Brooklyn’s Finest are not the kindest

Brooklyn’s Finest is an action-packed drama that covers events surrounding the complicated lives of three police officers, Sal (Ethan Hawke), Tango (Don Cheadle) and Eddie (Richard Gere), who are not associated with one another.  The circumstances of their individual situations leads them to the BK Housing Projects, which is located in the highest crime precinct in the heart of Brooklyn, New York.  There are all sorts of illegal activities going down.  Each of these officers finds themselves in a position that makes him question what side of the law he is on. 

Sal is a desperate man with an irrational mindset.  Married with seven children, the SWAT Team officer is strapped for cash.  His police officer’s salary can only afford rent for a small, mold-infested home.  If his wife were not an asthmatic, Sal would probably try to stick it out.  He turns to sticking up drug dealers and gang members in the BK Projects, who are known to have large sums of cash in their possession. 

Tango has been an undercover cop in the BK Projects for so long that he is confused about who he is.  When a promising black youth is gunned down by a police officer who was trying to rob him, Tango’s superiors get a visit from officials in Washington. They want to blame the incident on Casanova Phillips (Wesley Snipes), Tango’s good friend, who has just been released from prison after serving eight years.  Tango decides that loyalty to his friend is more important than getting his long-awaited promotion.  His double life has already cost him his marriage.  When Tango finds out that the FBI and police join forces with a snitch in Casanova’s crew.  He tries to warn Casanova. 

Eddie is a 20-year veteran of the 65th precinct.  He has earned the reputation of being an alcoholic loser. Just as he approaches his last week of service before retiring, Eddie is given the assignment to assist with the training of rookie patrol officers, and he is unhappy with the task.  As his career comes to an end, Eddie witnesses many incidents that require police intervention and decides to turn a blind eye to these events.  He only has to make it through the next seven days.  On the night he retires, Eddie sees a guy in a van pushing a girl around and recognizes the girl.  Her picture is posted at the police station as missing and he follows the van to the BK projects. Now that he is officially retired, Eddie decides to listen to his conscience. 

All three officers cross paths ending up at a multiple crime scene, on the same night, at the BK Housing Projects.  This film points out the different challenges that an officer can face while just trying to do his job.  The biggest battle they face is when the job affects their family life and personal well-being.  It is not always easy doing the right thing.  The characters in this motion picture demonstrate that sometimes it is too easy to do the wrong thing.