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This week's reviews: 'Narc,' Nas, 'Walsh'
(PEOPLE) -- This week, PEOPLE.COM looks at the film "Narc," Nas' album "God's Son" and "Monte Walsh" on TNT . Movie review: 'Narc'
Ray Liotta gives the performance of his career in this gritty, dark cop story. Looking beefier and wearier than he has in earlier roles, he is mesmerizing as a brutal Detroit homicide detective intent on nailing the slayer of an undercover narcotics cop. His reluctant partner on the case is a former narc (Jason Patric), who dove in too deep emotionally the last time he went undercover and is still trying to find his way out. Directed with proficient flair by Joe Carnahan ("Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane"), "Narc" is as much a character study as a thriller. By the end it's all too evident that upholding the law weighs heavily on these two. Patric is mighty effective in a role that takes advantage of his natural broodiness, but Liotta steals the show. Bottom line: Addictive thriller Music review: 'God's Son'
Nas (Columbia) Nas may not exactly be choir-boy material, but the hardcore rapper does bring a surprising spiritual awareness to his praiseworthy seventh album. The disc's powerful final track, "Heaven," is a hip-hop twist on Joan Osborne's "One of Us": "If heaven was a mile away and you could ride by the gates/ Would you try to run inside when it opens, would you try to die today?" On "Dance," Nas envisions the hereafter while lovingly paying tribute to his late mother, Ann Jones, with moving support from his dad, jazzman Olu Dara, on trumpet. Elsewhere, Nas gets a nice assist from Eminem, who produced and cowrote "The Cross," which puts a religious spin on the usual gangsta boasting. But it's Alicia Keys who produced, cowrote and sings on the album's highlight, "Warrior Song," on which Nas issues a battle cry for all inner-city sons. Bottom line: God's good work TV review: 'Monte Walsh'TNT (Friday, January 17, 8 p.m. ET) If you favor a western that moseys rather than gallops, you'll like this TV movie about a quintessential cowboy whose way of life is threatened by progress. Tall-in-the-saddle Tom Selleck plays the title character, a cattle drover, broncobuster and rugged individualist. With corporations buying up ranch land in the Wyoming territory in the 1890s, men like Monte and old buddy Chet Rollins (Keith Carradine) are a dying breed. Chet eventually bows to economic reality and turns shopkeeper. As for Monte, he has four words for the coming 20th century: "Well, I ain't changin'." "Monte Walsh," which reworks a worthy 1970 film starring Lee Marvin, spends too much time restating its theme of freedom vs. modernity and establishing the cow-punchers' esprit de corps. But Selleck is strong and comfortable in the lead, and the fine supporting cast includes Isabella Rossellini as Monte's patient lover, William Devane as a wise ranch boss and CSI's George Eads as a hotshot with a tragically short fuse. Bottom line: Mount up -- Terry Kelleher
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