FREELANCERS

US, 2012, 96 minutes, Colour.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Robert De Niro, Forrest Whitaker, Dana Delany Pedro Amandariz.
Directed by Jessy Terrero.

Freelancers is a police action thriller, more along the lines of those films for DVD release only. What gives this film some extra prestige is the presence of two Oscar-winners, Robert De Niro and Forrest Whitaker. However, this is a star-vehicle for Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. He stars as a young police officer, sponsored by Dana Delany who admired his father. He and his two friends had served time but had become officers. During the graduation celebration he is summoned by the head of a special squad, played with ruthlessness by Robert De Niro, who tells him that his father was a partner and that he should be involved in the special activities and profiting by the money and goods recovered from raids. He agrees, but has some hesitations.

These are reinforced when he learns that De Niro was responsible for his father’s death. He then plays a double game. In the meantime, one of his friends is assigned to Forrest Whitaker as part – but he too is corrupt. The white friend’s partner is a bigoted racist.

Ultimately, the young officer and his friends turn the tables on the corrupt police, making contact with the Mr Big for whom De Niro was working. The final sequence is ominous, the Mr Big waiting for the young man as he comes out from the office of the police chief he had helped in targeting the criminals.

1. The police story, African- American police? White police? Honesty and corruption? Special squad tactics?

2. The urban setting, the streets, the homes, bars, police precincts, ordinary settings? Musical score?

3. Malo and his friends, the younger days, arrests, prison? Opportunities, reform? The influence of the older woman who worked in the office? Her
warnings? The celebration?

4. The, summoned by Sarcone, his story, Malo’s father, partner, Sarcone offering the job, corrupt, profits? The special bar and corrupt police, drinking, sexual encounters?

5. The young men, partnering with older police officers? The young man with La Rue? La Rue and his attitudes, one of Sarcone’s men, exploitation, collecting drugs,, sexual favours? The young men persuading La Rue at the end to participate, turning the tables, La Rue’s death?

6. The white young man, with the racist partner, his vocabulary, bigotry, going to the case in the streets, victimisation, La Rue taking charge, the pulling of guns, the police getting the biggest to back down? His humiliation?

7. Malo, his work, against the corruption, going to the officials, getting his friends on side, the dangers, Mr Big, meeting him and persuading him that he was genuine? The setups, the betrayals, and he is relationship with Mr Big? Sarcone, in the car, his confession on tape about Malo’s father’s death, the police, his being killed?

8. A typical police story, the good and the bad, the possibilities for corruption, redemption?