Review

An enthralling police drama about corruption and redemption, Cop Land also marks the best performance of Stallone's career. Splendidly written and directed by Mangold (Heavy), the film is set in fictional Garrison, New Jersey, a small town mostly populated by New York City police officers. Stallone plays Freddie Heflin, Garrison's half-deaf sheriff who has unsuccessfully applied for the NYC police department and who is merely tolerated by those he most wants to be one of. When a young officer (Rapaport) is involved in an off-duty shooting, cover-up, betrayal and murder force Freddie to re-evaluate loyalties and he must summon the courage to stand up against men he has long admired. Stallone's characterization of Freddie is a subtle combination of frustration, longing, self-doubt and decency, and the actor manages to make Freddie sympathetic, pathetic and believable. Keitel is great as the cop who organized the police community and is their unofficial leader; and Liotta steals the film with his gritty, dynamic portrait of a cop on the edge.