History Film / QAndA

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Despite his bigotry and murders, Mike is one of NYCPD's most decorated cops.

Detective Mike Breenan is a tough and crude, but decorated New York City Police Department detective lieutenant with a dark side and ties to organized crime. He ends up killing a small-time Puerto Rican crook and threatens the witnesses to say it was self-defense. Young district attorney Al Reilly is sent to handle the case to get the inquiry behind the shooting. His case leads him to a crime boss, "Bobby Tex" Texador, whose wife is Nancy Bosch, the former lover of Reilly. The whole case leads to a violent struggle between the three men.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Mike kills Texador and his gang before he gets killed himself, but the NYCPD is hushing up the incident just to avoid the embarrassment for Quinn's senatoral campaign. Reilly threatens to go to the papers, but he can't because of information about his late father's sleazy activities would prevent his mother from getting the pension. A frustrated Reilly quits and goes off to find a mourning Nancy, asking if they could have a second chance at a relationship.]]
* FauxAffablyEvil: Despite his bigotry, Mike gets along well with the police force, even cracking jokes with them and is even friendly with Al, before the latter gets too deep in the case. And when dealing with his victims, he really shows a vicious side.
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler: NYCPD Head of the District Attorneys Homicide Bureau Kevin Quinn has Mike kill Texador and his gang so he can erase his past as he runs for state Senate.]]

* FauxAffablyEvil: Despite his bigotry, Mike gets along well with the police force, even cracking jokes with them and even is friendly with Al, before the latter gets too deep in the case. And when dealing with his victims, he really shows a vicious side.

* DeathByIrony: In the final confrontation with Nick and Reilly, [[spoiler: Mike is shot dead by a virgin Jewish cop. Mike even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this before dying.]]

Detective Mike Breenan is a tough and crude, but decorated NYCPD (City) detective lieutenant with a dark side and ties to organized crime. He ends up killing a small-time Puerto Rican crook and threatens the witnesses to say it was self-defense. Young district attorney Al Reilly is sent to handle the case to get the inquiry behind the shooting. His case leads him to a crime boss, "Bobby Tex" Texador, whose wife is Nancy Bosch, the former lover of Reilly. The whole case leads to a violent struggle between the three men.

Detective Mike Breenan is a tough and crude, but decorated NYPD (City) detective lieutenant with a dark side and ties to organized crime. He ends up killing a small-time Puerto Rican crook and threatens the witnesses to say it was self-defense. Young district attorney Al Reilly is sent to handle the case to get the inquiry behind the shooting. His case leads him to a crime boss, "Bobby Tex" Texador, whose wife is Nancy Bosch, the former lover of Reilly. The whole case leads to a violent struggle between the three men.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Mike kills Texador and his gang before he gets killed himself, but the NYPD is hushing up the incident just to avoid the embarrassment for Quinn's senatoral campaign. Reilly threatens to go to the papers, but he can't because of information about his late father's sleazy activities would prevent his mother from getting the pension. A frustrated Reilly quits and goes off to find a mourning Nancy, asking if they could have a second chance at a relationship.]]

* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler: NYPD Head of the District Attorneys Homicide Bureau Kevin Quinn has Mike kill Texador and his gang so he can erase his past as he runs for state Senate.]]

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Despite his bigotry and murders, Mike is one of NYPD's most decorated cops.

!!This Film contains examples of:

* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: Mike succeeds in killing off Texador and his gang and while he dies himself, the incident gets hushed up and Quinn begins his campaign for state senate. ]]

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Quinn successfully uses Mike to kill his former gang members and gets ready for his bid to run for mayor. Downplayed for Mike. Despite getting killed, the department is keeping his dealings quiet, so his name won't be soiled.]]

* * FauxAffablyEvil: Despite his bigotry, Mike gets along well with the police force, even cracking jokes with them and even is friendly with Al, before the latter gets too deep in the case. And when dealing with his victims, he really shows a vicious side.

* AffablyEvil: Despite his bigotry, Mike gets along well with the police force, even cracking jokes with them and even is friendly with Al, before the latter gets too deep in the case.

''Q & A'' is a 1990 crime film directed by Creator/SidneyLumet and starring Creator/NickNolte, Timothy Hutton and Creator/ArmandAssante. It is based on the novel by New York Supreme Court Judge Edwin Torres.

* AlanSmithee: For Sidney Lumet, when the film was edited for content on TV. He was so unhappy with the broadcast version, he used the Alan Smithee name.

