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‘L.A. Confidential’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Andy Greenwald

March 31, 2026 · L.A. Confidential (1997) · Crime · Drama · Mystery · 2:30:57

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 11:35Matthew McConaughey — McConaughey was considered but would have been a bad move for the role, prefers the actual casting
Chris Ryan▶ 11:39Matthew McConaughey — Agrees McConaughey would have been bad, too similar to his Time to Kill character

Hall of Fame Plaque

Bill Simmons▶ 26:06Julianne Moore's Hall of Fame smoking performance

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Andy Greenwald▶ 1:32:01Danny DeVito's performance as an Italian character, calling it the worst onscreen Italian as Jew since De Niro in Casino
Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:42Danny DeVito - too much of a famous presence, takes him out of the movie, suggests the role didn't need a famous actor
Chris Ryan▶ 1:33:05Initially mentions passage of time and heroin plot being hard to track, but ultimately agrees with Danny DeVito
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:31:53Kim Basinger (though acknowledges she's not really the weak link)

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:43:30Pierce Patchett's business idea of high class call girls cut to look like movie actors was actually pretty awesome and brilliant - ahead of its time and could work today
Chris Ryan▶ 1:41:13This is the perfect modern period film - has all the superficial 1950s elements but feels like a 1990s movie in its editing, acting style, and performance while combining it with classic LA noir
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:42:30LA Confidential is the second best adaptation of The Wizard of Oz of all time - Bud is the cop with no brain, Ed has no heart, Jack has no courage, Lynn wants to escape back to Arizona, and Dudley is the wizard

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Andy Greenwald▶ 1:51:48Discussed multiple food/drink moments: liquor store scene with no choices, Stensland's mixology at the party, Johnny Stompanato's daytime Schlitz at Formosa, and Matt Reynolds' last meal (frankfurter, french fries, alcohol and sperm)

Apex Mountain

Andy Greenwald▶ 1:56:01James Cromwell — Agrees Guy Pearce is interesting actor who will age into different gravitas, but suggests he should stay offline due to his recent tweets; James Cromwell - very good in Star Trek movie and Succession
Bill Simmons▶ 1:55:02Kevin Spacey — Kevin Spacey - either this or American Beauty, but likes this because it sets up American Beauty; Guy Pearce - it's Memento; Kim Basinger - not this, was in the 80s during Nine and a Half Weeks stretch; James Cromwell - might say this film
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:55:19Guy Pearce — Guy Pearce - might be now post-Brutalist (2024), thinks he's very well regarded as an actor

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 2:08:35Asked about Wayne Jenkins, Fergie the florist, Zane Lowe, or somebody else but didn't provide his own pick
Chris Ryan▶ 2:10:00Zane Lowe — Zane Lowe - does extended impression of Zane interviewing cops/characters from the movie

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 2:19:46Some men get the world. Others get ex-hookers and a trip to Arizona.

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 2:21:11Gaslight
Chris Ryan▶ 2:20:18Discussed Touch of Evil and Black Dahlia as options but didn't give a definitive pick
Sean Fennessey▶ 2:20:43The Blue Dahlia

Who Won the Movie

Andy Greenwald▶ 2:21:44Russell Crowe — Russell Crowe, emphasizing this was a breakout performance where you leave the movie only talking about this person
Bill Simmons▶ 2:21:30Russell Crowe — Curtis Hanson initially, then agreed Russell Crowe won the movie because it set up 10 years of Crowe being one of the biggest stars
Chris Ryan▶ 2:21:38Russell Crowe — Russell Crowe, noting that Crowe has been minimized in their discussion

Movies Referenced (90)

Psycho (1960)

10 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 2:15:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 5:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Babylon (2022)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 36:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lorenzo's Oil (1992)

7 mentions · Andy Greenwald, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 57:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Titanic (1997)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Andy Greenwald▶ 5:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jackie Brown (1997)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 5:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Proof of Life (2000)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 40:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vertigo (1958)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 2:16:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Beauty (1999)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 42:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chinatown (1974)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy Greenwald▶ 18:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cloud Atlas (2012)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 2:02:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gladiator (2000)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (19)

Curtis Hanson

21 mentions · Andy Greenwald, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for L.A. Confidential, In Her Shoes, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle▶ 9:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mic Tomasi

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy Greenwald · Known for Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway▶ 31:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 1:17:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Siegel

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz▶ 37:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iyi Tubi

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ex Machina, World War Z▶ 1:09:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Howard

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for A Beautiful Mind▶ 23:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alfred Hitchcock

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest▶ 2:04:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anson Jew

1 mentions · Andy Greenwald · Known for Wonder Woman▶ 1:32:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brett Ratner

1 mentions · Andy Greenwald · Known for Red Dragon, Rush Hour▶ 2:12:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian De Palma

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 2:20:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harold Becker

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Sea of Love, Mercury Rising▶ 2:29:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Howard Hawks

1 mentions · Andy Greenwald · Known for Rio Bravo▶ 26:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (119)

Bud White

42 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald▶ 9:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Spacey

28 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for L.A. Confidential, The Usual Suspects, American Beauty▶ 31:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny DeVito

21 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for The War of the Roses, Batman Returns▶ 15:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kim Basinger

21 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Andy Greenwald · Known for L.A. Confidential, Batman▶ 14:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Russell Crowe

21 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy Greenwald · Known for Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind▶ 38:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Cromwell

20 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy Greenwald · Known for L.A. Confidential, The Green Mile▶ 20:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Veronica Lake

13 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald · Known for Sullivan's Travels, The Blue Dahlia▶ 31:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Zane Lowe

12 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 2:08:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Daryl Patchett

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Incredible Hulk, Man of Steel▶ 1:12:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Guy Pearce

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy Greenwald · Known for Memento, L.A. Confidential▶ 11:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Top Gun, Minority Report▶ 1:22:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce McGill

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Law Abiding Citizen, National Lampoon's Animal House, My Cousin Vinny▶ 1:12:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (11)

Ed Burns

9 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce McCall

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:12:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Letterman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jordan Harper

2 mentions · Andy Greenwald▶ 2:09:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raymond Chandler

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Double Indemnity, The Big Sleep▶ 31:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian Helgeland

1 mentions · Andy Greenwald · Known for Man on Fire▶ 32:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Damien Chazelle

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Whiplash, La La Land, First Man▶ 36:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Leonard Bernstein

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for West Side Story▶ 1:30:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matthew Weiner

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:00:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Clancy

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger▶ 1:48:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (4)

Michael Grantland

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Other Guys▶ 2:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dante Spinotti

3 mentions · Andy Greenwald, Bill Simmons · Known for L.A. Confidential, The Last of the Mohicans, The Insider▶ 24:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aeron McKeough

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Escape Plan▶ 1:12:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Keith Eisberg

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Astronaut Farmer▶ 1:06:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