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With the captivating "Brooklyn's Finest," director Antoine Fuqua once again proves his mastery of the cop/crime genre, making for the year's first must-see film and the best of its kind since "The Departed."

The trailers hint at a safe follow-up to Fuqua's biggest hit, the 2001 "Training Day," that netted Denzel Washington his first Oscar as a crooked cop showing the ropes to his new partner. But "Finest" is so much more than a simple retread. If anything, it's more of a tribute to 1990 crime dramas "New Jack City," "King of New York" and "Deep Cover," with their complex themes of fighting a losing battle on the streets between drug lords and the police.

Michael C. Martin makes his film screenwriting debut here, but the film is so multi-faceted with complicated characters and complex moral issues, that he hardly seems like a first-timer. If this remotely hints at his potential, Martin will be a screenwriter to watch.

The film centers around three police officers, each at various stages in their lives but none too happy about their current status and desperate for a change.

Eddie (Richard Gere, "Nights in Rodanthe") is seven days away from concluding a not-particularly distinguished 20-year career. He's tasked with mentoring young officers who don't understand his seemingly cavalier attitude to the chaos surrounding him on a daily basis. They want to leap into action while he preaches restraint.

Gere has a perfect grasp on what makes Eddie tick — a man all but defeated by life — from the slumped shoulders to his often-exasperated pattern of speech. Eddie has little patience for hotshot know-it-alls questioning his tactics, and his sole solace is in the arms of a prostitute who he has developed feelings for beyond their physical, professional relationship.

Tango (Don Cheadle, "Traitor") is an undercover officer in deep with a drug-dealing crew headed up by Caz (Wesley Snipes, "Blade: Trinity"), who just returned after a long prison stay.

Tango has been undercover so long he's fearful of becoming like the men he's trying to get arrests and wants to end his operation. His contact (Will Patton, "24") wants him to stay a little longer and to get Caz back in prison to make a higher-up look good.

Tango begins questioning who really deserves his loyalty and the conflict showcases Cheadle's range from switching to a street thug to a man desperate to get out of his predicament at a moment's notice. As a result, the Snipes/Cheadle pairing is inspired.

Some director/actor collaborations bring out the best in both providing some of the most definitive work of their careers. Martin Scorsese has Leonardo DiCaprio, Tim Burton has Johnny Depp, Woody Allen has Scarlett Johansson and Fuqua is fast finding his acting muse in Ethan Hawke, whom he previously worked with in "Training Day."

Hawke plays Sal, a SWAT team member struggling to provide for his ever-expanding family and who has now sunk to stealing drug money in order to pay for a new house. Of all the actors, Hawke's performance is the most intense, and his sense of obligation to his family and willingness to do whatever it takes to do right by them make Sal a fascinating, unpredictable character.

Balancing the three plots could become overwhelming, but Fuqua gives each equal time to shine, and the character development doesn't feel slighted. At the film's conclusion, when the three stories converge, Fuqua has brought the audience along for an exciting climax that doesn't end as neatly as they might expect.

The film's February release is puzzling, as "Finest" has everything an awards contender should have — great acting, a strong script and exemplary direction — but its early arrival probably means it will be forgotten when it is time to recognize the year's best films. That's a shame, because when 2010 is wrapped up, this will remain one of the year's best.

Brooklyn's finest

R, drama,

133 minutes

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Don Cheadle, Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Brian F. O'Byrne, Will Patton, Lili Taylor, Ellen Barkin and Shannon Kane

Rating:

5 out of 5 stars