Being part of a family of cops could be bad. Why? Pride and Glory tells you.

Pride and Glory (2008)

Director: Gavin O'Connor

Stars: Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight

I remember watching Pride and Glory  at the cinema when it came out a few years ago. The film came hot on the heels of We Own The Night months after its release. A similar veined story about family life when practically everyone was a cop, this one had Marky Mark Walhberg and Joaquin Phoenix (before he went dooladdy). In comparison, We Own The Night was set in the 80s and Pride and Glory is a more modern take on the story. Personally, both are equally good films to watch if you’re a fan of gritty cop dramas especially after watching stuff like The Wire.

Basic plotline with Pride and Glory sees the relationships between a detective (Norton), his commanding officer brother (played by Noah Emmerich), their fellow officer brother in law (Farrell) and their father (Voight), who oddly enough is a higher up in the police authority too. This family of cops fragile relationship is pulled to near breaking point after a vicious multiple murder of cops during a drugs busts. Norton’s investigation soon turns up some nasty sour home truths inside Police HQ.

Pride and Glory is well executed. It won’t go down as the greatest moment in cop dramas but it has its moments. Moments of troubled family life and bonding are captured perfectly well against the usual clichéd backdrop of cop corruption. Pride and Glory succeeds in making being part of the police a sordid and almost depressing affair. Likely to attain a healthy balance of doing the right thing and having to live the consequences. Having a good talented cast with figures like Norton and Voight give proceedings its extra polish.

I forgot how unhinged Farrell’s character is in Pride and Glory. You want to know what I’m talking about, there’s one scene in the film that is a standout. A cop, a suspect, the suspect’s wife, the suspect’s baby, and an iron. It’s a chilling scene that adds to the bleakness of proceedings.

It ticks the boxes like any cop drama but it shouldn’t be ignored because of it. If you like your cop dramas, Pride and Glory is worth a look at the very least.