It's the 1988 National League Championship Series between the Mets and the Dodgers. A corrupt nameless NYPD lieutenant (Harvey Keitel) is getting in deep with his gambling. He's a drug addict, sexual pervert, and as dirty as they come. A nun is raped in church and the lieutenant is one of the investigator.

This is one of the great performances. Keitel creates a great cinematic character. Some of the scenes do last a little too long but they are meant to showcase the character. At first, I thought the rape was fake and I was going to call it out. Instead, it becomes a central theme of the movie and delivers a powerful punch.

In New York, a corrupt and abusive NYPD Lieutenant (Harvey Keitel) is addicted in drugs and gambling and has a great debt with a shark. He takes advantage of his authority to make deals with drug dealers and criminals to get drugs and dirty money and his bookmaker advises him that he owes money to dangerous people. When a nun is brutally raped by two youngsters, the Lieutenant chases the criminals but the nun tells him that she had forgiven the punks. The Lieutenant is affected by her religious principles and asks Jesus to help him.

"Bad Lieutenant" is one of my favorite films by Abel Ferrara with a great story of addiction, corruption, forgiveness and redemption. Last time I had seen this film was on 27 September 2000 and after seeing once again, I realize that "Bad Lieutenant" is a timeless movie that has not aged. Harvey Keitel has one of the best performances of his successful career in the role of a dirty cop that finds redemption in the end. Unfortunately this film is only available on VHS in Brazil. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Vício Frenético" "Frantic Addiction")

Note: On 21 February 2017, I saw this film again.

Harvey Kietel snorts and boozes his way through the titular role in this corrupt cop drama and thanks to the power of the star, watching him makes for compelling viewing. As a film, BAD LIEUTENANT is Abel Ferrera's exploration of Catholic angst, beginning with a typical DIRTY HARRY-type vibe but eventually turning into something completely different by the end.

Along the way there's plenty of explicit drug abuse and the kind of grittiness that Scorcese did so well back in the 1970s. Kietel is on superb form, and watch out for his outstanding breakdown that recalls the ending of RESERVOIR DOGS.