L.A. Confidential (1997)

Bring a notepad. L.A. Confidential runs a murder case, a police scandal, a tabloid racket, a ring of movie star lookalikes and a missing drug stash all at once, and if you blink you’ll miss a name that matters later. That’s the catch. The plot is so packed that the first watch is homework. But the cops are the reason to do it. Guy Pearce plays Ed Exley like a straight-A student who keeps raising his hand at the worst possible time. Russell Crowe’s Bud White is a wrecking ball with a moral code. James Cromwell’s captain has an Irish lilt and a grin you’ll remember. Kim Basinger, a slippery Danny DeVito and that sunny 1950s Los Angeles look do the rest. Critics went 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 90 on Metacritic, and for once they weren’t overselling it. A 9.0 because it’s the rare crime movie that gets better every time you rewatch it. $768 says you pause halfway through to explain the plot to someone who didn’t ask.

What works: Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe as opposites forced together, a script that ties off every loose thread, and a gorgeous 1950s look.

What doesn’t: The plot is so crowded that a first-time viewer can easily lose track of who works for who, and the shootout finale is more ordinary than everything before it.

Who it’s for: People who like their cop movies tangled, smart and full of sharp suits.