Plot: Based on a true story, Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle and Buddy "Cloudy" Russo are New York City detectives who try to track down the source of heroin coming from Europe. After tracking on a hunch from Doyle, they discover mob members who are agents in bringing heroin to New York from France. So it's put to them to try to find the source and put a stop to them.
What can I really say? It's a very good thriller movie. The story is very well written to the point where the film won best adapted screenplay, it's historically accurate to what happened (at least that's what the National Film Registry says. I mean I don't know the real story, but if they called it that, then that's what it is), and it has memorable performances - most notably Gene Hackman as Doyle. AFI has ranked Doyle #44 on their 100 Heroes & Villains. And for the most part I can see why. Despite his personal problems he is willing to do whatever it takes to arrest drug dealers and bring them to justice. There are one or two moments where I feel he takes that a little too far, but nevertheless I understand AFI's choice for #44. This film is also known to have one of the most famous car chase sequences in film history. Doyle chasing the hit man was a great chase scene - it made the scene epic, it was very well edited and it had a pretty good payoff in the end. I also liked how Alain Charnier was as a villain. The end of the subway scene especially kind of makes it a little wonder that Doyle so desperately wants to catch this guy.
And that's my review for The French Connection. It's a great thriller with a great, story, great chase scene, a hero who I do question a little but at the same time understand why is so loved in the film world and is altogether an enjoyable movie and it's little wonder that it won best picture.
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