Deep Cover 1992

Janet Maslin, New York Times: Deep Cover eventually degenerates into so much gratuitous violence that 'kill' sounds like the most-used verb in the screenplay's last stages. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: What emerges is a powerhouse thriller full of surprises, original touches, and rare political lucidity, including an impressive performance by Jeff Goldblum. Read more

Entertainment Weekly: Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: What sets Deep Cover apart is its sense of good and evil, the way it has the Fishburne character agonize over the moral decisions he has to make. Read more

Stephen Garrett, Time Out: In addition to Fishburne, it gives us a first-rate soundtrack, a clutch of splendid cameos, fine, grainy direction from Duke, and much pointed stuff about the hypocrisy behind the USA's so-called war against drugs. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Convoluted and mostly unconvincing as a portrait of the drug underworld, Deep Cover [based on a story by Michael Tolkin] still carries some resonance due to its vivid portrait of societal decay and a heavyweight performance by Larry Fishburne. Read more

Richard Harrington, Washington Post: Larry Fishburne is clearly a star of the future, but Deep Cover won't be the vehicle. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Third-rate blaxploitation picture for the '90s, it aims to be street-tough and an admonishment against drugs. It manages to be neither. Read more