The Glass Shield (1994) is a movie that I recently watched on Prime. The storyline follows a black police officer on the force who is trying his best to fit in to the culture of the department. He witnesses an arrest that he knows is wrong; but to fit in, he bites his tongue and lets it go to trial. Once faced with the task of testifying, he will need to decide what's more important - the truth or his job.
This movie is written and directed by Charles Burnett (Killer of Sheep) and stars Michael Boatman (Hamburger Hill), Lori Petty (Tank Girl), Ice Cube (Boyz n the Hood), Michael Ironside (Total Recall) and Erich Anderson (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter).
The storyline is well written, and the circumstances are a challenge to this very day and the cast is pretty good in name...but Ice Cube is the only performance that is well executed. Lori Petty delivers a strong supporting character also, but the villains were a bit cliche, even if their characteristics are a challenge within our society. Michael Boatman's mannerisms, facial expressions and overall delivery of the main character left a lot to be desired. The dialogue is very well written, as is the court drama, and the ending is worthwhile.
Overall, this is a movie with a solid premise but inconsistent execution. I would score this a 6/10 but strongly recommend it.
