Sidney Lumet's Must-See Sleeper Classic: Q & A (1990)

Yesterday, the news broke of the passing of legendary film director Sidney Lumet at the age of 86. The New York Times, THR and Breitbart's Big Hollywood have all posted obituaries and tributes to this incredible film director who brought us such celluloid classics as Twelve Angry Men, The Pawnbroker, Fail Safe, Network, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon and The Verdict. Many more glowing tributes are sure to follow. I fully expect AMPAS to run a montage of Mr. Lumet's masterful work in tribute and remembrance at next year's Oscars. You can see Mr. Lumet's filmography and bio profile at his IMDB page. Yet of all the glowing tributes to Mr. Lumet's stellar film career, only Big Hollywood's John Nolte touched upon a Lumet classic that is a most murky police corruption drama in which the lines of good and evil are completely blurred: Q & A. It is also vastly underappreciated in the pantheon of Mr. Lumet's fine movies. Released in 1990 and featuring an all-star cast led by Timothy Hutton, Nick Nolte and Armande Assante, Q & A tells the story of fresh-faced New York City ADA Francis Reilly (Hutton), who is assigned by Chief of Homicide Kevin Quinn (a most cynical and duplicitous Patrick O'Neill) to investigate what appears to be the justified self-defense shooting of a drug dealer by Detective Michael Brennan (Nick Nolte). But as ADA Reilly ventures deeper into the investigation of the shooting, he discovers all is not what it seems. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Of all the great acting in Q &A, which includes fine performances by actors Luis Guzman, Charles S. Dutton and Dominic Chianese (perhaps best known for his role as Uncle Junior in The Sopranos, and who also plays a mobster in this film), Nick Nolte dominates the screen in Q & A as a Joker-like homicidal maniac masquerading as a police detective. Mr. Nolte's villainous Mike Brennan (which Mr. Nolte put on 40 pounds for what he told the Toronto Star, "was required for the sheer mass of brutality" for the character) is one of the most compelling, frightening and creepiest roles I have ever seen any actor play, and Mr. Nolte leaped into it with twisted aplomb. Even the sexual ambiguity of Nolte's Detective Michael Brennan is scary. You can't tell if he's a closet case or a homophobic Andrew Cunanan type as he uses sweet talk to lure transvestites to their doom. There are few things worse than a murderous psychotic with a gentle touch, and Nick Nolte soars in that disturbing persona. You can watch the Q & A trailer at IMBD here. This clip from YouTube, which gives none of the story away, will clearly illustrate the twisted sexual ambiguity factor I spoke of earlier. Be warned that the linked clip is very graphic and not for kids. But as many other film reviewers will cast laurels upon some of Mr. Lumet's more recognized work as those film classics I listed earlier, do not miss this film if you can help it. Q & A currently enjoys an 84% rating on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes. Here is Vincent Canby's 1990 review of Q & A in the New York Times. Here is the Wikipedia page for the film, with deep background and many more linked reviews. Here are the Q & A Netflix and Amazon.com pages. Q & A isn't perfect, as few films are. But where it works, it really works. Great soundtrack too, but one hell of an intense ride. One of many for which Mr. Lumet will be remembered for years to come. RIP, Sidney.