Ep. 35 - Bad Lieutenant & Dragged Across Concrete

This week, we are looking at the law of the street with Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant (1992) and S. Craig Zahler’s Dragged Across Concrete (2018).

We explore "cops crashing out," looking at how these films handle officers who have completely abandoned the rulebook. Bad Lieutenant serves as a visceral redemption story, suggesting that even the most irredeemable, drug-addled soul can find a moment of spiritual clarity.

In contrast, Dragged Across Concrete functions as a pulpy reactionist fantasy. It presents a world of "white persecution" where the line between the badge and the mask is non-existent. We discuss how Zahler frames cops and criminals as two halves of the same coin, locked in a slow-burn cycle of suspicion and violence.

🎬 Movies Discussed

Bad Lieutenant (1992, Dir. Abel Ferrara)

Dragged Across Concrete (2018, Dir. S. Craig Zahler)

🕰️Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:34 Bad Lieutenant

38:39 Dragged Across Concrete

1:09:08 Conclusion or Final Thoughts Regarding "Morality in Media"

📀 Physical Media Shoutouts

@KinoLorber and @Lionsgate

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💬 Join the Conversation

Does LT actually deserve redemption, or is Zahler's cynical worldview more realistic? Let us know in the comments.

#BadLieutenant #DraggedAcrossConcrete #AbelFerrara #SCraigZahler #Cinephile

Who is the ultimate "crash out" cop in your opinion?

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