This is another collaboration of Oren Moverman, Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster after their terrific direction and performances in The Messenger, but Woody is not a somewhat goofy foil to Ben Foster anymore. If you didn't think you saw the full potential of Woody in The Messenger, then you may have a redemption in Rampart, as he plays an all out brutal and uncompromising cop. Ben Foster, on the other hand, bows down to take a less stellar role here; I didn't realize who was playing his part until I saw a few close-ups of the character, but his chemistry with Woody is mostly intact and there is some important dialog between these two. It's just, this is clearly Woody's vehicle, and nobody even comes close to his driver's seat.
Woody's Dave Brown makes his relentless attitude apparent early, when he's bent on grilling a young female cop for ordering excess food that she has no intention to consume. It's only the beginning of his alienation from every woman in his life, though. He treads on a self-destructive route as he eats, vomits, and ruts like a complete beast under a little influence. Near the end we're reminded that he is only a human after all, and that's when we also realize he probably hasn't raised a hand against a woman once. A beast with a heart - an oxymoron only experienced actors can make believable.
Woody's Dave Brown makes his relentless attitude apparent early, when he's bent on grilling a young female cop for ordering excess food that she has no intention to consume. It's only the beginning of his alienation from every woman in his life, though. He treads on a self-destructive route as he eats, vomits, and ruts like a complete beast under a little influence. Near the end we're reminded that he is only a human after all, and that's when we also realize he probably hasn't raised a hand against a woman once. A beast with a heart - an oxymoron only experienced actors can make believable.