ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

robertmaybeth This clever, smart, under-stated story displays much of the style and cinematic genius that director Mike Figgis would show for "Leaving Las Vegas" only 6 years later. The actors are well-cast in their roles and all of them give stellar performances no matter how minor their part. The many gears and wheels that are grinding in this story, of beat cop Dennis Peck (Richard Gere) and his shadow fiefdom of criminals in blue, are mostly just hinted at rather then explained outright. It takes a perceptive viewer to get all the subtle nuances the story constantly is presenting, and to do it in only one viewing ( it took me the second viewing before I got many of them but it was worth it - there's a lot of elements to this story and most of them are interesting). I'm not sure why this movie is rated so low on IMDB, I'm tempted to think that many viewers didn't like seeing Richard Gere as villain; or perhaps it was the great subtlety which the story is told. Even so, this is one movie that no Richard Gere fan should miss - it's one of his strongest, most under-stated performances..

callanvass (Credit IMDb) Keen young Raymond Avila joins the Internal Affairs Department of the Los Angeles police. He and partner Amy Wallace are soon looking closely at the activities of cop Dennis Peck whose financial holdings start to suggest something shady. Indeed Peck is involved in any number of dubious or downright criminal activities. He is also devious, a womanizer, and a clever manipulator, and he starts to turn his attention on Avila.Everyone talks about how good Richard Gere is in this movie. He is solid, but if you wanna see how good he can be with an underhanded type of role, watch Arbitrage. That movie is far more suspenseful. This one kept putting me to sleep. I had a lot of trouble paying attention. I like dark cop thrillers, but this one is so murky and dreary. There is nobody to root for. Andy Garcia isn't exactly likable himself. Everyone has a right to their opinions, so feel free to check this one out. It wasn't for me3/10

Rockwell_Cronenberg I've long been a fan of Richard Gere, with his strong jaw, gorgeous eyes and winning smile, so watching him play the dirty cop Dennis Peck was a startling experience. I love when actors like him play against type, taking their incredibly likable charm and turning it on it's head, making you regret falling for them when they turn out to be as bad as the dirtiest villain. Internal Affairs is a tight crime thriller that pits him against IAD officer Raymond Avilla (Andy Garcia), as the two engage in a roller coaster of hits and misses to bring the other down.Avilla goes after Peck's finances and the cops he takes care of, trying to turn them against their intimidating leader, while Peck goes after Avilla's wife to try to rip him apart from the inside. Peck is one of those guy who is always in control, or always appears to be even when his house of cards is crumbling down. Gere gives one of his finest performances, making Peck the kind of man who draws you in and then throws you out when he doesn't need you. He's a slick, calculated, incredibly intelligent villain in blue and he utilizes every skill he has an actor. Garcia counters perfectly as the more emotional Avilla, a man whose pride won't allow him to let Peck get off clean and whose temper often gets the better of him.Mike Figgis directs Internal Affairs with a solid vision, knowing when to key up the dramatics and when to slow things down properly. There's nothing particularly new about this cop thriller, but it does all of the old tricks right. The showdown between the two of them is intense, building to a great climax, and there are several action sequences throughout that get the blood pumping. This is a solid thriller in every way, highlighted by two very fine performances.

seymourblack-1 On the face of it, "Internal Affairs" is a routine crime drama about an investigation into the activities of an LAPD cop who's suspected of being corrupt. What elevates this movie to another level, however, is a sensational performance by Richard Gere as an extremely memorable villain who's not only corrupt, cruel and complex but also extremely manipulative and murderous.Dennis Peck (Richard Gere) is a street cop who's popular and respected by his superiors. He's a married man with three ex-wives and 8 kids and enjoys good relationships with all of them. Over the years he's been helpful to many of his fellow officers and his ability to call in favours from them whenever needed has provided him with a power-base which he effectively used to operate his criminal activities.Peck comes to the attention of a newly appointed LAPD Internal Affairs investigator called Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia), after the conduct of his partner Van Stretch (William Baldwin) gives cause for concern. Avila and another investigator called Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf) interview the young cop and it quickly becomes clear that he's a drug addicted racist who's prone to outbursts of unprovoked violence. Subsequent checks into Stretch's financial status and Peck's extra curricular activities then start to raise certain suspicions.A short time later, Stretch is killed on duty and the body of his killer is found nearby. Peck explains that he shot the murderer but doesn't disclose that the killer was actually a hit-man employed by him. Avila suspects this and soon elicits the confirmation he needs from one of the hit-man's associates before going on to discreetly keep Peck under surveillance.Peck is adept at identifying people's weaknesses and exploiting them for his own purposes and so arranges a confidential meeting with Avila's neglected wife Kathleen (Nancy Travis). He asks her some questions which he infers he's authorised to do but his real purpose is to unsettle Avila who he knows will see his meeting with Kathleen and become uncontrollably jealous.Peck's plan works well and Avila becomes so unhinged that he embarrasses and beats his wife in public at her workplace. Despite this spectacular loss of control, Avila and Wallace are later able to continue their determined investigation to its conclusion although there is a significant price to be paid for what they achieve.The tense atmosphere which runs through this movie is predominantly generated by its brooding score and the intensity of the conflict between Avila and Peck who are both tough, uncompromising and remarkably similar in certain ways. The threat of extreme violence is also ever present as Stretch and Avila are both volatile men who can't control their tempers and also beat their wives.Avila appears to be cold, confident and conventional when he's first appointed to his new job but as events proceed it becomes clear that he's very ambitious, has problems with his marriage and also has a darker side to his personality which is brought out when Peck pushes the right buttons. Andy Garcia does well as he portrays the range of behaviours of his character who lacks any real warmth or the ability to empathize with others.Peck is a charming psychopath and an inveterate womaniser and Richard Gere's magnificent as he shows brilliantly his ability to be equally convincing whether he's playing the helpful colleague, a calculating manipulator of other people or a vicious killer."Internal Affairs" is ultimately a surprisingly enjoyable movie with some strong characters and an exceptional villain.