To Live & Die in L.A

*Spoiler alert.

A dedicated cop three days from retirement investigates a lead and winds up dead, his partner vowing to swiftly find whoever killed him no matter what.

The suspect is a high-end counterfeiter nefariously known for exacting copies, but how to get in touch everything's been blown there's no simple way to track him down.

A skittish informant shares information relating to a different case, which at first seems somewhat useless until it's given a self-obsessed spin.

Money is to be exchanged between mutual no-good-nicks routinely unsupervised, and if they can quickly scoop up that loot, they'll have what they need to be in the running.

Unfortunately, they're cops, and this means they'll have to break the law, ethically aligned to the code of conduct indefinitely excelling in righteous caution.

They decide to go for it anyway and only barely escape with their lives.

Thinking congratulations abound.

Until they find out they've robbed one of their own. 

It doesn't start out well ye old To Live & Die in L.A initially seems like it lacks depth, at least when compared with Endeavour or Frost or Columbo it strikes one as lacking intricate detail.

Friedkin's no obnoxious slouch however he'd already refined detective films way back when, and therefore seems to be ironically playing with uptight conventions through comedic irony in the opening moments (the veteran cop's methods at the beginning are really sloppy). 

But as it unreels the bold and resultant unpredictable awkward yet resonant trajectory, audaciously revels and madly impresses with infantile ruses and crackerjack shakedowns.

Chaos, it's total chaos that keeps building 'til everything's fubarred, and wildly viewing the undisciplined nutjobs can't help but encourage cheer and applause (this is fiction not reality).

That is what seems like an old school bad movie which is somewhat undeserving of its cult status, insanely jukes and effectively gesticulates to bravely create a unique cop film.

The lead actor doesn't even have a ceremonious death he's just blown away and forgotten.

It tricks you into thinking it's dull and conventional. 

And then unleashes renegade noir.