Gere is hypnotic, writer Henry Bean's construction is entertainingly intricate, and director Mike Figgis knows how to turn on a subtle, authentic erotic heat.
Internal Affairs (1990)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:25
Fresh:22
Rotten:3
Average Rating:6.7/10
Synopsis: The plot of INTERNAL AFFAIRS is simple and familiar--good guy Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia) works for the internal affairs division of the LAPD and has to take down Dennis Peck (Richard Gere), a... The plot of INTERNAL AFFAIRS is simple and familiar--good guy Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia) works for the internal affairs division of the LAPD and has to take down Dennis Peck (Richard Gere), a corrupt officer. The twist is that the film is really about social change in America. Gere plays Peck as an iconoclastic force of nature; he charms everyone he meets, runs the force by trading favors and protecting his own, and has eight kids with four wives. He sees himself as a throwback to an older notion of manhood and professional effectiveness. Avila, on the other hand, is a hero but also--as Peck calls him--a yuppie, seeking promotion in the internal affairs division and involved in a childless marriage with a successful museum curator (Nancy Travis). As Peck pushes Avila's buttons, the situation is further complicated by Avila's Latin temper--a kind of suppressed, true ethnic self that increasingly reveals itself as the two men's struggle reaches a primal level. British director Mike Figgis is an outsider looking in, and his ideas about American society are to some extent generalizations, but nevertheless they have the ring of truth in this intense cop fable. [More]
Starring: Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, Nancy Travis, Laurie Metcalf
Starring: Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, Nancy Travis, Laurie Metcalf, Joseph Mazzello
Director: Mike Figgis
Director: Mike Figgis
Reviews for Internal Affairs
Figgis never lets the pace slow long enough to expose the story's thinness despite, in retrospect, a moderate amount of action.
A lurid, lightweight throw-together of cheap psycho-thrills which tries to dress itself up as something more substantial.
The conflict between Gere and Garcia is what carries the movie; deep beneath the macho brutality there's an almost homoerotic tint to their relationship. It makes for compelling stuff.
Yet another goofy credit in Gere's already overloaded resume of embarrassment -- although some may consider this one of those movies that's so silly it's good.
Internal Affairs delivers what it promises, and perhaps a little more. There's less action but more menace, and the pulse quickens as the plot drives relentlessly toward a conclusion that, in retrospect, can be seen as inevitable.
Internal Affairs is, for the dim movie season that is traditionally January, an unusually bright light.
Internal Affairs is all stylish visuals and no substance whatsoever. That may be an attempt to hide the silliness of Henry Bean's first-time screenplay, but it doesn't work.
Latest News for Internal Affairs
February 15, 2006:
Trailer Bulletin: Basic Instinct 2
We've been hearing about the possibility of a "Basic Instinct" sequel for several years now, and the thing's finally finished with and ready for release. It stars an... More...
April 19, 2005:
Get Ready for Another Dose of "Basic Instinct"
You've heard it mentioned for years, but production is (finally) about to get underway on "Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction." A follow-up to Paul Verhoeven's sexual... More...
More Movies
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 89% 89% | Up in the Air | 14/1 |
| | The Tooth Fairy | 14/1 |
| | Bran Nue Dae | 14/1 |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Internal Affairs at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!
Competitions

We're giving away copies of Judd Apatow's latest.



Top Critic


