The thing about Rampart is that Woody Harrelson is in EVERY scene. I can understand many find Dave Brown so despicable that there’s no way to relate to, but to me, he feels familiar. James Ellroy has a special place in my heart. I am thrilled to see such full realization of a James Ellroy man on screen, with all the weakness and paradox, yet unlike other detectives in his crime novels, here is a cop deprived of a case, thus deprived of any hope of redemption. (I heard there is a case for Brown to work on in the original script, not surprised, JE really is an ally of LAPD.)
In some way, Marty Hart is a Dave Brown who finds redemption in the end. They both fucked up their family blindly, the elder daughter despise him, the little one too young to learn to hate her father. Contract to Brown, ultimately it is through case that Marty redeems himself, not, say, through his feelings towards Rust. In other words, his loyalty to Rust is many things but the most important thing is this loyalty equals dedication to the unsolved case.
Try picture Marty and Rust as buddy engineers, one cheating husband, one lone wolf, they fell out after working together seven years then Marty painfully realizes his errors blah blah blah and ten years later he reconciles with Rust and wins forgiveness from ex wife and daughters. See? It really isn’t the same thing without a case.
I think that’s one reason people love traditional crime fictions, cos those detectives get to have a mission, a meaning in life or die trying. They are privileged to face a far greater darkness.
prguitarman
romaincrisis
theartofmadeline
2087
vaporwave
