A brilliant crime drama movie is airing on TV tonight

Stephen Porzio

The film features an amazing cast.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Tuesday, 17 December) is Cop Land, the star-studded ’90s crime drama from writer-director James Mangold (A Complete Unknown, Ford v Ferrari, Logan).

The film sees Sylvester Stallone (Rocky) play Freddy Heflin, a man who always dreamed of being a cop but was unable to do so after becoming deaf in one ear while saving a woman from drowning when he was younger.

Instead, he became the sheriff of the small town of Garrison in New Jersey – an area populated by a group of New York Police Department cops – including Lieutenant Ray Donlan (an effortlessly commanding Harvey Keitel) and Officer Gary Figgis (a live-wire but sympathetic Ray Liotta).

Though Heflin idolises the cops and they treat him reasonably well in return, the sheriff’s loyalties become tested when a well-publicised shooting involving Donlan’s nephew and fellow cop (Michael Rapaport) brings new attention to Garrison.

This is in the form of Internal Affairs investigator Lieutenant Moe Tilden (Robert De Niro, scene-stealing in a small but pivotal role) who shows up in the town asking questions.

Featuring a packed supporting cast, many of which would wind up appearing in The Sopranos (Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, Frank Vincent, John Ventimiglia and Robert Patrick to name just a few), Cop Land was a minor hit upon release – but perhaps slightly underperformed with critics and at the box office relative to expectations given the talent involved.

That said, its compellingly dense crime plot, crackling dialogue and terrific performances across the board – including a never-better Stallone – have led to the movie being re-evaluated more favourably in recent years.

In fact, we here at JOE wrote a long piece about the film to mark its 25th anniversary two years ago.

Cop Land is airing on TV tonight on ITV4 at 11.30pm.

It is also currently available to stream on Paramount+.

Here are the other movies on TV tonight:

The Northman – Film4 – 9pm

We’ve said before that it’s one of the best action movies of the decade so far and we stand by it.

Speed 2: Cruise Control – ITV4 – 9pm

We’d rather watch that Father Ted episode again.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back – Sky Showcase – 9pm

Tom Cruise returns as Jack Reacher in this limp action sequel.

Lord of War – Legend – 9pm

Nicolas Cage stars as a gun-runner in this cult crime drama that is said to be getting a surprise sequel soon.

Private Benjamin – Comedy Central – 9pm

The beloved ’80s comedy starring Goldie Hawn as a sheltered young high-society woman who joins the US Army on a whim.

20 Feet from Stardom – TG4 – 10.30pm

This Oscar-winning documentary about the behind-the-scenes experiences of backup singers has a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Avengers: Age of Ultron – BBC One – 10.40pm

The Avengers face off against a scary AI (voiced by James Spader) in this flawed but decent sequel.

The Last Bus – BBC Two – 11.05pm

In this 2021 drama, Timothy Spall plays a man who travels the length of the UK to scatter his late wife’s ashes.

Red Rock West – Legend – 11.20pm

This ’90s neo-noir thriller in which the aforementioned Nicolas Cage plays a drifter mistaken for a hitman is actually the actor’s highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes with a 98% score.

Wind River – Film4 – 11.45pm

In this excellent if very sad crime thriller, Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner try to solve a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

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