Detective Mike Breenan is a tough and crude, but decorated NYPD detective lieutenant with a dark side and ties to organized crime. He ends up killing a small-time Puerto Rican crook and threatens the witnesses to say it was self-defense. Young district attorney Al Reilly is sent to handle the case to get the inquiry behind the shooting. His case leads him to a crime boss, "Bobby Tex" Texador, whose wife is Nancy Bosch, the former lover of Reilly. The whole case leads to a violent struggle between the three men.

Detective Mike Breenan is a tough and crude, but decorated NYPD detective lieutenant with a dark side and ties to organized crime. He ends up killing a small-time Puerto Rican crook and threatens the witnesses to say it was self-defense. Young district attorney Al Reilly is sent to handle the case to get the inquiry behind the shooting. His case leads him to a crime boss, "Bobby Tex" Texador, whose wife is Nancy Bosch, the former lover of Reilly. The whole case leads to a violent strugge between the three men.

* AmbiguousEnding: [[spoiler: After quitting the law firm, Reilly finds Nancy at the beach mourning Texador's death. He asks if they could have second chance at a relationship, but she says nothing as the film ends. ]]
* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: Mike succeeds in killing off Texador and his gang and while he dies himself, the incident gets hushed up and Quinn begins his campaign for mayor. ]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Mike kills Texador and his gang before he gets killed himself, but the NYPD is hushing up the incident just to avoid the embarrassment for Quinn's senatoral campaign. Reilly threatens to go to the papers, but he can't because of information about his late father's sleazy activities would prevent his mother from getting the pension. A frustrated Reilly quits and goes off to find a mourning Nancy, asking if they could have a second chance at a relationship. ]]

* TokenMinority: The police force hasSam "Chappie" Chapman, who is the token black, while Luis Valentin is the token Hispanic.

* DeathByIrony: In the final confrontation with Nick and Reilly, [[spoiler: Mike is shot dead by a virgin Jewish cop. Mike even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this before dying. ]]
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Mike kills Texador and his gang before he gets killed himself, but the NYPD is hushing up the incident just to avoid the embarrassment for Quinn's mayoral campaign. Reilly threatens to go to the papers, but he can't because of information about his late father's sleazy activities would prevent his mother from getting the pension. A frustrated Reilly quits and goes off to find a mourning Nancy, asking if they could have a second chance at a relationship. ]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler: NYPD Head of the District Attorneys Homicide Bureau Kevin Quinn has Mike kill Texador and his gang so he can erase his past as he runs for mayor. ]]

* KillItWithFire: Mike kills [[spoiler: Texador by lighting a leaky fuel to his boat, blowing him up. ]]

* ThePawn: Mike is ultimately this as he kills the Puerto Rican crook [[spoiler: and the rest of Texador's gang because Quinn was a part of the gang and since he's running for office, wants to erase the past. ]]

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Despite his bigotry and murders, Mike is one of NYPD's most decorated cops.

Detective Nick Breenan is a tough and crude, but decorated NYPD detective lieutenant with a dark side and ties to organized crime. He ends up killing a small-time Puerto Rican crook and threatens the witnesses to say it was self-defense. Young district attorney Al Reilly is sent to handle the case to get the inquiry behind the shooting. His case leads him to a crime boss, "Bobby Tex" Texador, whose wife is Nancy Bosch, the former lover of Reilly. The whole case leads to a violent strugge between the three men.

* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: Nick succeeds in killing off Texador and his gang and while he dies himself, the incident gets hushed up and Quinn begins his campaign for mayor. ]]
* DeathByIrony: In the final confrontation with Nick and Reilly, [[spoiler: Nick is shot dead by a virgin Jewish cop. Nick even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this before dying. ]]
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Nick kills Texador and his gang before he gets killed himself, but the NYPD is hushing up the incident just to avoid the embarrassment for Quinn's mayoral campaign. Reilly threatens to go to the papers, but he can't because of information about his late father's sleazy activities would prevent his mother from getting the pension. A frustrated Reilly quits and goes off to find a mourning Nancy, asking if they could have a second chance at a relationship. ]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler: NYPD Head of the District Attorneys Homicide Bureau Kevin Quinn has Nick kill Texador and his gang so he can erase his past as he runs for mayor. ]]
* KillItWithFire: Nick kills [[spoiler: Texador by lighting a leaky fuel to his boat, blowing him up. ]]

* ThePawn: Nick is ultimately this as he kills the Puerto Rican crook [[spoiler: and the rest of Texador's gang because Quinn was a part of the gang and since he's running for office, wants to erase the past. ]]
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Nick is a cop who's racist, homophobic and transphobic and is eager to kill if he has to.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Despite his bigotry and murders, Nick is one of NYPD's most decorated cops.