Broken City

Directed by Allen Hughes, Broken City follows cop-turned-private-investigator Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) as he uncovers a conspiracy of far-reaching proportions involving no less than the Mayor of New York City (Russell Crowe’s Nicholas Hostetler). Before it gets bogged down in the convoluted machinations of Brian Tucker’s screenplay, Broken City comes off as a surprisingly engrossing drama centered around Wahlberg’s character’s sleuthing exploits – with the early emphasis on Taggart’s efforts at catching the Mayor’s wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Cathleen) in a compromising position perpetuating the irresistibly watchable vibe. It’s clear, however, that Broken City slowly-but-surely loses its hold on the viewer as it progresses into its increasingly muddled midsection, with the movie’s transformation into a generic political-corruption thriller – the entire plot hinges on a sketchy housing deal, for crying out loud – especially disappointing given the strength of both the first act and the various performances. (In terms of the latter, Hughes has assembled an agreeably impressive roster of supporting players – including Barry Pepper, Kyle Chandler, and Jeffrey Wright.) The movie never quite sinks to the level of all-out mediocrity, admittedly, with the refreshingly adult, old-school atmosphere going a long way towards smoothing over the narrative’s myriad of flaws – although, in the final analysis, it’s impossible to label Broken City as anything more than a perfunctory and distressingly forgettable piece of work.

**1/2 out of ****