Homicide - The Movie

Homicide - The Movie
by Jean de Segonzac

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Movie Reviews of Homicide - The Movie

Movie Review: A worthy finale for a worthy program
Summary: 5 Stars

In this case, I am not referring to the plot-line of the homicide squad's former commander, Al Giardello, being shot and the past and present members of his squad banding together to find the shooter. While that plot-line provides a credible reason for reuniting the team and gives viewers a final chance to revel in the way that "Homicide" emphasized the deductive skill of its detectives over their abilities with firearms, it's simply a means to an end. More often than not, the heart of "Homicide's" stories was the people behind the badges more so than the crimes they investigated.

Giardello's shooting is a cause for anger for some and reflection for others. In the case of Detective Bayliss, the reunion with his former partner Frank Pembleton (played by Emmy-winner Andre Braugher) and uncovering the mystery behind the shooting forces him to confront notions of right and justice which had been haunting him for months. This actually provides the movie's most dramatic scene, in the form of a powerful confrontation between Bayliss and Pembleton which almost certainly changes one man's life forever.

As for the other detectives, as some have observed, they don't really get a whole lot to do in the course of the film beyond eliminating various "red herrings" which allow Bayliss and Pembleton to get to the heart of the case. Here again, the investigation of crime is somewhat beside the point and secondary to the joy of seeing beloved (and in a couple cases hated) characters together again. In addition to the long-running partnership between Bayliss and Pembleton, we also get to see Richard Belzer and Ned Beatty as Munch and Bolander, still agreeing to disagree at nearly every turn. Of the original squad, only detectives Lewis and Howard are not reunited with their former partners, those detectives having been killed during the run of the show. That said, both of those characters, Steve Crosetti and Beau Felton, do make an appearance in what is probably the movie's most heartfelt scene.

Whether one is a long-time fan or someone new to "Homicide," the end result of watching this movie will most likely be an attempt to track down either re-runs (currently on Court TV) or other video releases from the series (of which there are few available). Even at its worst, "Homicide" was always worth watching, and at its best it was simply marvelous. This film is arguably not the very best episode of the program's run, but it is certainly an excellent reminder of how good television can be when a talented group of creative artists come together with the intention to make something really good.

Summary of Homicide - The Movie