the credit, as well of course as Keitel). Note that the soundtrack originally included the Schoolly D song "Signifying Rapper" but this has since been removed due to a pathetic copyright lawsuit brought by plagiarist Jimmy Page. This removal significantly affects the quality of the film. Scorsese's fifth best film of the 1990s.
Rated 15 Oct 2009
96
96th
An NC-17 Christian film. That turns off nigh-about everyone. Add to that the required existentialism and a full frontal of a drugged-out, whimpering Keitel, and I'm surprised I can find it at Blockbuster. Its Christian quandary: God redeems anyone, no matter what, without penance or merit. And this is the perfect illustration of that spiritual conundrum, personified by Keitel.
Rated 23 May 2010
85
88th
A tragic portrait of one man trapped in the unforgiving clutches of baseball fanaticism.
Rated 10 Jun 2018
75
68th
Unexpectedly slow & atmospheric character study in a decadent time and place. Keitel's search for transcendence through profane and sacred things (church) leads him to the final act of sacrificing his life to the young Puerto Ricans. Ferrara's style is an odd combination of B-Movie, crime genre and transcendental style based on banality and sacrifice. One of those unique characters and films, which stays with you no matter how perfect or flawed it's executed. "Show me how you suck a guys cock."
Rated 11 Feb 2008
40
27th
I had heard good things about this movie and I liked Ferrara's King of New York. 80% of this movie is just Keitel getting high and ignoring the case. Then in the last 15 minutes he flips out and finds out who the suspects are. A really big disappointment.
Rated 29 Jun 2008
94
88th
How not to make a point about Keitel's performance?
Rated 13 Jan 2009
99
92nd
the greatest religious movie after Pasolini's "Gospel According to St Matthew" ! ! ! Not enough words to describe how much i love this movie
Rated 25 Jan 2009
88
91st
A man suffers in anguish, as he realizes that he has sold his soul and cannot be saved. The nameless man realizes he has reached the point of no return. He is beyond redemption. Very few films touch on the loss of the soul and the unbearable agony that it brings. Truly heartbreaking. His dying wish, his last possible good deed, to pardon two young rapists who are questionably not beyond forgiveness. The theme song, "pledging my love", by Johnny Ace, a suicide, was sadly appropriate to the film.
Rated 20 Apr 2009
6
95th
Truly miserable in the best way possible. It doesn't seem right to list the few flaws I couldn't shake when you get a performance/atmosphere of this level - forget Tarantino - this is why people still talk about Harvey Keitel.
Rated 15 Jul 2014
85
97th
A few misguided touches don't otherwise mar a brilliant religious themed character study about a man pushed to the edge of oblivion. While it is not a particularly sophisticated quasi-Catholic statement on redemption and the virtue of self sacrifice, it works because of Harvey's incredibly raw and brave performance, and Ken Kelsch's guerilla filming style that locates both beauty and pain in the most unexpected places. The scene where the cop encounters Jesus is truly astonishing.
Rated 19 Nov 2015
88
96th
Harvey Keitel gazes into the abyss in one of the grittiest and saddest character studies in cinema. Guided only by his Catholic guilt--and misguided by just about everything else--Keitel attempts to navigate his existential despair to no avail, embodying a deeply tragic figure if there ever was one. Real, heavy, dark shit.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
75
89th
Harvey Keitel is totally convincing as he plays the role of cop gone bad in this excellent film.
Rated 26 Apr 2008
90
91st
A sincere film with a lot of pain inside its gritty body.
Rated 04 Aug 2008
80
71st
"I snuck into an R rated movie once...except the only person naked was Harvey Keitel" - Joseph from King of the Hill
Rated 29 Apr 2009
4
93rd
Existential despair and guilt brought forth on the screen by Keitel's incredible performance. Painful.
Rated 10 Nov 2009
88
93rd
Somehow this film managed to hit such a depth of depravity that an ending you could normally see a mile away is completely unexpected. A highly effective profile of a guilty conscience.
Rated 06 Aug 2010
4
70th
Feels straight out of the 1970s, with its seedy portrayal of NYC and Keitel's amoral, twisted cop - not to mention its themes of redemption and religious faith that recall Scorsese (particularly Mean Streets). As gritty as they come, and one of the most compelling character studies I've seen. Keitel is fantastic.
