GANGSTER SQUAD

US, 2013, 113 minutes, Colour.
Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Michael Pena, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Mackie, Robert Patrick, Nick Nolte, Mireille Enos, Sullivan Stapleton.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer.

At the end of this film, police officer John O’ Mara reminds the audience that the Mob has never had a hold in Los Angeles and that he and like-minded and like-actioned policed contributed to this.

Films about American gangsters continue to be popular. This one is set in Los Angeles 1949 and overlaps in time with the classic LA Confidential. Both show the career of Mickey Cohen who dreamed of being something like the Little Caesar of LA.

And the gangster squad? They are a special and secret group of Los Angeles police who are recruited by the city’s chief (Nick Nolte, burly and husky as ever) to wage guerilla warfare against Cohen, his gang and his drug and prostitution establishments to put him out of business. They are to destroy the business so that no other mob will take it over.

The centre of the squad is returned war veteran, John O’ Mara. He is played by Josh Brolin whose star has been in the ascendant since 2007 and No Country for Old Men (W, Men in Black 3). He is square-jawed (something of a ringer for Dick Tracy), tough, more brawn than brains but presented as the heroic American cop full of righteousness. He recruits, with the help of his pregnant wife who wants a strong team to support (and protect) her husband, are a motley lot: a determined black cop (Anthony Mackie), a veteran sharpshooter (Robert Patrick) and his partner (Michael Pena who appeared in End of Watch), an intelligence officer (Giovanni Ribisi). They are joined by O’ Mara’s friend, Jerry (Ryan Gosling), who is in couldn’t-care-less, drinking mode since returning from the war, starts a liaison with Cohen’s mistress, Grace (Emma Stone), but, disgusted at the shooting of his shoe-shine friend, joins the squad.

But, it is Sean Penn as Mickey Cohen who is mesmerising. For more than twenty years, Penn has been chameleon-like in immersing himself in his roles, creating a wide range of characters (in recent years, Milk, This Must be the Place, quite diverse roles). At the opening, he is vicious, ruthlessly cruel in torturing and killing both rivals and incompetent aides. As the film progresses, he shows no redeeming features. He is vicious.

The film has several set pieces as the squad attack Cohen, a raid on a casino which is rash and ill-planned, bugging his house, chasing a heroin haul from Burbank airport into the desert, a raid on a plusher casino and burning the cash.

The film also shows the bonding in the squad, their vulnerability, their determination to arrest Cohen which leads to a final shootout (guns galore and high body count) and a fist fight between John and Cohen.

The film is not for the squeamish, especially in the cruel Cohen sequences. It is a reminder, as are so many of the police films, that criminals have no scruples, that somebody must confront them while maintaining their own human decency. Not an easy thing at all.

1. A Los Angeles story, crime, the police, based on actual events?

2. Los Angeles 1949, the city, the landmarks, Chinatown, Hollywoodland? The homes? Clubs, casinos, hotels? The ethos of Los Angeles at the time? Carmen Miranda, songs, the entertainment posters?

3. The title, police, at war, guerrilla warfare, the law against corruption, breaking the hold of the Mob?

4. The strong cast, impersonations?

5. The introduction to Mickey Cohen, his attack on the Chicago gangsters, talking, tearing the victim apart? His character, no redeeming features, ambitions, a Little Caesar, absolute ruthlessness, his sense of vision for the future, his control? His thugs, the judge, the police in his pay? His presumption?

6. Post-war soldiers, joining the police, their experiences in war, memories of war? Patriotism, fighting for the country, continuing to fight? John O’ Mara, his age, experience, in the police, tough, the tender relationship with his wife, her asking him not to be in danger? Parker impressed with his work? Giving him the job, setting up the squad? His wife and her help, reviewing all the documentation, advising on selection? But a man of brawn, rather than brains?

7. The police, O’ Mara and his tough stunt, going to Mickey Cohen’s house, the pimps, the confrontations, the arrests, their not being held? The range of corruption?

8. The squad itself, the methods of recruiting, the contrast with Jerry, the friendship, Jerry’s drinking, not caring, his friendship with Pete the shoeshine boy, giving him dollars, watching his death, his reaction? Flirting with Grace, defying Cohen? The friendship with Jack, the information about the gang? Cavalier, talk, clothes? Max Kennard and his age, skills with the gun? Demonstrating them? Navidad as his partner, his turning up and surprising the group? Coleman Harris, black, earnestness? Conwell Keeler and his family, brains, intelligence? The scenes of training, shooting?

9. The first mission, the casino, the local police present, the failure, the arrest? Max and his getting the chain to the vehicle? Failing? Jerry, his impersonating Cohen’s men? The real thugs turning up, the escape?

10. The visual violence, Cohen and his cruelty, the pimp and his being burnt in the fire in the elevator? Torture, whims, demanding obedience?

11. Parker, his role as chief, the threats to his job, prevailing at the end because of the squad?

12. John, his wife, the love, the group gathering at the barbeque? Cohen and his attack on the homes? Connie, pregnant, the birth of the child?

13. Jerry and Grace, Jerry and his cheeky approach, her background story of coming to Hollywood (echoed by the initial sequence with the young girl being conned by the pimps)? With Cohen, her fears? Seeing Jerry in the house? Her being under suspicion, the escape, reliance on Jack, witnessing his death? Her volunteering to be the witness against Cohen?

14. The bugging of Cohen’s house, the setup, Keeler listening in, the information? Finally being fed false information?

15. The setup at Burbank Airport, the gang’s presence, the car chases, the truck, the tactics, the ruining of the drug haul?

16. The newspaper headlines, Cohen and his anger? The next job – the casino, burning the money? The coordination of the activities and the squad improving?

17. Cohen realising that the squad were police, the setup over the bugging devices, the setup in Chinatown, the action, John and his confidence, Jerry and the warning? The shootouts?

18. Keeler, listening in, the threats, his death? John going to the family, trying to console the son?

19. The group being wounded, yet ready for the final confrontation at the hotel? Standing over the judge to get the document? The judge warning Cohen?

20. The hotel siege, the range of guns, the body count? Cohen and his fight with John, defeat and arrest? Max Kennard, his being wounded, his shooting with Navidad’s help? His death?

21. The happy ending, the clean-up of Los Angeles – and the tribute to the police?