Product Description

NARC tells the story of suspended undercover narcotics officer, Nick Tellis (Patric), who is reluctantly drawn back onto the force to find the truth behind the murder of a young police officer killed in the line of duty. He is teamed with Henry Oak (Liotta), the slain officer’s partner, a rogue cop who will stop at nothing to avenge his friend’s death. As Tellis and Oak unravel the case, the dark underbelly of the narcotics world reveals itself in surprising ways that are more twisted than either officer has ever seen before -- and the mystery threatens to destroy them both.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15890 in DVD
• Brand: PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO
• Released on: 2003-06-17
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.com
Jittery camera moves and a gray-blue palette make it clear that Narc is a gritty police drama in the tradition of The French Connection and Serpico. Jason Patric (Rush, Your Friends & Neighbors) plays Nick Tellis, a former undercover cop with an accidental death on his conscience, which may be why he's agreed to partner with Henry Oak (Ray Liotta), a lieutenant determined to track down the killers of his former partner. This could all be rote, but the grit sticks: writer-director Joe Carnahan takes a huge leap forward from his Tarentino-wannabe first film, Blood, Guts, Bullets & Octane. The entire cast is excellent; Patric and Liotta give rich, textured performances that make their respective obsessions vivid and sad. Narc could use more of the dark humor that occasionally bursts out, but the movie's drive and energy make it more than a bleak tale of good intentions gone bad. --Bret Fetzer

From The New Yorker
Of all the hard-assed, violent, grainy-looking urban thrillers to have emerged since "The French Connection," this movie is perhaps the hardest and the most turbulent-and also one of the most soulful and touching. The hero, Nick Tellis (Jason Patric), has been thrown off the force but is brought back to investigate the mysterious death of an undercover cop. Tellis teams up with the murdered cop's partner, Henry Oak (Ray Liotta), and they pursue the loose ends of the case through the freezing streets of Detroit and into unspeakably sordid hideaways. The movie is half downbeat police procedural, half "Rashomon," half existential drama. That makes three halves, but this is an ambitious picture. The young director, Joe Carnahan, wants to impress upon us the intractability of our life on this earth. In all, the movie is a blood-soaked, hellish experience-a midnight special for lovers of a violent genre-but it has been made with a mixture of ferocity and gentleness that leaves one exhausted and at peace. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Electrifying, spectacular, a "future" classic...
"Narc" is one of those films almost everyone missed in theaters - and yet - through the magic of video, is destined to join the short list of the greatest crime thrillers ever made.

Because its plot has been previously discussed so wonderfully by other Amazon reviewers, I won't add anything more beyond saying writer-director Joe Carnahan has crafted one of the most taut and wrenching screenplays in recent memory, complete with a shocking ending that has you sighing in amazement.

You think you've seen everything in cop thrillers, and in many respects, you have indeed with "Narc." Yes, this is a story about two tarnished cops.

But what's compelling and different are the spectacular, wondrous performances by Ray Liotta, Jason Patric and the entire supporting cast.

Everyone associated with this production (who reportedly worked for near nothing), should feel proud of their efforts. You never get the feeling "Narc" is a low-budget picture. It feels like a big studio film, with one huge difference. Instead of a conventional and commercial narrative with everything tied at the end, you get something more believable.

Without giving away the ending, which initially feels baffling - when you think about it some more, you come away knowing that a legacy associated with a "horrifying yet humane" secret buried by one cop for puzzling reasons - is inherited with greater clarity - by the other cop for eternity.

Hands down, this is a film driven by fabulous performances, a complex script and a free-wheeling, dangerous atmosphere offering the grittiness of the best crime films made during the 1970s. If you like films like "The French Connection," "Dog Day Afternoon," and "Serpico" - or more recently - films like "Goodfellas," "Casino" and "Training Day," you will love "Narc."

Yes, Jason Patric is fantastic. But Ray Liotta deserves special mention. In my mind, Liotta lays down the best performance of his career, better than his more memorable turn in Martin Scorcese's "Goodfellas." He's absolutely electric and so suited for this role that it's impossible to think of anyone topping it. It's a letter-perfect, towering role that feels improvised from beginning to end. When he's on screen, you can't take your eyes off him. When he speaks, you're mesmerized. The experience is like watching Gene Hackman come alive for the first time on his own in 1971's "The French Connection."

The "R" rating is for violence and profanity. There's no sex, no gratuitous, over-the-top filler and nothing that makes you groan with that "I've seen it all before" disgust. Even if you disagree with the plot, what remains is acting fireworks impossible to dismiss. No one is trying to hard to win awards in "Narc," yet in retrospect, it deserved so much more from Academy members who missed it. It even plays better, emotionally, than "Traffic," another fine film that won awards but had its energy dissipated across a huge ensemble cast.

That's OK. A lot of films become "classic" without winning a thing. "Narc" will be one of 'em. Wait ten years and you'll see.

Steals your eyes into the screen then scorches them away!
Narc is perhaps one the most original, exciting and gritty movies on police corruption since Serpico. If you're looking for a no nonsense movie filled with plot twists, great acting, and suspense this movie is for you. Hands down, the cast was amazing and believable. I am happy that Ray Liotta selected this project because he hasn't been this good in a movie since the Goodfellas! You will leave the movie shaken as if Ray was yelling down your throat. I am also thankful that Jason Patric(who is a underrated actor)decided to stop taking useless roles such as Speed 2 Cruise Control and instead took on a role where he could show the movie audience his intelligence and rising star. Joe Carnahan also had a lot to prove as he did shed his Tarantino-wannabe style from his first movie. Other movies in the police corruption genre such as Training Day were lead by great actors as well, yet their big budget did ruin its authenticity. However even with a very small budget, Carnahan was still able to make a very authentic slick piece of filmaking. Narc was dark and gritty in many ways such as its violence. The violence was strong and brutal especially in the jaw dropping opening scene and the unforgettable ending, so do take that under consideration before taking young children into the picture. This film is a true gem, it's indeed a film worth driving to select theatres to see it, you will love it.

Solid Cop Drama
Jason Patric (in his first film role in almost 4 years) plays a Detroit narcotics cop kicked off the force following a bust gone bad. Ray Liotta, in one of his best roles, is an unstable cop who's been investigating the murder. Patric and Liotta are forced to work together and form an uneasy alliance. NARC explores this case, as well as the relationships between Liotta and Patric as well as Patric's relationship to his wife (Krista Bridges) and infant son.

NARC is not anything new, and you'll likely figure out the plot twists pretty easily. However, it's well-done, and the acting is top notch. The director (Joe Carnahan) has done a good job capturing a raw quality of police work, making NARC much more believable than many recent police thrillers. As a result, the relatively low budget of the film (7.5 million) doesn't show.

EXTRAS: Extras include a good director's commentary. In addition, there are several behind-the-scences documentaries, including one with director William Friedkin ("French Connection") discussing the evolution of cop dramas.