Before the new "Batman" films hit the screen, firming up the genre of new film noir, there was another film that revived the noir crime thriller -- "L.A. Confidential.” Business Insider reports that "L.A. Confidential" (1997) is one of several cinematic classics you can watch on Netflix over the weekend, including "Gangs of New York" (2002) and "Face/Off" (1997).

Starring Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, and James Cromwell, "L.A. Confidential" is a film noir exploration of the psychology and actions of three different detectives caught in a labyrinthine plot that unravels then reconnects mysterious threads into a coherent storyline.

'L.A' film has a plot like a' complex puzzle'

Film reviewer Roger Ebert reported that "L.A. Confidential" has a plot which is at first disjointed but then comes together like pieces of a complex puzzle that satisfies the audience. Based on a novel by James Ellroy, "L.A. Confidential" has been well received by critics and audiences alike, but this positive reception was not a foregone conclusion. Mental Floss reported that the plot of "L.A. Confidential" is so complex that novelist James Ellroy thought it would be unadaptable as film noir for the silver screen.

In fact, executive producer David Wolper originally conceived of the "L.A. Confidential" novel's material as perfect for a TV miniseries, but the noir concept was turned down by major networks.

Director Curtis Hanson ultimately sold the material as a feature film to New Regency Pictures by emphasizing the dark world of Los Angeles in which the characters of this film noir thriller would be immersed. New Regency was sold on the L.A. milieu, and thus a legendary film was made.

'L.A. Confidential' is a four-star film, critically acclaimed, and highly regarded by audiences

Reviewer Ebert gave "L.A. Confidential" a four-star rating, reporting also that in a 2008 poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times that "L.A. Confidential" finished number one in a list of films about Los Angeles culture. Ebert reported that "L.A.

Confidential," set in the 1950s, is a crime drama that also provides a snapshot of the emergence of our current sensationalist Tinseltown culture. As such, "L.A. Confidential" is at once a psychological thriller in the film noir genre and an exploration of the tectonic shifts in Hollywood culture, set against a backdrop of violence, corruption, and intrigue. The film became available for Netflix download on April one of 2018.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, "L.A. Confidential" has a 99 percent rating with a 94 percent audience score. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, "L.A. Confidential" earned two. Rotten Tomatoes reported that Brian Helgeland earned the award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Kim Basinger received Best Supporting Actress. Seems as though the Ellroy's original film noir fiction was adaptable after all, and "L.A. Confidential" remains a favorite flick, now streaming on Netflix.
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