Police Beat (2005) User Reviews

Excellent movie

[balldj · 8/10 · 6 November 2005]

I disagree greatly with the previous review. Yes, there is no actual mystery plot, but the movie was not a mystery nor was it supposed to be. Now I don't know what the "original script" called for, and frankly it doesn't matter. What we have is the finished movie and should take it as it has been created. The underlying plot WAS the inner conflict over the relationship between the bike cop and his girlfriend and the crimes that he encounters take a back stage to this.

The movie is filmed very softly and captures the contrast between the harsh realities of the city and the beauty of the scenery. This mirrors the conflict within the character and how he operates within his surroundings. The lead character is beauty surrounded by contrasting darkness as his relationship which is a contrast between deep love and deep pain. I believe that the filmmakers tackled this complex character with compassion but without a false intensity which makes the film both believable and human. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes to delve into issues of humanity, however if you are looking for a great cops and robbers story, you WILL be disappointed. And frankly, I'm happy that this story grew beyond simple archetypes.

Visually Striking and Poetic

[davenj · 8/10 · 16 April 2007]

Really one of the most beautiful low-budget films I've ever seen.

The lead actor is very compelling, and the idea of observing American life through an authority figure who is also an immigrant is really striking. And occasionally very funny.

The film as a whole has elements of David Lynch, as well as Linklater's "Slacker." But the sensibility is really not well described through reference to other films. It's really a one-of-a-kind piece of work.

The news in the final credits that all the incidents portrayed in the film were taken from actual police files was strangely disappointing, but when I later learned that the co-writer was the author of a "Police Beat" column in the Seattle alternative weekly, it made total sense.

Honestly, some of the images here are just absolutely singular. You've never seen anything quite like it.

Congratulations to all involved.

Interesting, if extremely flawed, location film.

[lear0 · 6/10 · 21 August 2005]

Police beat falls into the category of somewhat guilty pleasure for me, though certainly in a different way than most films typically relegated to that category.

It's a pleasure because being a Seattleite it's refreshing to see some of the cities lesser known but quite beautiful locations (gasworks park, for instance) shot beautifully on film for the first time. In addition I have to say that while an argument could be made that the African language narration was pretentious I found it fascinating, if for no other reason than that I always thought the idea of shooting an English language film with an abundance of subtitles would be an amusing experiment. There are also some rather funny scenes scattered throughout the movie, some of which work beautifully and others of which fail.

However it's a guilty one because plot wise it's thoroughly aimless and more than a bit pointless, acting wise it's very inconsistent, and overall it's a weak film. I have to admit a bit of a bias since I'm a volunteer at the place that produced and financed the film (nw film forum) and everyone around here worked on it in some way. The other reviewer's comment that just about everyone in the Seattle film scene worked on this movie isn't an exaggeration. In any case if you get a chance to see it I'd recommend you take it, if for no other reason than to see some beautiful Seattle scenery, a couple hilarious scenes, and more than anything a film experience I can guarantee you won't have had before.

Excellent dark comedy from the 206

[mrleung21 · 10/10 · 21 June 2005]

I have serious doubts as to if the first reviewer has actually seen this film, or if he is just a disgruntled extra. As I am writing this, the film has only been showed twice.

The film is absolutely hilarious, especially with the some of satire of Seattle opinion. The Bike Cop once types in his computer how he "confronted the tree" then backspace's, and enters "rude tree". I almost fell out of my seat with this scene.

Everything about this film is original. The plot, the cast, the protagonist (Muslim-African Bike Cop?), cinematography, etc. It's truly refreshing to see such an inventive type film come from Seattle.

The entire crowd at the first showing of this film at Seattle International Film Festival loved the film, and I have to assume, the first reviewer has some sort of a "beef" with the director.

Forget it, Jake. It's Seattle.

[porterbhall · 8/10 · 17 July 2006]

I'm a crime film fan. This is not a crime film. The crime in this film is not a part of the plot, but rather a part of the setting.

