The French Connection (1971)

During your first viewing of TFC you might think it's taking a long time narrowing its focus to a defining event, but the constant chase is that event. The film is basically one long, taut-as-fuck pursuit that’s mostly but not completely from the perspective of NY detectives ‘Popeye’ Doyle and ‘Cloudy’ Russo, Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, respectively. When not chasing they’re generally tailing or sitting in a stakeout. Their NY is unequivocally grimy and the cinematography gritty, a no frills backdrop to pure drama, all processed though a lens of semi-documentary style realism.

NOTE: Considering a blu-ray purchase? Do some research first or you may end up with the recoloured version that Friedkin thought was a good idea.

4 train doors out of 5