Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Review

Werner Herzog brings to life the story of a cop immersed in the deep waters of criminality and corruption by adding unexpected twists and dashes of humor in “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans”.

Many may compare it to Abel Ferrara’s 1992 film “Bad Lieutenant”, but Herzog takes a different spin from the previous marking it as an original created by his prowess. In Ferrara’s version, Harvey Keitel plays the damaged detective suffering from drug-induced hallucinations involving visions of Christ and infused with a highly Catholic theme. For Herzog’s latest film, he takes on a lighter tone eliminating the Catholic themes and setting it at present New Orleans, right after the dreadful Hurricane Katrina. Herzog’s twisted mind replaces lizards, iguanas and alligators as centers of the cop’s hallucinations. Though backed by the same producer, Edward R. Pressman, writer William Finkelstein’s screenplay delves into the irony of good people suffering while bad people prosper.

Nicola Cage takes the shoes of police officer Terence McDonagh, whose life experiences a 360 turn after acquiring a terrible back injury while saving a prisoner from a flooded-basement cell. To kill off the permanent pain, he initially intakes prescribed medications which eventually are replaced by whatever illegal drugs he manages to find or steal. Completely intoxicated by the soothing effects of the drugs, he devises several inventive and sometimes scary yet hilarious tactics just to get what he needs.

McDonagh manages to get hold on drugs as he follows five Senegales illegals involved in the drug world. The search for the supplier, Big Fate (Alvin “Xzibit” Joiner) leads them to the streets of Big Easy. Due to his erratic behavior though, the case takes on the backseat most of the time. Desperate for the drugs, McDonagh pushes the boundaries as he pulls over night club patrons, demands their drugs, snorts the heroin, and screws up their dates as he holds them at gunpoint. The cop eventually spirals into a huge debt from reckless sports betting at the same time struggling to keep his prostitute girlfriend Frankie (Eva Mendes) from leaving him.

Despite the twisted and vulgar story, Nicolas Cage clearly rose to the occasion as he gives his character justice to the point at times he may come off as over the top. I admire his amazing use of body language to let viewers really feel the pain McDonaugh is going through. It makes audience understand better his desperate schemes to ease the pain. While watching, you’d find yourself completely mesmerized to his bravura piece of acting.

The down side though is how I noticed the lack of rapport and connection between him and Eva Mendes. It came out so scripted you wouldn’t believe their characters were actually involved. Also, since the movie focused more on McDonaugh’s character, there isn’t much action to sate sensation seekers.

What I probably love most is the setting and how it complements perfectly to the storyline. The post-Katrina New Orleans provides a clear glimpse of how devastating situations can fade the line between good and evil.