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The Offence

The Offence

Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1973

A burned-out British police detective finally snaps while interrogating a suspected child molester.

Movie details

The Offence

“After 20 years, what detective-sergeant Johnson has seen and done is destroying him.”

1973 Crime · Drama · Thriller 1h 53m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

A burned-out British police detective finally snaps while interrogating a suspected child molester.

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 The Offence?

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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The Boston Strangler

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Cape Fear

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Following

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Police Chief Jesse Stone, who was suspended by the Paradise, Mass. Town Council, begins moonlighting for his friend, State Homicide Commander Healy, by investigating a series of murders in Boston, leaving Rose and Suitcase to handle a crime spree in Paradise on their own. Jesse pours his energy into his work in an effort to push away his twin demons: booze and women. When his investigation leads to notorious mob boss Gino Fish, Jesse's pursuit becomes hazardous.

Narc

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Narcotics Sergeant Nick Tellis, on leave after a trauma, is called back to investigate the murder of fellow undercover operative Michael Calvess, joined by the victim's unpredictable and brutal ex-partner, Henry Oak. Working together in the back alleys of Detroit, Tellis and Oak delve into a dark investigation that leads them to uncover shocking secrets and question the corruption and morality within the department, encountering unorthodox methods and a brutal truth about Calvess's death.

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Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974

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Thriller · 2009

Yorkshire, 1974. Fear, mistrust and institutionalised police corruption are running riot. Rookie journalist Eddie Dunford is determined to search for the truth in an increasingly complex maze of lies and deceit surrounding the police investigation into a series of child abductions. When young Clare Kemplay goes missing, Eddie and his colleague, Barry, persuade their editor to let them investigate links with two similar abductions that draw them into a deadly world of secrecy, intimidation, shocking revelations and police brutality.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Sidney Lumet

Written by

John Hopkins

Sean Connery

Sean Connery

Detective Sergeant Johnson

Trevor Howard

Trevor Howard

Lieutenant Cartwright, Detective Superintendant

Vivien Merchant

Vivien Merchant

Maureen Johnson

Ian Bannen

Ian Bannen

Kenneth Baxter

Peter Bowles

Peter Bowles

Detective Inspector Cameron

Derek Newark

Derek Newark

Frank Jessard

Ronald Radd

Ronald Radd

Lawson

Court is in session

Put The Offence on trial.

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

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“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.