The film is about an immigrant, far from his family, struggling to deal with the complex rules of 21st century American love. His heartache is the constant foreground of this movie, displayed as internal monologue in Wolof and written as English subtitles. The criminals and victims we see provide a lurid backdrop for his despair.

The filmmakers have created a Seattle here that is so beautiful and intricate that it becomes a de facto character in the story. Seattle demands his constant attention, but his thoughts always drift to his absent girlfriend. While investigating a murder threat, he asks to use the victim's phone so he can check for messages from her.

The movie is a wonderful twist on past and present police procedurals. Z is the opposite of Joe Friday, that crime-solving automaton from Dragnet. Z finds common-sense solutions to Seattle's problems, ending most of his reports with "investigated and released." The movie is very funny in subtle ways: the inanity of the criminals and victims, the general goofiness of Seattle, and Z's own saddle-sore walk that recalls at once both John Wayne and Barney Fife. Beckoning a confused old man out of Elliot Bay, Z tells him, "You must come out of the water. This water is for ships, not for humans." If you've been frustrated in love, it will be easy for you to identify and root for Z. He wants to put her out of his mind, but he just can't.

Who was the Bush Assassian?

[LuckyStar3_17 · 11 June 2005]

One of the best characters in the whole film was not listed on IMDb. The Bush Assassian was incredibly funny and helped the film get a twist of humor in this dramatic plot. You have the purse snatcher listed whose face was never even seen and Rachel's neighbor...why? What about the rest of the cast that actually had interesting scenes and dialog? I would like to know who the rest of the cast is and where I can find them in the future. There was also a little problem with the sound on the girlfriends messages... did anyone understand what she was saying? Don't get me wrong I think this was a good film but it certainly could have used a little sound work. But I would once again like to state that in the cast listings that ALL cast should be listed not just 8.

A seven-day tour in the Delusional City of Grunge... on a bicycle.

[Vomitron_G · 7/10 · 26 February 2008]

I've always had a soft spot for offbeat film-makers, especially when their work shows a lot of eccentricity. Director Robinson Devor already manages to establish himself as such a film-maker with his debut film POLICE BEAT. It's a perfect example of how a good film often isn't exactly for the general crowd.

Expect a sort of docu-style work of fiction when entering POLICE BEAT. The plot forms an anecdotal whole where the bigger part of the screenplay is based on authentic police reports. The pivot character in all this, is protagonist Z. He's the red chord that connects all the unrelated events. Freshly imported from the dusty regions of Senegal, he already gets lucky when taking up on the opportunity to become a Seattle police officer. The only little catch is: Instead of getting a real patrol vehicle, his employers hook him up with… a bicycle.

Z spends his time patrolling on his bike through town, checking out various complaints by citizens and misdemeanors in general, and the audience gets the chance to witness him do his job over the course of one week. Soon Z finds himself getting mixed up in numerous events that simply taunt all imagination. All possible criminal subject matters are featured in POLICE BEAT (theft, prostitution, drug delicts, murder, racism,… you just name it). All characters he encounters, range from "slightly odd" to "completely insane". It sometimes gives POLICE BEAT a hilarious touch. It provides perfect counterweight to the movie's true nature: a profound portrait of a young man coming to terms with his strange new environment. His constant wandering thoughts about his lost girlfriend (is she ever coming back?) provide the other half of the movie's perfectly split personality. And strangely, it all works quite well.

POLICE BEAT also has a lot more cinematographic qualities than what you'd usually expect from this type of movies. There's no shaky camera or quickly spinning pov-shots when the spectator follows Z around on his bicycle patrols. Graphically, and regarding contents, a lot of images are so strong that they often speak for themselves. The opening-shot (the dead body of a man floating in the water) is already a nice example. And there's plenty more to discover during the movie. Some of them might even make you think and wonder about things. That's what I call a strong visual language, and also kudos to director of photography Sean Kirby for accomplishing great shots with limited resources (after all, this is an independent film). The photography and registrations are almost as cool as Z's philosophical reflections. Part of the movie features a lot of voice-over work, were we can here Z doing some monologues in Wolof (a native dialect from Senegal). They're often quite humorous (in a dry manner), and one of my favorites was hearing Z's amusing theories on 'problems'. And by the time that scene ended, he also managed to get rid of his own, personal problem (which had been haunting him throughout the whole movie) in an incredibly simple but highly efficient fashion. And there's more moments like this that might cause some chuckles. That one dude on his bicycle, for example, who openly admits he would kill the president if someone would give him the opportunity. So funny seeing Z straighten out that situation again with his sober ways. And then there was this naked woman running through the park, with Z chasing her on his bike... Just see this movie, you won't regret it.

