THE SLOW HUSTLE

US, 2021, 88 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Sonja.Sohn.

This is an HBO documentary, made primarily for an American audience. It concerns police forces and police corruption and cover-ups.

The film has been directed by actress Sonja Sohn who appeared in a key role in the celebrated television series, The Wire, set in Baltimore. She is familiar with the city and the policing and crime issues. And this film is about the Baltimore police force.

For those unfamiliar with the story, it is fair to warn that there is no clear ending to the narrative. Rather, the situation of the death of a policeman is set, and initial sympathy for him, his reputation, scenes with his wife and family giving testimony, tributes to his work, interviews with his partner.

However, there is confusion about the death, in the middle of an investigation, off a street, his own gun, murder or suicide?

Then, reports about his being corrupt, planting evidence in the past, his being subpoenaed to appear in court and give testimony the next day. And he is shown as a very genial personality, family man.

The film has a great number of witnesses, members of the police force, local journalists investigating police corruption, a board of enquiry set up to investigate the issue and drawing the conclusion of suicide.

With all the testimony, the television audience becomes interested, involved, puzzled. And there is criticism of the board of enquiry not taking sufficient notice of particular issues and questions.

What follows is something of an expose of a large American city, the role of the police force, the potential for corruption, actual corruption. There are continued attempts to vindicate the deceased policeman.

Interesting in terms of the United States in the 2010 is, the role of police, corruption, investigation.