Man, with a title like this, you just know you’re about to watch smooth shit. I don’t mean literal shit because this is some good shit. Night Falls on Manhattan blends legal drama with police corruption, offering complex characters and a thought-provoking storyline. Most of all, it just exudes that vintage 80s/90s vibe. If you lived through this era, you know what I’m talking about. It’s based on a novel, Tainted Evidence by Robert Daley, a former NYPD cop turned journalist turned writer. Michael Cimino first adapted one of his novels, along with Oliver Stone, into the masterpiece that is Year of the Dragon. That same year, Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City, based on his non-fiction novel, was released.
The story you’re about to watch actually happened, but to avoid spoilers, I urge you to read it only after you’ve seen the movie. This was a big case back then. Its protagonist is the Bronx drug dealer Larry Davis, and that’s all you’re getting from me. Night Falls on Manhattan follows Sean Casey, a young and enthusiastic district attorney looking to make a name for himself. His first task is to clean his own house and tackle the corruption within the NYPD. However, that’s going to be quite a task once he finds out what’s really going on. And how the game works. Pretty standard-issue stuff, you might say.
This is a second 90s movie in which Andy Garcia is trying to catch corrupt cops after Internal Affairs. If you think he’s the only big name in this little-known movie, you’re sorely mistaken. We have not only Richard Dreyfuss, Ian Holm, and Paul Guilfoyle but also James Gandolfini! I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the low-key femme fatales of that era, Lena Olin. Just watch her in Romeo Is Bleeding and tell me I’m wrong. At the helm is none other than the legendary Sidney Lumet. And you know what this means, don’t you?
Excellent storytelling, deliberate and steady pacing, along with excellent camerawork. If you have an itch for that specific brand of slow-burning, morally grey, old-school thrillers, Night Falls on Manhattan will scratch it with vigor. With its excellent worldbuilding and immersiveness, it will pull you in right at the start. We will take a journey, a classic character arc, through the messy world of the nineties NYC. A lot of grime, crime, corruption, and men caught in the middle of it all. Is there such a thing as an ethical dilemma? Do you think you would make the same decisions as ADA Sean Casey?
I guess we all think we would “do the right thing,” but when it’s your actual ass on the line, that choice seems much harder. There’s even a political angle, which appears later in the movie. The courtroom start reminded me of Better Call Saul and his early days. The only difference is that Andy Garcia was Bill Oakley. You surely remember that famous montage of “petty with a prior”. There were three different endings for this movie, and Sidney Lumet chose the right one. I don’t know about you, but movies with a structure as clear as this are my guilty pleasure.
Finally, after such a strong opening act, Night Falls on Manhattan does fizzle out a bit. Instead of focusing on the systemic issues, it directs its attention to the characters. Characters that go on to make predictable choices. For some of you, this might be a plus and, for some, a minus. In the end, what’s left is a movie you should definitely check out and form your own opinion about. Enjoy.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Writers: Robert Daley, Sidney Lumet
Cast: Andy Garcia, Richard Dreyfuss, Ian Holm, Lena Olin, James Gandolfini, Shiek Mahmud-Bey
Fun Facts: Four actors from this movie would go on to appear in one of the best television shows The Sopranos. While James Gandolfini would go on to play the lead role, we also have Dominic Chianese, Frank Vincent, and Vincent Pastore.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119783/
