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Bad Lieutenant

Bad Lieutenant

Crime · Drama · 1992

While investigating a young nun's rape, a corrupt New York City police detective, with a serious drug and gambling addiction, tries to change his ways and find forgiveness.

Movie details

Bad Lieutenant

“Gambler. Thief. Junkie. Killer. Cop.”

1992 Crime · Drama 1h 36m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.0 / 10

Community rating

While investigating a young nun's rape, a corrupt New York City police detective, with a serious drug and gambling addiction, tries to change his ways and find forgiveness.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Bad Lieutenant?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Abel Ferrara

Written by

Zoë Lund · Abel Ferrara

Harvey Keitel

Harvey Keitel

LT

Peggy Gormley

Peggy Gormley

LT's Wife

Stella Keitel

Stella Keitel

LT's Daughter

Victor Argo

Victor Argo

Bet Cop

Paul Calderon

Paul Calderon

Cop #1

Leonard L. Thomas

Leonard L. Thomas

Cop #2

Vincent Laresca

Vincent Laresca

JC

Court is in session

Put Bad Lieutenant on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.