Rated 21 Oct 2010
40
97th
"Ferrara was in the right place at the right time to make Bad Lieutenant." - Jeremiah Kipp
Rated 06 Apr 2012
68
43rd
While Keitel gives a very absorbing and consistent performance with quite a few very engaging scenes, the picture as a whole drags. I occasionally found myself drawn in by the imagery but never really discovered anything meaningful beyond shallow references. I may need to revisit this again to see if I'm missing things.
Rated 20 Aug 2012
78
82nd
In this story of a penis, we find that even the most immoral and corrupt of penises can turn their penises around when faced with a choice between penis and penis. Oh God, please make the penis go away...
Rated 22 Oct 2012
94
85th
Harvey Keitel is so damn good in this. The movie pulls no punches, developing an absolutely despairing tone of urban decay and corruption with every choice of setting, of lighting, every aspect of mise en scene.
Rated 03 Feb 2015
6
83rd
the way in which religious guilt might not impede and may even accelerate masculine insanity. the film is a mess in a way that suggests the director is better at producing scenes and ideas than an actual film, though that might not be a fair assessment until seeing the "signifying rapper" version, MUBI's copy without it for obvious reasons. and the scenes and ideas are often very powerful. the overwhelming sense that pervades the film is that ferrara fucking hates cops. which is a good thing.
Rated 04 Jun 2007
78
63rd
Really interesting look at good and evil and the gray area in between. Stark Christian imagery may offend some, but it isn't exploitative. Ironic, considering one of Ferrara's other films is a little ditty called "The Driller Killer".
Rated 14 Aug 2007
9
6th
Perhaps the most overrated, underrated film ever.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
67th
Kietel was great. A movie worth watching just to say you saw it. Shows the underbelly of socity.
Rated 24 Apr 2008
71
70th
Some dramas I enjoy watching because they make me feel ways about stuff. This is the other type--the way it makes me feel is actually terrible--but this is like an acting showcase for Keitel, who goes fearlessly to all sorts of places I'm not sure I could go, even badly, with a camera around. Shoulda got ten Oscars.
Rated 12 Sep 2008
86
63rd
A good, morally ambiguous crime film. Do we believe in his redemption after we've seen all that he's done?
Rated 10 Oct 2008
20
15th
Den er overspillet og tager sin problemstilling for seriøst Han er så bitter og ond - der mangler andre sider af ham, panseren.
Rated 03 Mar 2009
88
61st
The scene in the church is one of my favorites in any drama. Heartbreaking film. Keitel revitalizes his career and gives a very, very gutsy performance. If you like ponies and rainbows, stay faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away.
Rated 30 May 2009
7
57th
Flawed but also provocative and absorbing. Keitel's performance is formidable and hilarious at times. Herzog is remaking this ? I'm there!
Rated 01 Aug 2009
80
84th
The whole film hinges on Keitel's frankly stunning performance, and it is a fascinating study of a corrupted human being. That said apart from Keitel, there really is little else to talk about. Brilliant, but limited.
Rated 14 Aug 2009
20
44th
The character's almost total isolation on screen, his driftlessness, his stuporousness, his endless devotion to misdeeds -- never impinged upon by the call of duty -- are perhaps meant to convey a spiritual or psychological state. But a little obligatory contact with his family (he has one), a partner (he hasn't one), or simply the stationhouse (assuming there is one) would have helped us to gauge his depravity; would have given us a touchstone of normalcy.
Rated 11 Oct 2009
64
43rd
After more than 30 minutes of Keitel being a Bad Person it becomes obvious how little else there is to this film. His performance is great, but in the end this felt quite forgettable.
Rated 26 Oct 2009
5
44th
I need to rewatch this fuckin movie
Rated 17 Sep 2010
70
75th
Very good movie about a very bad cop. This raised the bar for movies with anti-hero lawmen. Thought-provoking despite its Catholicism, and much of the film's power is owed to Harvey Keitel who is in top form here.
Rated 10 Oct 2010
70
79th
Well done by Keitel, his epic nude scene will burn into your mind for all of time.
Rated 23 Apr 2011
4
6th
Disappointingly dull
Rated 24 Jul 2011
70
83rd
Film that is darker than satan's anus and heavier than heroin. Keitel swings his dick around, but boy can he act! Hypnotic urban tale that goes downward spiral looking for a light in the end of the tunnel. I can see people calling this film a rubbish, it has weaknesses, but more often it is simply misunderstood.
