Product Description

Its adrenaline-pumping action as three street-wise teens rock los angeles crime world when they go undercover to break up a drug ring thats invading the citys club scene. Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 05/13/2003 Starring: Clair Danes Giovanni Ribisi Run time: 94 minutes Rating: R Director: Scott Silver

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47113 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-08-24
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 95 minutes

Amazon.com
Julie Barnes (Claire Danes), Pete Cochrane (Giovanni Ribisi), and Lincoln Hayes (Omar Epps) have one thing in common: They're young adults on the wrong side of the law, arrested for crimes of robbery, grievous bodily harm, and arson. Taken in by mentor and father figure Captain Adam Greer (Dennis Farina), they are assigned to a special task force working undercover for the police--the logic being that these kids can get into the hip young establishments that the older, more cynical officers can no longer infiltrate. Ill-suited to each other and chastised by their peers, this rogue squad is forced to come together when they uncover a seedy world of police corruption. Not knowing who to turn to, the kids are left with their wits and street cunning (they're not allowed to carry guns) to overcome mounting odds against their survival.

With Hollywood facing increased pressure in 1999 to curb its screen violence, this film arrived with perfect timing. The only problem is the film was aimed at an audience that never saw the early-1970s TV series that inspired it, and this dubious recycling resulted in paltry returns at the box office. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable action movie with some noteworthy performances--especially from Omar Epps, who shines with strength and vulnerability, like a young Laurence Fishburne. The energetic camera work and throbbing soundtrack also stand out, along with some retro styling and a plot that's refreshingly free of excessive violence or gratuitous special effects. --Jeremy Storey

Customer Reviews

Great Television Show, Lousy Movie
When I heard they were doing a "re-make" of the ground-breaking, popular and critically-acclaimed Mod Squad tv show, I had a bad feeling about it. I decided to give it a shot, though. Big mistake. When about the only thing you keep from the original are the names, you know a movie is in trouble. They made Julie, who originally was very emotional and fragile, into a fistfighting brat, and turned the passionate Pete Cochran character into a clown and a moron. The director obviously had no regard for the original, which is too bad. The tv show Mod Squad was nominated for writing and acting Emmys; it broke ground on subjects from racism, to abortion and sex education. The actors were top-notch. None of that can be said about the movie. My recomendation - skip the movie, and rent videos of the original!

Claire Danes Is A Beautiful Young Woman
And if it weren't for this fact, I would have turned this movie off 30 minutes into it. The cinematographer seems to have used Claire's looks to greatest advantage in the movie, as you see lots of close-up shots of her, brooding.

Giovanni Ribisi and Omar Epps spend most of the movie brooding, as well, and posing in scenes intended to make them look "cool." Other than that, the plot is insipid, the overall look of this movie is quite grey, and the movie itself seems to be a disconnected series of scenes, moving from one to the next. In fact, the movie is quite hard to follow because the scenes are mostly disconnected from each other. Moreover, the overall feel of the movie is grim: everyone has major problems or dies (or both) and almost nothing light or entertaining ever happens. Even the few scenes that attempt to inject some levity into the movie are trite (for example, Giovanni Ribisi drives Epps' convertible up to a car wash, and it accidentally gets caught in the wash track, leading to a good soaping of the interior) and ultimately fall flat.

If you want to get this movie to look at Claire Danes' captivating face, or perhaps you have a crush on Epps or Ribisi, then by all means, get the movie. You won't be disappointed. But if you are looking for a vehicle with a plot, some substance, or something enjoyable to watch, get something else.

Bland
There is a plot,the movie has style, but there is alot ofthings that this movie can do without. I hate the fact that they madeGiovanni Ribisi play his character as if he was still in his mentally challenged role in "The Other Sister". Also, the script could have been better; the screenwriter should have made up his mind on whether or not use the slang from the sixties, or stay with the nineties. And by the way, what the heck is up with Omar's wardrobe?