In Too Deep

December 10, 2004

Rated: R Runtime: 106 min Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Crime dramas are not my favorite type of movie for the simple reason that they not usually done very well. Either the plot is too unrealistic or the acting it too stereotypical to really make me care about any of the characters.

In Too Deep is a cut above most other movies of its type. The story seems realistic to me, the acting was excellent, and it certainly broke a stereotype or two. Some stereotypes are still there though.. you do get to see a DA who only want results, regardless of the cost.

Omar Epps plays Jeffrey Cole, an undercover cop whose primary mission is to take down a gangster called “God” (LL Cool J). Cole identifies with his suspects just a little too much which turns out to be a real problem for him.

His assignment is a long one as he is undercover for a couple of years. During this time the gangster personality he creates (J. Reid) starts to emerge in his personal life. While the movie centers around the capture of God, it is really about how Cole handles himself and the changes he is going though.

The movie isn’t perfect though. For one thing is seemed to be much longer than it actually was. Several times I caught myself looking at my watch to see how long I had been sitting in the theater. The acting really is excellent though, so even the long stretches are tolerable. Still could have used a little editing…

If your a fan of crime dramas, make sure you see this film. If you are a big LL Cool J fan, you won’t be disappointed as he really can act. Otherwise, there’s really nothing about this film that just requires seeing it on the big screen.

Posted by John | Filed Under 3 Stars, Drama, LL Cool J, Nia Long, Omar Epps, Pam Grier, R, Stanley Tucci, Theatrical, Thriller