The Negotiator (1998)

The Negotiator (1998)

 

7/10

Starring

Samuel L. Jackson

Kevin Spacey

David Morse

 

Directed by F. Gary Gray

 

Awesome movies will forever stand out and wade through time to remain relevant. The Negotiator bases itself on the strength of its dialogue and outstanding performances, delivering a simple story in a captivating way. It doesn’t rely heavily on character backstories but instead pulls you in with the stellar performances of its two leads, who navigate the conspiracy at the heart of the film.

I love how the movie keeps you guessing about who to trust. Even as the clouds start to clear, it still leaves you questioning who’s truly trustworthy. By the dramatic ending, when our lead Danny (Samuel L. Jackson) finally uncovers the truth, the film still manages to make you second-guess if you’ve grasped everything that’s going on.

The plot introduces us to Danny, a skilled hostage negotiator and a board member of the disability fund for his department. His friend Roenick had been investigating the fund and discovered that money was being embezzled. Roenick confided in Danny, saying he’d obtained the information from an informant. Things took a dark turn when Roenick was murdered before he could meet with Danny.

Danny became the chief suspect, being the first on the scene. To make matters worse, investigators uncovered an offshore bank account in his name with a suspiciously large balance. Accused of both murder and embezzlement, Danny maintained his innocence but was suspended.

Desperate to clear his name, Danny confronted Internal Affairs investigator Niebaum. During their heated exchange, things escalated, and Danny, faced with no other option, took drastic action. He held Niebaum hostage, along with an officer from his precinct and two others. Danny then demanded to negotiate only with another hostage negotiator—someone completely unrelated to his precinct, Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey).

What follows is a tense, gripping story as Danny finds himself increasingly out of his depth. Some are eager to kill him to cover up their involvement, while others seem willing to risk a violent resolution to end the standoff.

The movie was a mild box-office success but a strong critical one. Even after seeing it numerous times back in the early 2000s, watching it again still had me glued to the screen until the very end.

This film stands tall among the notable movies directed by F. Gary Gray, and for me, it’s my favorite from his repertoire. It’s also one of Samuel L. Jackson’s best performances, so if you have not seen it, then you have missed a gem.