'Narc' improves classic cop genre

Filmed in a mere 28 days (a tiny fraction of the time spent on most big screen releases), "Narc" is a gritty police drama that manages to seem fresh, even though it follows a well-trodden cinematic path.\n"Narc" centers on Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) a skilled undercover cop who made a terrible mistake while chasing after a suspect, resulting in the deaths of one innocent bystander and the severe wounding of another. Eighteen months after he was stripped of his badge, Tellis is offered the opportunity to rejoin the Detroit police department in order to investigate the recent death of another narcotics officer. Teamed with Henry Oak (Ray Liotta), the former partner of the slain officer, the two are an odd-couple investigative team. Tellis is just trying to get his nice, safe desk job secured while Oak is channeling Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry), beating suspects and generally being the take-no-trash cop from days gone by. This is not to say that he's a perfect cop, far from it, but Liotta's near-psychotic portrayal lends a great deal of credence to his crusade to avenge his partner.\nThe movie falters in a few places, such as the interactions between Tellis and his infant son. It's a case of the filmmakers beating viewers over the head with the fact that Tellis is an emotional wreck who feels horrible for killing a child. While the baby angle is a bit much, the attitude of Tellis' wife, Audrey (Krista Bridges), is played perfectly, with just the right amount of anger and angst that results from her husband is going back to work. Her justifiable fear that he'll be sucked back into the world he's tried so hard to escape is entirely believable. \nThe second and most trivial spot where the film stumbles is with the sudden appearance of Busta Rhymes. He's not bad, it's just a bit jarring to see him appear, like Ted Danson's cameo in "Saving Private Ryan." It doesn't detract from the movie but it does crack the suspension of disbelief.\n"Narc" is a film that is well worth your time, especially if you're a fan of police stories.