One of the sleeper movies of the year, Brookylns Finest, was released in March with mixed reviews, but that didn't stop avid action junkies from flooding the theaters looking for an interesting twist on an old story line. Due to the efforts of writer Michael C. Martin and directory Antoine Fugua, this film has made the list of one of the top cop movies since 1973 as well as grossed more profits than expected. Set in the 65th precinct of New York City's Police Department, the problems of living in the inner city all come to light in this well acted film.

One of the main strengths of this film is in the top ranked stars that chose to participate. Many personalities such as Ethan Hawke, Richard Gere, Ellen Barkin, Wesley Snipes, Lili Taylor, Don Cheadle, and many more fill the screen with talent and dedication while paying tribute to some of the hardest working men and women in the world today. We follow the lives, stories, and career paths of three officers played by Gere, Hawke, and Cheadle who end up coming together at the end of the show in a single location, but for very different reasons. The result is a night filled with terror and intrigue as the lifestyle of the area is revealed in its true form.

The film was shot around the New York area including Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the city itself which allows viewers to see the complexity of the area which makes up an urban center of this magnitude. Action-packed sequences keep viewers on the edge of their seats and are intertwined, and complicate by, the personal lives of the three key players. In one of the first scenes, two men talking in a car results in the death and robbery of one only to find out that the shooter was a cop.

For many in the law enforcement field there is a thin line between what is right and what is wrong and this is often complicated by problems unfolding in their personal lives. Money problems, near retirement, undercover work, and much more affects the decisions made on a daily basis and often creates the automatic responses many police officers rely upon to survive. The development of the story line in this film comes to a neat conclusion, although unexpected, when the three key players wind up in the same location at the same time for very different reasons.

The story that unfolds is intriguing for various reasons, one of which it is based on the personal experiences of writer Michael Martin. The writer grew up in this area of New York and is written in such a way as to help viewers unfamiliar with the area, to appreciate the difficulty of living in this area. Although it was filmed on a modest budget, due to the fact many of the actors felt it was a story that needed to be told, their lesser incomes helped bring the film to completion.

It was first viewed at the Sundance 2009 Film Festival as well as in September of the same year at the Venice Film Festival. It was here that it was picked up for distribution, but financial problems with the company delayed the release. It was only after it was acquired by Overture Films for $3 million dollars did it finally hit the big screen and what an acquisition it was. The critics found it predictable, but mass audiences seemed to disagree due to excellence in acting by the cast.

However, as with all critics they do not take into account the personal tastes of mass audiences. Coming in at #11 in the all-time "Dirty Cop Movie" category (based on releases from 1973 to the present), this film saw $13 million in profits in its first week coming in at #2 behind Alice in Wonderland. During its theater run it gross over $27 million dollars and once released internally earned an addition #34 million.

For those wanting to see what all the hype is about and why it's #1 in DVD sales, it should be noted that Brookylns Finest is rated R because of drug content, violence, nudity, and sexual overtones. Despite what the critics have said it is a fast-paced, action-packed, thrill ride that will satisfy even the most discerning tastes for a real life drama.