One cop tries to make a difference in ‘Gangland’
It’s a sure sign of trouble when a movie can’t get its name straight. Exhibit A: “Keep Quiet,” the Lou Diamond Phillips police drama rechristened “Gangland” after its debut on the festival circuit last September. But to my surprise, it’s not bad. Although I fear its updated moniker will do little to enhance its already bleak box-office prospects.
That’s a shame because it features perhaps Phillips’ finest performance since bursting on the scene in 1987 with “La Bamba.” You might even say he’s close to Oscar-worthy as Teddy Sharpe, a popular, glad-handing tribal peacekeeper on the depressed, drug-riddled Thunderstone Reservation. For years, he’s patrolled these dusty roads as part of a one-man mission to end a long-running cycle of overdoses and violence. Now in his 60s, graying and a little paunchy, he’s determined as ever to make a difference, abetted by his umpteenth new partner, Sandra (an excellent Dana Namerode).
Through her, we gather a glimpse of Teddy on the job, looking out for the area’s youth, hoping to catch them before they fall into the hands of malevolent folks like Richie (Elisha Pratt), a freshly paroled dealer back in town with sights set on luring his teenage cousin, Albert (Lane Factor), under his corrupt wing. To this end, Teddy is willing to overlook the petty crimes in favor of the bigger picture of bringing peace and prosperity to his community.
His leniency is shocking both to us and Sandra, whom he’s dubbed Toto because she isn’t in Kansas anymore. But like her new boss, she’s witnessed folks close to her felled by readily available opioids. It still affects her deeply, which is why she reluctantly teams with Teddy to rescue Albert from Ritchie’s clutches.
True, the plot concocted by scenarist Zach Montague is more than a tad clichéd, but it’s merely the bones for his former Black List script to hang an engrossing tale about a selfless lawman dedicated to saving as many people as possible at any cost. And Phillips runs with it, imbuing Teddy with so much heart and soul that you can’t help but be captivated by his Quixotic quest. You know it’s a losing battle, but you’re buoyed by his unswayable determination, a bullheadedness that often leaves him at odds with the county sheriffs, particularly Darius (Nick Stahl), a racist, hair-triggered deputy who prefers to shoot first and ask questions later.
Though his role is vastly underwritten, Stahl, like Phillips, summons some of his best work in years. Now free of the squeaky-clean boyish appearance that limited him early in his career, Stahl wears grizzled and ornery well. His Darius purposely makes us, and Sandra, uncomfortable. Same for Pratt (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) as the soulless Richie, who frightens even his grandmother, Chelsea (Irene Bedad), who rightly blames him for repeatedly visiting evil upon their otherwise close-knit family.
You admire the eagerness of Phillips’ co-stars to always yield center stage, personifying the meaning of supporting actors. You sense they, along with director Vincent Grashaw (“Bang, Bang”), were all aware in real time just how superb Phillips is in a role that fits him to a T. And Namerode proves an able sparring partner. The two share potent chemistry, as a somewhat adversarial relationship evolves into a compelling father-daughter dynamic.
Yet, there’s never any doubt that “Gangland” (HATE the title!) belongs entirely to Phillips. He renders Teddy a man driven by both benevolence and immense guilt over his indirect involvement in the community’s darkest secret, one far more heinous than the everyday misery of drugs, alcohol and poverty. He earns your empathy, while thoroughly selling the idea that Teddy is regarded as a sainted figure in a place where trust is not easily won.
Yes, it bears that awful title, but if ever there was an instance in which you should not judge a book by its cover, it’s “Gangland.” It’s not just profoundly relevant; it’s also an ideal showcase for an actor whose immense talent has gone woefully untapped for too long. You might even go so far as to label it — dare I say — a Diamond in the rough.
Movie review
Gangland
Rated: Not rated
Cast: Lou Diamond Phillips, Nick Stahl, Dana Namerode, Elisha Pratt, Lane Factor and Irene Bedad
Director: Vincent Grashaw
Writer: Zach Montague
Runtime: 104 minutes
Where: In theaters July 3 (limited) before going to streaming July 10
Grade: B