Rated 31 Jan 2012
85
94th
Gorgious police-movie about a sick bad cop. It was for me a black comedy. Many scenes are hilarious but the one with the 2 girls in the car is unforgettable and very funny, awesome!!
Rated 23 Apr 2012
53
9th
Having seen the apparent sequel first, I can easily say that this movie is pretty much exactly the same, only Keitel seems to not give a rat's ass about solving the case, which was the only reason I didn't despise port of call this much. Too bad, because both of them had promise...in concept.
Rated 23 Apr 2012
95
96th
RW. Harvey Keitel dick shot vanity project.
Rated 13 Oct 2012
75
57th
Show me how you suck a guy's cock.
Rated 14 Dec 2013
81
74th
Half a step up from the deep-sleaze of exploitation cinema, in that it's plot isn't as shallow as the usual suspect rape-revenge storyline. In fact this is more aware than that, offering the chance at revenge but riding its theme, things turn out a sight different. Constant vice abuse & Keitel's whine stapled to a deteriorating Dodgers series lead. Pretty raw stuff & NYC on film is the location to beat. No idea about how the prod. ran, but some of the street scenes felt like shoot and run setups
Rated 15 Jan 2014
64
86th
This is a beautiful film. Zoë Lund's contributions are haunting, Keitel's wildly exaggerated hysterics can be simultaneously funny and excruciating, and his Catholic-guilt is visceral.
Rated 13 Mar 2014
77
79th
Starts and finishes very strong, with a bit of Baseball-related clunkiness in the middle. Keitel is, of course, fantastic as is Ferrara's direction.
Rated 26 Aug 2014
85
68th
There's a genuine paean to the groundbreaking NYC social realist filmmakers in the way Ferrara frames and holds certain shots, and Keitel definitely pours his blood, sweat and tears onto the center stage of this reviling plunge into the ash heap of compulsion, self-hatred and debasement.
Rated 10 Oct 2014
57
48th
Very self-indulgent portrait of an addict, with a hysterical Catholic guilt angle that in the end functions as the movie's saving grace through Keitel's redemption.
Rated 23 Aug 2015
70
61st
Gritty as fuck. Keitel's performance is one for the ages, and he makes the titular character believable, even though some of the scenes would have seemed ridiculous in less capable hands. It's very clear that people involved in making the movie were intimately aware with the New York drug scene at the time.
Rated 02 Sep 2015
7
73rd
keitel is amazing
Rated 08 Mar 2017
77
51st
It's the Harvey Keitel show (in more ways than one) and his strange energy as cop going off the rails makes it all work despite how thin everything that isn't Keitel is.
Rated 19 Dec 2017
4
55th
only ferrara would hang a redemption arc on something so hilariously blunt as a nun forgiving her rapists, but it sort of works? mainly because the filmmaking feels so instinctive, with abel and keitel just feeling their way through the drugged out haze.
Rated 24 Jan 2020
94
98th
You have to watch the uncut version on DVD. The traffic stop scene is especially butchered. "You ever suck a guy's cock? Huh? You ever su- Look at me! Look at me! You ever suck a guy's cock? Lemme see how you do it. Lemme see you do it. Show me your mouth when you suck a guy's cock." The girl in the passenger's seat showing her ass was Keitel's daughter's babysitter!
Rated 12 Nov 2020
65
16th
Harvey Keitel gives a good performance in this film. However the script is way to over the top and is a mess. There are a few crazy scenes and some weird ones. Overall this movie is disappointing.
Rated 19 Feb 2021
75
83rd
New fear of getting pulled over by Harvey Keitel.
Rated 02 Jun 2007
50
33rd
I can't think of a single empirical fault with this movie, but it's so unrelentingly unpleasant that I'll be damned if I can recommend it to a single living soul
Rated 14 Aug 2007
75
74th
Jesus, Harvey Keitel is a monster.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
92nd
One of thoes makes me feel sick to my stomach hard to watch so well done sort of movies.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
87
63rd
As repellent as movie characters come, but there is nothing salacious and everything fascinating about this movie.
