SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL

US, 2020, 111 minutes, Colour.
Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Bokeem Woodbine, Iliza Shlezinger.
Directed by Peter Berg.

Director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg have worked together several times: 22 Miles, Patriots’ Day, Deepwater Horizon, Lone Survivor. They truly have a report – especially for action films.

This is a Netflix film, a story of Boston, the police, drug dealing, police corruption. We are in familiar ground – except that Wahlberg plays Spenser, an angry policeman who physically attacks his superior, accusing him of corruption. He served a sentence in jail, returns to be in his life anew with the help of his old friend and mentor, Henry, played by Alan Arkin, and a big would-be boxer, played by Winston Duke. In the background and then in the foreground is a former girlfriend, Sissy, Iliza Shlesinger. Bokeem Woodbine appears as an old friend and the force but who is revealed as a villain.

Tough stuff, especially a lot of physical fights with Mark Wahlberg.

1. Police crime and action show, dealing, police corruption?

2. The Boston settings, the neighbourhoods, the streets? The musical score?

3. The focus on Spenser, Mark Wahlberg character, his violent temper, acting out, his police work, the attack on the captain, his trial, admitting guilt, sentenced to prison, serving his time? Getting out? Prospects?

4. His friendship with Harry, Harry and the gym, his character, support, endangered at the end? His support of the men? Of Hawk?

5. Hawk, fighting, training, the big man, with Spenser? Friendship, helping him with the investigations, muscle, the fights?

6. Cissy, her background, tough in herself, clashes with Spenser, ultimately helping?

7. The murder of the police officer, his role, his pleading? The murder of the second officer, his being blamed, the response of his wife and son?

8. Spenser, following the leads, the hooded gangsters, their violence? Spenser tracking them down?

9. The confrontations with the gang, the revelations of police corruption?

10. Driscoll, his relationship with Spenser in the past, his family and son? The revelation of his being corrupt?

11. The buildup to the confrontation between Spenser and Driscoll? With the help of Cissy, saving Henry, the help of Hawk?

12. Spenser, his character, short tempered, violence, so often involved in fights? It on the side of right? Rehabilitating the condemned policeman? Solving the situation?