There is an acting trick which I’ve seldom seen used despite it being very effective and that is changing the way an actor walks. Some actors walk the same way no matter the role. Denzil Washington and Scarlett Johansson come to mind. I noticed Dennis Quaid’s slumping gait changed his style in Smart People and now Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant gives his rogue detective a different look by walking like a guy with a bad back. From which his character, indeed, suffers. But to the film. Sensationally entertaining, darkly comedic, witty and refreshingly bizarre. A magnificent mess that is wacky and realistic at the same time. And we find Nicolas Cage in top form. The ending could have been a little tidier but I have no complaints. [ RT ]

Reviews so far on Werner Herzog’s “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” have been mixed.

The trailer looked like a ludicrous parody of a B-Movie, the poster, a straight-faced direct-to-DVD cover and various reviews have called it loony, ridiculous and over-the-top, in a bad way. Could it still be successful in an ironic manner or are the reviews just missing the wonder in the odd Herzogian sensibility? ● More from: The Playlist