With POLICE BEAT, Robinson Devor delivers an out of the ordinary, well-balanced picture. As much as it's rather serious, it can also get pretty absurd. With no real beginning and no real ending. If this debut film is a good taste of Devor's things to come, then I'm very much ready for a bigger piece of that cake. So I'm looking forward seeing Devor's second film, the controversial ZOO.

Self-indulgent tripe. But the cinematography is beautiful!

[b-uruncle · 2/10 · 21 June 2008]

Where to begin with this one? I grew up in Seattle and when I heard a locally produced film featuring Seattle's lush imagery was available, well... I'm here, right? More 'fartsy' than 'artsy' the writer/director/whoever's responsible decided story elements like actual character development, thematic narratives and, heck, even plot aren't needed. Instead, they offer up this self-indulgent mess of crap dialog, so-so acting and plain 'ol bad editing in lieu of anything relevant, entertaining or insightful.

Basically, if you lapped up "The Brown Bunny", you might enjoy this. But for most viewers it will quickly become an exercise in banal self-righteousness.

On the plus side, yes, the cinematography is quite stunning.

This is such a wonderful movie I can't believe it.

[UnderTheStairs · 10/10 · 21 November 2005]

I couldn't agree more with the reviewer before me. This is such a wonderful movie I can't believe it. I just saw it at the Stockholm Film Festival and it is the best movie of the 7 I have seen yet. I think it really speaks to us here in Sweden since Seattle seems to have common scenery and weather. The sort of dry, low-key humor in this movie is as stated before hilarious.

This movie is about nothing, but still about everything. It deals mostly with Z's (the main characters) worries about his girlfriend who has gone camping with a male friend. It takes you trough a wide spectrum of feelings and this movie really got to me. The scene were Z calls is answering machine and hears the message from his girlfriend, explaining why she hasn't called made me feel so...well... completely at ease with myself, and that dark, cold and rainy evening in Stockholm got so much better.

So, go see this film since we need to acknowledge directors like this. I bet you won't be disappointed.

Identity of "Bush Assassin" revealed!

[anohito · 5/10 · 21 July 2006]

Hey, LuckyStar, I just watched this movie and saw the name of the actor who played the "Bush Assassin." His name is Jim Newman.

As a Seattlite, I really liked seeing all the familiar settings, like the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Gasworks Park, Smith Tower, and others.

The lack of plot and dramatic tension limited my ability to enjoy this, but I found the main character to be interesting, complex, surprising, and occasionally very funny. Also, some of those bizarre crime episodes were pretty entertaining, as some of you have already said.

I can't recommend this to film-goers who require a compelling plot, but if you like an original character study, give it a shot.

Beautiful, engrossing

[benjamin22 · 9/10 · 2 October 2007]

Don't bother with the review of this film that clearly comes from a jilted Seattle local, this is a beautiful film. A pure mood from start to finish, the entire film is an experience inside the mind of the protagonist. Terrence Malick is the closest comparison in terms of style, but these days I find referencing him to be cliché.

I decided to start this film at 2:00 AM and fully expected to get tired after the first fifteen minutes but I was glued to the screen the whole way through. I have a great appetite for 'obscure' and 'difficult' films, but this was totally watchable and I would recommend it to even the most artistically ignorant of people because the art in this film is built on a foundation of empathy. If you liked Godard's "Hail Mary" then you will probably like this, but if you don't have to have even heard of "Hail Mary" or Godard to enjoy this because everyone has the capacity for empathy.

Just watch this film, it is short and has a constant pace. And when you finish it may or may not be your favorite film, but I refuse to believe you will hate it.

