Romeo is Bleeding (1993)

What is one to make of Gary Oldman's career since he played Sid Vicious?  It has largely been in America where his slimy villains are never less than creditable and where he blends into his roles like a native-born.  Mind you we can now see him again in the truly British Harry Potter series, so all is not lost, since his many US parts while admirably played have seldom been ones to cherish.  In this neo-noir -- a term I must admit I dislike, since noir films must by definition be in black and white -- he plays a corrupt cop happy to take the mob's money for informing where key witnesses are being held (so that they can be eliminated) and happy to two-time his loving wife, Anabella Sciorra, with a scrawny Juliette Lewis.  He meets his match however when Godfather Roy Scheider wants him to kill a Russian hit woman in the form of Lena Olin.  And there is no question that she owns this movie.  She is one of the most sexy, vicious and double-crossing villains in movie history and of course Oldman thinks he can tame her.  Fat chance.  Noirs always have a treacherous female and Olin's is very memorable, but the film ultimately focuses on Oldman's poor choices, despair and false hopes.