MovieChat Forums > Cop (1988) Discussion > question - big hole (spoilers)

question - big hole (spoilers)

posted 15 years ago by FilmTx
3 replies | jump to latest

Okay, I LOVED this movie, but there's a big hole in it for me and I don't understand what happened.

**Spoilers**

Who killed the blonde hooker? That wasn't the killer's type. Also who took the pictures and sent them to the station. I know that it's implied this is the killer but I get the feeling, especially from Ellroy's style, that the department was involved somehow and some crazy cop simulated the killing. Anyone who read the book able to explain? And who was taping that West Hollywood cop? I didn't understand why the killer was doing that.

Either way... possibly the best James Woods performance ever... and greatest ending I've seen in a while.

[–] chrichtonsworld 15 years ago

You are making too much of the story. So I haven't read the book but did see the movie.
It was the killer in the ending who killed the hooker. He saw Woods and the blonde talking in the post office. And he probably followed her to see where she lived. He even was in the house when Woods was invited and had sex with her since he took pictures of that act.

The killer was taping the west hollywood cop to keep tabs on him. It could be that he wanted to frame this cop since he did rape Mcarthy. And it worked for a while since Woods did suspect him.

I don't think that the focus is on the department being corrupt since there is not an event in the movie that supports that. Personally I do have some problems with Woods going beyond the rules. He was far too trigger happy. Especially at the beginning at the stakeout. There was no justification whatsoever for him to shoot the man in the blue suit. Yes,he attacked the older police officer. But he didn't use lethal force or anything like that. So he could have handled that differently. And when is breaking into appartments and stealing property legal.

Because of James Woods I'd really enjoyed this movie. But his actions did prove what his wife said about him. That he is a deeply disturbed man.

[–] airhole 14 years ago

Don't want to spoil the book too much if you intend to read it, but one of the first scenes is the male rape of Teddy Verplank by Whitey Haines and Birdy. That's why years later he's keeping them under surveillance...he's gleaning info so he can exact his revenge.

[–] jrcanary-1 9 years ago

The guy in the blue suit that knocked Dutch down with the car door was holding a gun. Any cop would use lethal force against a suspect who just attacked another officer and was brandishing a firearm.