Rated 24 Aug 2007
72
72nd
Good
Rated 17 Sep 2007
60
39th
Ugly film with a really good performance
Rated 16 Feb 2008
4
83rd
Upon further consideration, I didn't give this film enough credit. Keitel's performance is incredible.
Rated 10 Jun 2008
85
92nd
My first Ferrara movie, I saw this in the cinema in 1992, and then went again so I could show it to this crazy-talented painter-playwright-novelist, but I'm having trouble remembering exactly what she thought. As a rule, I think, the films Nicholas St John scripts are less impressive than ones for the writing of which someone else, like Ferrara or (even better) Zoe Lund, take more responsibility. Rule applies way back to THE DRILLER KILLER. Of course, Lund was MS. 45, which NSJ wrote.
Rated 20 May 2009
88
40th
A heartbreaking film. A film about defeat, disappointment, and weakness.
Rated 10 Jun 2009
47
14th
A drag.
Rated 04 Jul 2009
75
10th
There are a few good scenes. But they are like pearls embedded in horse-shit.
Rated 21 Jul 2009
83
72nd
A dark, gritty look at the blurry area between moral and immoral. Keitel is fantastic, despite his annoying crying.
Rated 24 Jul 2009
90
87th
I didn't like this the first time I watched it, but upon rewatching I don't find it difficult to view at all. The bad lieutenant is certainly not that bad, and his sins are probably tantamount to what you and I do every day. Ferrara seems to be suggesting we are all beyond redemption, at least those of us who commit a similar measure of sins as the main character. Although the lieutenant received a kind of redemption at the end, I have to wait a little longer before anyone can forgive me.
Rated 02 Aug 2009
78
65th
Bad lieutenant: 8 // 9 // 9 // 7 // 7 // 8 // 7
Rated 27 Sep 2009
55
25th
Keitel rocked, and I LOVED that it was centered around a Mets-Dodgers NLCS. However, the whole Catholic thing did nothing for me. It was all down hill after the masturbation scene.
Rated 16 Nov 2009
75
72nd
For all it's shortcomings it has enough memorable scenes to be worth a view. Keitel is utterly convincing as a corrupt NY police lieutenant. There's some hilarious whining when his chips are down, and a masturbation scene, that's either unsettling or pathetic. Either way it's not easily forgot.
Rated 16 Nov 2009
86
56th
A deeply dark story of a man falling so low and out of control set against the dark, seedy side if NYC; only offering capital greed, power, lust and the crushing guilt of high expectations of catholocism as explanation for his deviant stray off course. This makes the film all the more nihilistic and destructive, yet the final scenes manage to salvage some shred of hope for this mans soul. Seriously eerie lighting on the starcase scene, great down the barrel shots and Keitel is truly metamorphic
Rated 21 Nov 2009
83
95th
Ferrara over does it with establishes the "bad" part, but this has one of the best scenes of contrition ever. The ending is quite satisfying, too.
Rated 10 Dec 2009
7
70th
Deep, dark and powerful. Although a few scenes go on too long and some of the dialogue seems slightly stifled, the impact is impressive. Dealing with deep existential themes concerning identity, faith, forgiveness, redemption and - at the very core - good and bad, and bolstered by an electrifying Keitel and Ferraras fondness for the dirty, natural, big city look, this is not to be missed. Almost on par with my favorite of Ferrara's, "King of New York".
Rated 31 Dec 2009
65
51st
I bought this movie up to a point, but the humourlessness of this guy as a massive fuckup made me lose interest.
Rated 25 Jan 2010
60
47th
To much of the same thing repeated. And the ending was disappointing.
Rated 30 Jan 2010
89
80th
Kinky, but featuring unusually restrained direction from Ferrara and a fine performance from Keitel.
Rated 27 Mar 2010
94
97th
The portrait of the dirtiest, filthiest cop ever seen on an american film is all about Harvey Keitel's gripping, intimate and sick perfomance, and Abel Ferrara's ability to frame him with a style of his own.
Rated 10 Apr 2010
70
40th
There's an attempted message here, I'm just not sure exactly what it is, and I'm not convinced the filmmakers do either. Keitel gives a strong performance, though his belabored moans are just as likely to draw a chuckle as they are the intended sympathy. Ultimately I was entertained but a little disappointed.
Rated 30 Apr 2010
73
16th
He does coke, drinks, smokes coke, does hookers, shoots his gun in public while on a bender, repeats, repeats, and...I'm watching something else.
