Paul Newman is the best thing in "Fort Apache, the Bronx".
Most of you probably already knew that, but I wanted to get that out of the way before going on.
As for the rest of this movie, it's mostly a series of half-finished stories all lumped together without any feeling for the movie as a whole. Police corruption, drug addiction, urban drama...it's all thrown right and left and let the chips fall where they may. There are some good individual spots but none of them make the movie itself any richer or brighter.
Wahl is pretty much useless as Newman's partner, Asner is basically Lou Grant in a uniform and Grier again is a good actress in a nothing part.
All to look forward to here is Newman and he's small consolation where all about you is bleak desperation. And I don't mean the Bronx....
I mean the screenplay.
Two stars. For Newman's scant contributions and a bit part by Aiello. Oh, and nice "screaming-like-a-woman", Wahl.
Most of you probably already knew that, but I wanted to get that out of the way before going on.
As for the rest of this movie, it's mostly a series of half-finished stories all lumped together without any feeling for the movie as a whole. Police corruption, drug addiction, urban drama...it's all thrown right and left and let the chips fall where they may. There are some good individual spots but none of them make the movie itself any richer or brighter.
Wahl is pretty much useless as Newman's partner, Asner is basically Lou Grant in a uniform and Grier again is a good actress in a nothing part.
All to look forward to here is Newman and he's small consolation where all about you is bleak desperation. And I don't mean the Bronx....
I mean the screenplay.
Two stars. For Newman's scant contributions and a bit part by Aiello. Oh, and nice "screaming-like-a-woman", Wahl.