HavingwitnessedhisjunkiefatherkilledRussellStevensgrowsuptobecomeapolicemanandmakeadifference.WhenheisofferedanundercoverjobbyGeraldCarverheacceptsandbeginstobuildarelationshipwithDavidJasoninordertogettothemaindealers.Howeverasheisforcedtodealdrugsandkilltokeephiscoverhefindsthelinesbetweencopandcriminalbeinglost–isheacoppretendingtobeadealeroradealerpretendingtobeacopaaa
　　Larry(ashewasthen)Fishburne'sfirstleadrolewasatypicallydarkvehicle.Thestoryistheusualoneofcoplosinghimselfwhenundercover,howeveritmanagestobemorethanthatformostofthetime.Co-writtenbyTolkin,whowroteThePlayer,thisnaturallyhasanicecynicaledgetoitwhenitlooksattheUS'shypocriticalapproachtodrugcontrolandthepoliticallinksbetweenthestreethustlersandthepoliticalhighrollerswhocourtrespectability.Thestorydoeseventuallysettleintoatraditionalsettingbuteventhenitworkswellasathriller.
　　Themulti-talentedBillDukedirectswellwithagrittyfeelandafewnicetouches.Howeverseveralthingsareabitiffy.FormostofthefilmFishburne'snarration/voiceoverisabitlikeacrossbetweenApocalypseNowandBladeRunner–itcomesacrossasalittletoodarkandheavyandalsoexplainsthingslikewecan'tfigureitoutourselves.Howeveronceyougetintothefilmit'snotasbigadeal.Mymainproblemlieswiththecharacters.
　　Fishburneisexcellent,arealmodelofunderlyingangerandviolence,GoldblumisgoodbutperhapsalittleOTTontheyuppie/violencething,butthere'sgoodsupportfromSmithandSpinCity'sbeautiful(andoftenunderused–butnothere)VictoriaDillard.Howeverthetwomainwhitecharacters(GoldblumandSmith)arebothsmearedwithracistinsinuations–Smithappearstoinsulthisblackofficersanddoesn'tcareaboutthejunkies,whileGoldblumisfascinatedaboutallthingsblackandtalksaboutthemaswildbeautifulbeastsandloveshavingsexwith"black'.Thesethingsaren'tamajorproblem,butwithbasicallyonlytwowhitecharactersinit,it'salittleworryingthatbotharegiventhatedge.
　　Howevertheseareminorcomplaintsthatgetlostwithagoodthriller.FishburneexcelsandDukedeliversastorythatisagoodthrillerbutalsohasajaded,subversiveedge.