Rated 19 Sep 2010
44
54th
#90s(m)#, story, H Keitel.
Rated 06 Dec 2010
78
62nd
A powerful performance by Harvey Keitel, who is barely off the screen for a total of 5 minutes throughout this film, flatters to deceive. The direction and plotting aim high, with religion, redemption and forgiveness made the focus of the story, but it ultimately fails to fulfill on the promise, and we are left with an interesting character portrait but, unfortunately, nothing more interesting.
Rated 13 Dec 2010
72
57th
Wow is this guy a total arsehole. I'm not sure aboout the bit before the final scene, why Keitel does what he does but the ending definitely works.
Rated 26 Dec 2010
75
55th
hysterical X-rated film
Rated 07 Mar 2011
81
17th
A modest story with an excellent performer in Harvey Kietel, 'Bad Lieutenant' patrols the life of a conflicted man, rather than a corrupt cop. Although it may seem to many viewers a montage of drug consumption, Abel Ferrara's Super 8 cameras roll through the back alleys of New York City, through the 'Lieutenant's' abysmal decline, and pragmatic and painful monologue with his Catholic maker.
Rated 03 Apr 2011
70
74th
Harvey Keitel gives the performance of a lifetime in this early 90s cop drama reminiscent of late 60s anti-hero character flicks with a much darker underbelly.
Rated 06 May 2011
70
78th
Includes a penis.
Rated 30 Jun 2011
78
23rd
rare instance where the remake was better, but keital is phenomenal as always
Rated 12 Sep 2011
40
13th
Should reevaluate.
Rated 12 Nov 2011
20
2nd
An ugly, depraved film that ultimately confuses justice and forgiveness.
Rated 01 Jan 2012
90
88th
Um Ferrara surpreendentemente ainda mais desinibido. Nada parece intimidá-lo em se tratando da exposição crua de uma realidade mais comum do que se imagina. Nada ali parece ficção. Ainda mais assustador que isso é o desepenho de Harvey Keitel, que encarna com rara devoção um papel dificílimo.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
60
37th
Not so tough at all. Or, perhaps, tough but not aggressive enough to be effective.
Rated 11 Mar 2012
83
76th
A real conversion story.
Rated 20 Jun 2012
70
19th
Definitely carried by Harvey Keitel, who completely owns the film from start to finish because he's apparently willing to do anything on screen, though his cry is weird as hell. The rest of the film is just alright.
Rated 04 Sep 2013
70
54th
Top class acting by Harvey Keitel!! Hardcore drama with lotssss of drugs (kind of sickening - i.e. requiem for a dream), cursing, nude scenes, gambling and a strange path to salvation (what an ending!!). However, Harvey Keitel should not be allowed to cry in any movie ever again (it sounded like chewbacca getting raped)..
Rated 14 Jan 2014
5
42nd
The catholic guilt is suffocating. I could feel Jesus' eyes watching down on Harvey Keitel as he masturbates and snorts and injects and waves his gun around and it sort of ruined the experience for me. I seem to be in the camp that enjoys Herzog's Bad Lieutenant more than Ferrara's.
Rated 25 Feb 2014
97
99th
I thought Cage's bad lieutenant in Herzog's remake was bad, but Keitel's LT out-bads him, probably within the first twenty minutes of this film. The storyline would sound standard on paper (except for the interesting denouement), but executed here it swerves around this character who starts off in anguished pain and self-destruction and only gets worse, excellently performed by the man who could do it the best. Keitel's scrunched-up crying face is equally hilarious and saddening to watch.
Rated 29 Jul 2014
75
25th
Harvey Keitel's acting is the only good thing about the movie, everything else is a flawed attempt that didn't work out.
Rated 02 Jan 2015
50
0th
Abel Ferrara #1
Rated 29 Mar 2015
70
57th
seyircinin konumlandırılışı, istismar sineması kadar aslında tüm hikayelerin bir biçimde merkezine oturan temalar ekseninde çok kritik yer tutuyor, hele gerçekliğe yakınsamaya çalışışı göz önünde bulundurulunca filmin. keitel'ın da performansı mükemmel. ama film fazla sürünüyor ve anlamlı bir bütünden ziyade anlamı olan fragmanlar sunuyor yalnızca.

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