Night Shift (Patrouille de nuit)

From the trailer, I could sense that the film had more than decent potential. Thomas Jane, playing an experienced cop who has to mentor a rookie during his first night shift on the dirty streets of L.A., promised a compelling story. Most people are right in noting that it resembles Training Day and Patrol, yet Crown Vic manages to maintain its own identity and differentiate itself from these films. I'm quite surprised by how elegantly the director and screenwriter handled their debut; the dialogues in the car between the two main characters felt so natural that at times the film almost had a documentary feel to it. Whether it was anecdotes from life or advice from the older to the younger, everything carried weight. Thomas Jane delivered a stellar performance after a long hiatus; his down-to-earth portrayal is much appreciated. I also have to commend the cinematography, not just for the sweeping and detailed shots of the Ford Crown Victoria from every possible angle (though, let's be honest, those shots never get old). Action only made its appearance towards the end of the film, but it came out of nowhere. The story concludes beautifully, leaving viewers questioning whether this thankless job can truly solve anything permanently. For me, it's quite a gem in its genre. I’d give it 83%. (21/04/2020)

An extremely important film, because nobody else will make anything like it and therefore I give it slightly higher marks. It is already an artifact, which you realize during the last sentences that Thomas Jane says to the rookie cop who just survived a hellish night. The string of police raids (brilliantly, but in no way originally delivered) shows the dark side of our world, which isn’t gray, but remains black and white; just a lot of work is put into making speaking about it a punishable offense. Did you read 1984 at school? (18/07/2020)

A solid film in the style of End of Watch. The film takes place over the course of one night, with a rookie LAPD officer and a seasoned veteran experiencing their first night of crime and bleakness together. Great dialogue, great actors, solid cinematography and an intense finale. I was entertained, intrigued and surprised, really good. 8/10. (10/12/2019)