Brooklyn's Finest

Brooklyn's Finest follows a growing trend in the motion picture industry of giving sympathetic reason for illegal activity making the particular criminal activity palatable to viewing masses. There are some good messages here but the film cannot be recommended for family viewing. 

Brooklyn's Finest can be classified as a police or societal tragedy.  A break down of main characters follows.

Sal’s wife suffers from asthma due to the wood mold in the walls of their small home. She is also expecting twins and Sal has been advised that because of the asthma one of the twins will be smaller than the other. The doctor also recommends moving to a different house. Sal is doing all he can to make this happen-- not all efforts are legal.

Detective Ronny Rosario is Sal’s friend and partner and appears to be the only one character in this police action tragedy with the right values.

Eddie has 7 days before he can retire, and he just wants to get to that day and retire before he succeeds in the daily suicide attempt that has become his morning ritual. 

• But he has involuntarily been assigned as a rookie training officer for his last 7 days.

• On a visit to a prostitute one night he sees a girl being beaten by her pimp. It is not his concern; and he does nothing.

• Later when he identifies the same girl in a missing persons poster he thinks about the arrest he could have made were he not simply serving out his last 7 days.

• On a visit to the prostitute following his retirement Eddie unwittingly leads her to believe he wants an exclusive retirement future with her only to modify his desire when she responds more exuberantly than expected. She shrinks back and asks him to leave, the exchange having revealed the difficulty in completing her desired career change. The forceful requests immediately catapults Eddie to suicide mode.  (The scene elicits my poetic interpretation of the moment.)

Tango is deep undercover, and wants out. He is so far under, he is in danger of becoming more of a criminal than a cop.

Federal Agent Smith gives us reason to continuing blaming the FEDS for all of our wrongs.

Caz rules his drug empire with the protection of his friend, Tango.

Brooklyn’s Finest is the story of three cops who if not for their circumstances would-be good cops. But as it is, they are three cops in need. Individually they are all pleading for help. An illustration of their need is found Sal’s confession to his priest: 

He confesses that he has killed a bad guy and he is asked whether he has prayed to God for guidance. He says he couldn’t do that because prayers are not going to give him what he needs. When he is told that God will forgive him because we are all imperfect creatures and led to sin, he responds in anger asking "why does God get all the glory?" He further states that he does not want God’s forgiveness, he wants God’s help! He immediately apologies to the priest and requests "a few Hail Marys and leaves before the priest can stop him.

Perhaps the real message here is that Believers should consider their role in their own salvation and continuing Christian life. As God has provided all that is needed to live the Christian life, we should seek him for it.  And Thank God, we can go direct.    

Brooklyn's Finest is also available in blu ray, Brooklyn's Finest [Blu-ray]

Proverbs 30:7-9 (KJV) Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: {8} Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: {9} Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.