The Mod Squad: It's a Cool, Good film.

What do you get when you have three teenage delinquents who have been chosen to do undercover cop work instead of serving jail time? You get “The Mod Squad.” This 1999 film based on the hit television series from the late 60s to early 70s with the same name has these teens taking on the crime world of the 90s.

The story starts with one of the members, Julie (played by Claire Danes), running into the nightclub, warning everyone of the cops. No one believes him, but when the diddido comes, everyone runs in fear and fun. Then another group member, Pete (played by Giovanni Ribisi,) who was dancing with a lady, sees an older, overweight cop and runs off. Then there’s Lincoln (played by Omar Epps) watching everyone, looking for someone they are looking for until the cop starts chasing him. He got stopped for looking at one cop, telling someone to get out. All three get arrested and brought back to the LAPD station.

The film has a bit of multiple complications, starting with what I just said about how we meet our central characters. Then, as we moved on, we met the detective responsible for these three to work for the LAPD, as some other detectives and officers didn’t like it. Finally, we see after twice of undercover business at a bar, one due to Pete’s mess up with someone and the other being that they had the guy.

This film story has more than one falling action,n but if I had to pick one, everything fell when Captain Adam Greer (played by Dennis Farina) was shot and killed. The main characters were shocked and had to leave when they saw him dead in the alley.  After that event, both characters went to their respective Most. Pete and Lincoln went on their own, and Julie was alone in a depressed state, including her ex-boyfriend Billy (played by Josh Brolin).  

   This falling action has been carried on for a good while until we see some resolution begin to form when Pete starts to figure things out that the cop that he thought was good was naughty. As the gang gets back together and meets at the beach, they form a plan and get some evidence. Lincoln pretends to be someone’s boy toy while Julie and Pete do a stakeout at an abandoned warehouse. As things start moving, cops run in. Everyone was in the warehouse, and that’s when Julie and Pete came in crashing in, stopping and stalling for the other cops to get there, which they did and arrested the two kids until Pete used a tape recorder to claim their innocence and that these other cops were the reason Greer died. And as soon as that event was over, they decided to rejoin and continue to be The Mod Squad.  

            
This film had a dark setting, with lighting being one of the reasons. The lighting in rooms was dim, with fluorescent lighting being used. It shows it had a dark environment. For example, when the gang was brought back to the station, they were in a room with just enough light to see what was in the room with a bit of darkness. Also, even though the original storyline was based in the late ’60s to early ’70s, it seems to be found in Los Angeles and 1999.

            
I find the characters engaging in this movie, mainly the three members of the Squad. 

Julie had this good girl with a sweet side and was an alcoholic. She's the character that will sweet talk to you. 

Pete, who’s not bright at times, crashes Lincoln’s car almost every time he drives it and just acts like a total moron, but he does prove to be the man in the end. 

And there’s Lincoln, who has a sarcastic side and wants to get the job done. These characters know they are doing something good; they may be young and arrogant, but they have some trouble sides.

The music in this film is fantastic. The names of songs from artists playing in the movie and on the soundtrack. Names like Busta Rhymes, Everlast, Alana Davis, and Curtis Mayfield. One of my favorites was played in the film in the opening scene when Julie was running, and the song was “Goin’ Crazy” by SX10. That made the film great to start with because it got me hooked. Also, I loved the song “Can’t Find My Way Home” by Alana Davis; this one was a pop type of song I love and is a close second to the version by Alison Krauss. 

Left: the cast of the television version. Right: the cast of the movie version.

I enjoyed the film “The Mod Squad.” It's a late 90’s dark side of a teen cop drama for only grown-up teens. It might sometimes use some natural language in the film, showing its real side. I don’t see how film critics and other people don’t like this film and why it bombed in theaters. It was a well-entertained and excellent drama with a good storyline, setting, and characters.