City of Industry

Wasting away in Tarantino-ville. This dishonor-among-thieves film noir unfolds in the gritty outskirts of Los Angeles where Harvey "I'm my own police" Keitel stalks Stephen Dorff, who has killed Keitel's brother and heisted a cache of stolen diamonds. Keitel's characteristic take-no-prisoners intensity is the whole show. Dirty Harvey administers beatings to the riffraff and scuzzballs who don't volunteer information and, in a scene reminiscent of Bad Lieutenant, the grief-stricken Keitel wails and smashes furniture in a hotel room. It's a bravura performance, but Dorff and, especially, Timothy Hutton as Keitel's ill-fated brother, are too lightweight to portray lowlife toughs. Not recommended. (K. Lee Benson)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 17, 2017—Kino Lorber, 97 min., R, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its Blu-ray debut, 1997's City of Industry features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by filmmaker Steve Mitchell and film historian Nathaniel Thompson. Bottom line: a fine Blu-ray release of a disappointing Tarantino wanna-be flick.]