An undercover narc dies, the investigation stalls, so the Detroit P.D. brings back Nick Tellis, fired 18-months ago when a stray bullet hits a pregnant woman. Tellis teams with Henry Oak, a friend of the dead narc and an aggressive cop constantly under the scrutiny of internal affairs. They follow leads, informants turn up dead, Nick’s wife is unhappy he’s back on the street, Henry’s protective of the dead cop’s wife. Nick reads and re-reads the case file, broods, watches Oak’s heavy-handed style, sometimes joining in. The brass want to close out the case, Nick and Henry stay on it, and bits of evidence point them to an auto body shop. What actually happened; will Nick ever know? —IMDb
Joseph Aaron “Joe” Carnahan (born May 9, 1969) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, producer and actor best known for his films Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane,Narc, Smokin’ Aces and The A-Team. He is the brother of screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan.
Raised in Michigan and Northern California, Carnahan became employed in the promotional department of Sacramento’s KMAX-TV, producing short films and television spots.
In 1998 he won some cult and critical acclaim for his film Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane which premiered in September 1997 at the New York’s Independent Feature Film Market and later at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.
He directed the 2002 Detroit set thriller Narc, starring Ray Liotta and Jason Patric. At one point he was solicited to direct Mission: Impossible III, produced by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner (who also executive produced Narc), however he subsequently left the production due to conflicting views on the tone of the… read more
I've been meaning to see it for years but it didn't do much for me....I will watch it again and hopefully will enjoy it more.
This film needs more recognition. I was totally blown away by the opening scene, and also by Ray Liotta's high class performance. The other things I like about the film are the stark editing,especially when the duo sets out for their investigation, and the 'theatrical' appearance brought out through its cinematography.
NARC has one of the most intense opening chases I've seen in a movie in recent memory. Carnahan has crafted a thriller that works in the vein of crime films by guys like William Friedkin (who talks about the film on the DVD incidentally). It's an overlooked gem with great performances, even if it does end a bit too quickly.
This is a film with something a little different a police thriller that uses experimental camera work in some scenes not only to help tell the story but to heighten it. The film starts off with a jump… read review