Curtis Hanson is in charge, directing and collaborating on the screenplay with Brian Helgeland, based on a novel by James Ellroy. The film features Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, and David Strathairn; Jerry Goldsmith composed the music, and Dante Spinotti handled the cinematography. The story unfolds in 1950s Los Angeles, where three police officers with contrasting values find themselves caught up in a web of crime and dishonesty. A character expresses respect for another’s dedication to using force when it's needed on the job. This is truly excellent filmmaking. Hanson manages Ellroy’s complicated narrative and infuses it with an accurate sense of the period, along with consistently strong direction that brings out great performances from everyone involved. It portrays a side of Los Angeles people generally avoid discussing—a place overflowing with bodies, prostitutes, shady operations, violence, drugs, prejudice, and corruption, and that's just among the politicians, journalists, and police! Rollo Tomasi appears. The lack of clear-cut heroes contributes to the film’s consistently dark atmosphere; even as the story progresses, secrets are revealed, and brutality emerges, it remains uncertain where the main characters will end up, which keeps you on edge throughout. It's also alluring and perilous, with dialogue that is sharp and pointed, and while the conclusion feels a bit too comfortable compared to traditional noir films, otherwise this is pure noir—everything but the black-and-white visuals. It received only two Academy Awards: Basinger for Best Supporting Actress, and Hanson and Helgeland for Best Writing - Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. It really deserved many more awards because it’s not just one of the best films of the 1990s; it's also among the finest neo-noir movies ever made. 10/10

Source on TMDB