True Confessions (1981)

In the morally complex world of 1948 Los Angeles, the lives of two brothers intertwine in unexpected ways. Monsignor Desmond Spellacy, a shrewd and ambitious clergyman, operates under the guiding hand of the worldly Cardinal Danaher. Operating in the shadows of the Catholic diocese, he orchestrates highly lucrative church-endorsed real estate ventures. His life is a stark contrast to his older brother's, Detective Tom Spellacy of the LAPD, a man of raw grit and a short fuse, a relic of a time when he served as a bag man for the dubious builder, Jack Amsterdam. Tom, despite his tumultuous past and rebellious temperament, is a beacon of honor in a sea of corruption. He holds a deep-seated resentment for Amsterdam and similar figures, who thrive in a world of hypocrisy. Fate draws the brothers together when Tom obscures the demise of a high-ranking Catholic priest found in a local brothel, run by the enigmatic madam Brenda Samuels - a woman who shares a complicated past with both the detective and Amsterdam. Their paths intriguingly cross once more when Tom delves into the shocking murder of a young prostitute, her life cruelly snuffed out and her dismembered body discarded in a desolate plot of land. As the brothers navigate their way through this grim and murky maze, they each face personal crises that challenge their morality and self-worth. Striving for redemption, both brothers grapple with their own demons, yearning to reclaim their lost dignity in a world that threatens to consume them.

True Confessions is a crime movie featuring Robert De Niro and directed by Ulu Grosbard.

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