Recommended to anyone who appreciates Cinema as art.

Misconceived Seattle Indie production

[peterghsd · 4/10 · 10 June 2005]

Local Indie production filmed in Seattle over many months with enormous contributions of labor and material from underpaid (or unpaid) locals. Misconceived from beginning (main character's interior monologue, primarily heartsickness over his girlfriend's 5 day camping trip with another man, is in Senegalese with English subtitles). Huh?

The original film script was much more complex with a murder mystery motif. This film resulted from severe editing, for which viewer should probably be grateful. Some intended humor. Sound is spotty throughout. Minor continuity issues.

Second half of film is better and hits a pleasant groove where humor and heart are visible.

Overall, somewhere between bad and not embarrassing. Not recommended unless you long for Seattle scenery (plenty, lovely) and/or are related to cast or crew. This may cover half of Seattle's Indie film community.

Let us hope this director does not make another movie.

Emotionally powerful, unique

[Loudog3 · 10/10 · 17 July 2006]

A patrol cop on a mountain bike? I decided to see it to enjoy the scenery. But, this movie caught me off guard. I cannot recall a film that better captures the overpowering sense of painful obsession that results from suspicion and jealousy over a separated loved-one. If you have ever slept expectantly with the phone on your pillow, you may know the feeling. In under 2 hours Police Beat faithfully portrays a complex set of emotions which might require a long novel to communicate as effectively. This film made my heart pound. The backdrop of Seattle captures the best of what the city has to offer, with dramatic settings from diverse neighborhoods and artistic lighting. This is a compelling movie for those who love the city of Seattle.

good movie, some spoilage

[byaeck · 10/10 · 15 October 2005]

Saw this film at the Vancouver film festival and really enjoyed the film. Some really funny scenes with a bully tree from the dead, a hippie saying he'd kill Bush, as well as some other really interesting events. The twist being, is that all th events actually come from police reports. Also there was some really beautiful shots of Seattle that nicely capture the beauty of the city. The lead character Z was really well put together and his experience of living in a new land puts him in an interesting perspective and the hard adjustment is something many can relate to. As well as the girlfriend who never calls. ;)

Gorgeous, true, strange

[bartreynolds · 10/10 · 7 February 2008]

Okay, so I registered on IMDb after years of use just to counter the other comment I saw. This film rocked. Lyrical, gentle, raw, and new-making. I've lived in Seattle for many years now, and this film showed me visions I'll dream happily about in my old age.

It's contemplative, not exactly action-packed, but definitely action-filled. The counterpoint between the narrative and the on-screen action is true to the city, more than any art I've ever experienced.

Highly recommended, but watch it with somebody you like.

--- Ah, okay. The machine wants more lines in this review. So much for brevity, and here I thought I was being long-winded. The scene in Gasworks park alone makes the movie worth seeing. I can't imagine that I'd like this movie so well if I lived in some easterly nether- regional city, but for us Pacific Coasters, its a delight.

I loved it and can't wait for another chance to see it

[abirdsings · 8/10 · 20 April 2008]

The thoughts the officer had while performing some mundane or grisly duties are not at all unusual in lines of work that deal with tragedy and death. Not every thought one has at work is with regard to the victim or patient or body-- in fact, many thoughts do not. It's a self preservation skill that those from the outside looking in aren't always familiar with. Nor is the profundity of some of the thoughts. His observations aren't pretentious. Any intelligent person placed in a similar situation would be likewise philosophical. Some reviewers have a hard time grasping these concepts.

I really loved this movie. The narration was great. A lot of people with traumatic/tormenting types of careers will relate to this film- the way one must go on doing one's job, no matter how gruesome- meanwhile, like anyone else, one is preoccupied with one's own personal life, and at other times, consumed with the absurdity of everyday events. I think the film captured this very, very well. I can't wait to see it again.

By the way, I'm not from Seattle, nor do I care for that particular climate, nor am I connected to any film industry or anything. I'm just a regular person who has held the kinds of jobs one needs to completely disconnect from, who happened to be changing the channels at the time this was airing on Sundance Channel.