Line of Duty

LINE of DUTY's plot is pretty standard fare, nothing terribly original. While there are one or two surprises, this film doesn't have the layers and complications it could easily have had. A lot of the nostalgia and sentiment regarding these four guys' life-long relationships with one another is contrived and badly acted, going too far in places, not far enough in others. The maudlin repetition of "One day does not define a man" kind of kills the point. To top it all off, the very generic title doesn't help much to distinguish this film. Still, the combination of shoot-'em-up cop vs. drug lord thriller and heartfelt soul drama is interesting and helps LINE of DUTY stand out a bit. The common dilemma regarding who're the good guys, who're the bad guys, is also very well-shown. Finally, the way it takes place in San Antonio instead of the usual LA or NYC is a nice touch.

Better acting by the main players would have helped this. Still, the four boys who play the central characters in their younger years did a fantastic job, as did some of the supporting cast, most notably Will Estes as "the Dealer."

Anyway, anyone who generally likes cop thrillers will probably find this worth watching and may even really love it.