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List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Miramax Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 14663
Released: June 1, 2004 |
| Our Price: $5.87 |
| Used Price: $4.61 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
This tense action-thriller explodes with nonstop excitement and riveting star performances! Sylvester Stallone (SPY KIDS(TM) 3-D: GAME OVER, DRIVEN) stars as Freddy Heflin, the sheriff of a place everyone calls "Cop Land" -- a small and seemingly peaceful town populated by the big city police officers he's long admired. Yet something ugly is taking place behind the town's peaceful facade. And when Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents, he is forced to take action -- and make a dangerous choice between protecting his idols ... and upholding the law! Robert De Niro (ANALYZE THAT!, MEET THE PARENTS), Harvey Keitel (RED DRAGON, U-571) and Ray Liotta (IDENTITY, JOHN Q) head an incredible cast in this critically acclaimed and unforgettable motion picture!
Description of Cop Land (Exclusive Director's Cut) (Miramax Collector's Edition):
After making a critically acclaimed debut with the low-budget independent drama Heavy, writer-director James Mangold took on this gritty crime drama, which was highly touted as Sylvester Stallone's long-awaited return to a serious dramatic role. With an illustrious cast of costars, including GoodFellas alumni Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Ray Liotta, Stallone plays Freddy Heflin, the ineffectual sheriff of a New Jersey suburb that a group of corrupt New York cops have turned into their own off-duty criminal empire. Deaf in one ear and desperate to prove his worth, the sheriff takes on the cops with standoffish assistance from an Internal Affairs cop (De Niro), resulting in an explosive climactic showdown. The stellar cast can't be beat, and Stallone is quite good as the overweight cop whose pride is on the line. Mangold's script is wildly uneven, but the film still packs a white-knuckled punch. --Jeff Shannon
Cop Land (Exclusive Director's Cut) (Miramax Collector's Edition) Reviews:
Stalone shows his chops 
2009-06-17 - The true mark of an good actor is to take chances. That's exactly what Sly Stallone did in Copland. He even went as far to gain some weight to play the part. While the storyline gets a little predictable near the end it's the characters that you are drawn too and what makes Copland a true joy to watch. This is well worth having in your video library and not just because of Stallone but because the movie itself draws you in until the very end. Well done.
HAPPY CUSTOMER 
2009-06-04 - MY GRANDSON'S FAVORITE OLDER MOVIE. HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR IT FOR A WHILE AND SHOULD HAVE REALIZED ANYTHING YOU WANT YOU CAN FIND AT AMAZON. IT WAS HERE WITHIN 3 DAYS. I LOVE MY AMAZON ACCOUNT!
Stallone's most enjoyable role to watch since Rocky
2009-01-15 - Sylvester Stallone gives perhaps his best performance since Rocky, the film that put his career into stellar status. Here he has to play against type, sort of (it's hard to say what type Stallone usually plays since Rocky is so unlike Rambo). He clearly is a loser (a somewhat inept but well-meaning guy who has had more than his share of tough breaks) who ultimately redeems himself but then doesn't become a larger-than-life hero in the process. It's sort of like Rocky without the acclaim of going the distance in the ring.
Ray Liotta (as a cop who may be very corrupt but who also gets very close to the sheriff) is equally good. Their two characters' and their relationship are key to understanding and appreciating the story fully, so this movie rises into four-star status because of how the fine performances from them play out in close interaction.
The story has been summarized and analyzed elsewhere, so I will be very brief in what is going to be a very brief review. The film makes great use of NYC and NJ settings, giving it an automatic authenticity. There is a great supporting cast. You could even say the overall effect is an ensemble acting film.
Stallone plays the 'Sheriff of Cop Land'. He is a local hero of a small NJ town across the river from NYC. He couldn't become a real 'COP' because of an ear injury he suffered as a teenager while saving the girl/woman who would become the unrequited love of his life (she doesn't return that love). So he gets to be sheriff of the town where many NYC cops make their home.
Things come to a crisis not simply because some of the NYC cops in the town are caught up in an elaborate corruption scheme. They also reach a climax because the Sheriff of Cop Land wants to know the truth and wants to be taken seriously by the very guys he has always worshipped.
This film is loaded with celebrity acting talent; the only way it could have got made was they waived their usual salaries in order to be in it. Robert De Niro gives a fine performance as an internal affairs cop investigating the bad cops (led by Harvey Keitel).
The scenario upon which the film is predicated plays out as largely unbelievable (a NYC cop, after driving home from a party, shoots and kills two joy riders because he thought they had a weapon and had taken a shot at him, and his fellow cops come up with a scheme to make it appear he has killed himself to avoid charges while keeping him hidden in the NJ town).
This unbelievable scenario makes Harvey Keitel's role problematic, although he does a nice turn trying to keep his part of the film together so it makes sense.
I thought to some extent the female talent in this film, such as Janeane Garofalo (as a deputy in the suburban town) and Annabella Sciorra (as the woman the sheriff longs after), didn't really have roles that gave them enough character development or screen time.
Sly holds his own among some of the finest actors out there
2008-06-08 - Sly plays a human being for a change--and I dug the hell out of it. He only raises his voices once--during a shouting match with the always convincing Ray Liotta.
Entire cast is amazing. You know who they are, so there is no need to list all the names.
Smartly written and directed by the talented James Mangold. This is a real movie (for grownups) and not some mindless shoot-'em up.
Mangold, as writer, first and foremost, understands the importance of strong character development and the stories he tries to tell (usually) have substance and are about something.
Sly 
2008-03-25 - If you like Sly you might not like this one. If you like Film, and dislike Sly for the most part, you might want to check this one out. Copland is a fresh flick with a strong cast. Special Features are good, soundtrack is kinda fresh too.
Buy used at least.
