Cop Land

Name: Cop Land
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: August 15, 1997
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 64
Cast: Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone

1997

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 85 Ratings

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 85 Ratings

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Cop Land

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: August 15, 1997 | R

Starring: Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone

Summary: Sylvester Stallone stars as Freddy Heflin, the sheriff of a place everyone calls "Cop Land" -- a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he's long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town's peaceful facade. And when Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these localSylvester Stallone stars as Freddy Heflin, the sheriff of a place everyone calls "Cop Land" -- a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he's long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town's peaceful facade. And when Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents, he is forced to take action -- and make a dangerous choice between protecting his idols and upholding the law. (Buena Vista Entertainment)… Expand

Director: James Mangold

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 104 min

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Critic Reviews

Elvis Mitchell

Everywhere the camera turns in this tense and volatile drama, it finds enough interest for a truckload of conventional Hollywood fare. Whatever its limitations, Cop Land has talent to burn. Read full review

Keith Phipps

Cop Land emerges as a first-rate morality play in the form of an effective, if occasionally unwieldy, crime drama. Read full review

James Berardinelli

While this is probably the actor's best turn since Rocky, and he does a credible job that may earn him the opportunity to do more "serious" work in the future, Stallone's performance is outshone on all sides. That's not a knock against him; it's an acknowledgment that the supporting cast is about the best that it can be. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

The increasingly broad strokes with which the story is painted serve to simplify rather than deepen it, and to make it seem more artificially constructed than need be. Read full review

Empire Ian Freer

An honourable attempt to return the mainstream thriller to a more serious, intelligent vein, yet ultimately lacks the complexity of characterisation, dense subterfuge and overall feeling of weightiness that separates the great from the good. Read full review

Stephen Hunter

Unfortunately, while Stallone can carry the weight, the movie can't. Too much of it is too busy -- too many undeveloped subplots -- and some of the main plotting feels murky. Read full review

Stephanie Zacharek

It's a shame when an actor like Sylvester Stallone, who's always at his most appealing when he just hunkers down and lets himself be a big galoot, feels he has to make a bid for respectability. Read full review

SEE ALL 21 REVIEWS

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User Reviews

stallonefan80

Jul 29, 2012

Whoever says Stallone cant act is full of it.Hes proven time and again and in this one he hangs with the big dogs like Deniro and Harvey Kietel.A Amazing Movie!

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

DianeS.

Apr 14, 2007

I just discovered this amazing film. What a gathering of eagles. I think this is a masterpiece, and an accomplishment that all the artists in it can be proud of. It is a landmark in American film making, deepening our integrity and awakening our responsibility.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Leif

Sep 16, 2013

A brilliant cast and an sharp, literate script make this one of the more overlooked films of the 90's. Stallone's morose and overweight small-town sheriff is a clever and well executed casting choice and he serves the film well by doing much with his body language and letting the otherA brilliant cast and an sharp, literate script make this one of the more overlooked films of the 90's. Stallone's morose and overweight small-town sheriff is a clever and well executed casting choice and he serves the film well by doing much with his body language and letting the other actors do the more fiery displays of cop-on-the-edge theatrics. Ray Liotta gets a part worthy of his brand of intensity and the mash up of High Noon meets Goodfellas is very effective. Too many story arcs spoil the cleanliness of the narrative for many but repeated viewings (of the directors cut preferably which has a valuable 12 extra minutes) show that most of it works itself out. The finale is exceptional in how it allows Stallone to be heroic but in a tired, bloody and almost defeated fashion. Being the hero probably isn't that fun sometimes and he realizes that.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

oliver1h

Mar 25, 2013

A slow and rather realistic police drama with great performances from Keitel, Stallone, Liotta, De Niro. Recommended.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

gracjanski

Feb 24, 2022

The movie is a bit too slow, but from the beginning you know, there is something not right and you want to know what. There are many famous actors and Sylvester Stallone is playing the main role. Not bad. The story is good, but not difficult to foresee.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Rekkr

Feb 16, 2014

Very solid film. It shouldn't take a film genius to recognize the awesome ensemble cast, and for those wondering if Sylvester Stallone actually does have chops behind that beaten face of his - it is more than worthwhile checking this film out. He gives quite a captivating and sympatheticVery solid film. It shouldn't take a film genius to recognize the awesome ensemble cast, and for those wondering if Sylvester Stallone actually does have chops behind that beaten face of his - it is more than worthwhile checking this film out. He gives quite a captivating and sympathetic performance, and undoubtedly helps carry along the sound albeit somewhat predictable and straightforward plot.
The rest of the cast - featuring no less than De Niro, Liotta and Keitel among others - only add value to the film.
Overall, it is an entertaining and surprisingly intelligent film that left me quite satisfied. If anything, it's only real detriment is a shortage of particularly 'stand-out' moments (the sweet cast occasionally feels underused). Still very much worth it, though.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Nov 30, 2017

Les flics pourris, corrompus, il y en a, c'est certain mais on a beaucoup de mal ici à croire à ce salmigondis mal foutu d'invraisemblances qui servent de prétexte à un agenda de social justice warrior à la godille, dans le seul but de décrédibiliser une profession tout entière.

D'autresLes flics pourris, corrompus, il y en a, c'est certain mais on a beaucoup de mal ici à croire à ce salmigondis mal foutu d'invraisemblances qui servent de prétexte à un agenda de social justice warrior à la godille, dans le seul but de décrédibiliser une profession tout entière.

D'autres films ont bien mieux montré et démontré la corruption sans sombrer dans le manichéisme réducteur et le procès à charge de ce Copland, décidément bien maladroit et dont on entend et voit les gros sabots venir à des kilomètres à la ronde.

Pour autant, le film est court et on ne s'y ennuie pas, la distribution est soignée et aligne des pointures, qu'elles soient des premiers ou des seconds couteaux... à l'exception cependant du premier rôle incarné par Sylvestre Beuhar qui recycle là son personnage de Rocky désoeuvré au regard de chien battu. Et même là, le scénario se tire une balle dans le pied puisqu'au lieu de nous présenter ce "looser magnifique" comme ce qu'il est, il en fait un "héros" à moitié sourd qui a sauvé un tel ou une telle dans la "rivière" et patati et patata...

Faudrait quand même pas nous prendre pour des canards sauvages non plus parce qu'on le voit bien que le film se fout de notre gueule : comment croire un tel ramassis de conneries ? Tout cela est bien dommage, car dans le fond, on pouvait en tirer quelque chose d'intéressant avec un minimum de recul... et d'intelligence. On se retrouve juste avec un film pro-racaille et anti-flics, traité par dessus la jambe.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 13 REVIEWS

56	#56 Best Movie of 1997
52	#52 Most Discussed Movie of 1997
44	#44 Most Shared Movie of 1997