Werner Herzog's 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans' to play N.O. Film Festival

by Mike Scott, Movie writer, The Times-Picayune

Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes in a scene from the locally shot 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.'

Werner Herzog's locally shot, locally set bad-cop drama "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" has been confirmed as a late addition to the New Orleans Film Festival lineup, a festival official confirmed late Thursday.

Inspired by Abel Ferrara' 1992 "Bad Lieutenant" starring Harvey Keitel, Herzog's movie stars Nicolas Cage as a drug-addicted New Orleans cop in a post-Katrina Big Easy. Eva Mendes plays his prostitude girlfriend.

Herzog's movie shot in town late last summer, though it did so without the blessing of the New Orleans Police Department, which, unsurprisingly, was none too thrilled with the subject matter. (So don't expect to see the familiar star-and-crescent shield on badges or cruisers in Herzog's film.)

Since then, it has been been making the rounds of the festival circuit lately -- playing so far in Venice, Toronto and Telluride -- and, in addition to getting a distribution deal after its Venice showing, it's been getting some positive notices. In a story Wedneday, New York Times ciritic Manohla Dargis called it "deliriously unhinged" and one of the accomplished Herzog's best films. Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman in a Tuesday story declared it "loopy, fascinating, and improbably entertaining."

Nicolas Cage exhibits some thoroughly bad behavior in the locally shot drama 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.'

It's still unclear exactly when the movie will play during the seven-day film festival. Although the lineup was announced Wednesday (Sept. 16), the finalized schedule isn't expected to land until next Friday (Sept. 25).

"Bad Lieutenant" bolsters an already-strong 2009 lineup for the New Orleans Film Festival, one that includes the acclaimed documentary "The Cove"; the period drama "The Young Victoria"; and the music doc "It Might Get Loud," featuring Jack White, Jimmy Page and The Edge.

It's also the third intriguing addition to the festival to come after the lineup was unveiled Wednesday. The others: the drama "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire," co-produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry; and the documentary "The Best Worst Movie," about the enduring charm of "Troll 2," which is widely recognized as one of the worst movies ever made.

The 2009 New Orleans Film Festival starts Oct. 9.

"Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" opens in New York and Los Angeles on Nov. 20, with a wider release to follow.