Q&A (1990)

Directed by: Sidney Lumet |132 minutes | crime | Actors: Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton, Armand Assante, Patrick ONeal, Lee Richardson, Luis Guzmán, Charles S. Dutton, Jenny Lumet, Paul Calderon, Dominic Chianese, Leonardo Cimino, Fyvush Finkel, Martin E. Brens, Gustavo Brens, Maurice Shell Thomas Mikal Ford, John Capodice, Frederick Rolf, Hal Lehrman, Gloria Irrizary, Brian Neill, Susan Mitchell, Drew Elliot, Frank Raiter, Harry Madsen, George Kodisch, Burtt Harris, Agnes Quinn, Alex Ruiz, Richard Solchik, Junior Perez, Rod Rodriguez, Sonny Vito, Olga Merediz, Edward Rowan

‘Q&A’ ​​is an old-fashioned crime film by Sidney Lumet (‘Serpico’ from 1973, ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ from 1975). ‘Q&A’ ​​represents a routine, internal police investigation that turns out to be a lot more complicated as the film progresses. The story is good, the pace is slow and the acting is generally excellent. The film highlights corruption among the police and the judiciary and bears similarities to a 1973 film like Magnum Force, in which Clint Eastwood competes against a dirty police apparatus.

The acting performances of the lovely cast are good. The exception is the generally solid Timothy Hutton, known for ‘The Falcon and the Snowman’ from 1985. Hutton doesn’t come across as strong as Reilly, who investigates a deadly shooting. Reilly’s naivete is well expressed, but Hutton is implausible as a fighter against major criminals and influential figures.

The role of the noisy detective Brennan, on the other hand, is written on the corpulent body of Nick Nolte (Hotel Rwanda). Nolte indulges himself as an influential agent with a surprising double life. However, Armand Assante steals the show as the slick Puerto Rican criminal, Texador. Assante, dressed in silk suits and with a bad beard, convinces as a criminal with norms and values.

‘Q & A’ also contains explosive themes, such as homosexuality and racism, which do not always come across well. For example, the quasi-comedic discriminating against a black and a Puerto Rican cop quickly gets boring. Stronger, on the other hand, are references to gentlemen’s love in the police force. The cops make a lot of jokes about gays, but what about macho cop Nolte’s personal preference?

Nolte represents the arm of the law in a mostly strong plot. The story develops slowly, as you would expect from an old fox like Lumet. A weak storyline describes an old love of Hutton. The entanglements between Hutton and Jenny Lumet (the daughter of) are useless and damage Hutton’s role. Even more damaging is the score: Very eighties and idiotic lyrics that don’t fit the tone of the film at all.

The message of ‘Q&A’ ​​is a cynical one. Corruption is a given and has existed since time immemorial. Society is infested with untrustworthy, corruptible people, and sooner or later everyone joins in. In a short space of time, young Hutton experiences some hard life lessons about people he always blindly trusted, such as about his father.

‘Q&A’ ​​is ultimately a very decent film, which is skillfully made and well put together. You take Timothy Hutton’s inescapable romantic posturing into the bargain. The roles of both Nick Nolte and Armand Assante are worth watching. Entertaining, traditional feature film.