Am I watching Crash? Donnie Brasco?  Or maybe The Departed?  No.  It's Brooklyn's Finest which is the new movie directed by Antione Fuqua and written by Michael C. Martin.  Brooklyn's Finest opens the door into the lives of three separate cops in Brooklyn, New York with very different agendas. 

Eddie:  Veteran actor, Richard Gere, plays what most believe to be an old washed-up cop who is no stranger to the bottle.  With seven days until his retirement from the force, Eddie is asked to mentor some young rookie cop for a new police initiative.  After spending a lifetime on the police force day-in and day-out, he has lost the desire 'To Protect and Serve'.  Or at least he did until he meets the rookie cop that makes him grow his conscience back.

Tango:  An undercover cop posing as a drug dealer and the right-hand man of drug kingpin Caz (Wesley Snipes) is played by Don Cheadle.  Tango is like any ambitious cop.  He wants to move up in the ranks and make 'detective'.  So he starts out basically doing whatever the higher-ups tell him that is until he gets tired of the corrupt cops and racial profiling in his district.

Sal:  A young police officer who just can't seem to keep his hands off of drug money is played by Ethan Hawke.  Sal is making the standard cop's low salary while living in a small, cramped, mold-infested house with his wife and kids.  And knowing that his wife is pregnant with twins on the way, he eagerly yearns for something better.  When the health of his wife and unborn children are in danger due to the moldy conditions of his house, he decides he will do what it takes to get his hands on some money.

I did enjoy this movie and thought it was entertaining.  Now is it better than Crash?  Of course not.  Donnie Brasco?  Not even close.  I would say it is similar to Training Day.  It has the revolving story of cops dealing with corruption as well as their conscience.  But Brooklyn's Finest just didn't have the level of characterization that other movies like The Departed or Crash had.  I did feel like I got to know Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke's characters, but I was left disappointed with Don Cheadle.  Excuse me, I mean Don Cheadle's character.  I could never be disappointed with Don Cheadle.  But I was left wanting to know more about his character's circumstances.  I just don't feel like the script allowed the audience to do that.  And then there's Wesley Snipes who gave a so-so performance that just wasn't memorable to me.  He didn't demand the screen like he usually does.  Don't get me wrong, I know Snipes is a talented actor.  He's been M.I.A. for a while and just getting back into the game.  But I remember watching New Jack City and thinking no one could have played that part but him.  That wasn't the case with this movie.  On screen he looked so tired and a 40-yr gangsta with corn rows just wasn't appealing.  But I'm sure Wesley will be slowing easing his way back to greatness.    

The absolute best part about the movie was the directing.  This movie has some great scenes courtesy of director Antoine Fuqua.  In some of the last scenes of the movie at the climax, Fuqua keeps you on your toes while the movie camera peeks around corners and hallways slowly and teasingly revealing the unknown fate of the three starring characters.