City of Lies

Last updated
City of Lies
City of Lies poster.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Brad Furman
Screenplay byChristian Contreras
Based onLAbyrinth
by Randall Sullivan
Produced by
  • Miriam Segal
  • Paul Brennan
  • Stuart Manashil
Starring
CinematographyMonika Lenczewska
Edited byLeo Trombetta
Music byChris Hajian
Production
companies
Distributed by Saban Films
Release dates
  • December 8, 2018 (2018-12-08)(Noir in Festival)
  • March 19, 2021 (2021-03-19)(United States)
Running time
112 minutes
CountriesUnited States
United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.8 million [1]

City of Lies is a 2018 crime thriller film about the investigations by the Los Angeles Police Department of the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. [2] It is directed by Brad Furman, with a screenplay by Christian Contreras based on the non-fiction book LAbyrinth by Randall Sullivan. The film stars Johnny Depp as retired LAPD detective Russell Poole and Forest Whitaker as journalist Jack Jackson, with Rockmond Dunbar and Neil Brown Jr. also starring.

Contents

The film premiered in Italy on December 8, 2018, screened out of competition on the last day of the Noir in Festival. It received a limited release in Italy on January 10, 2019. It was originally set to be released in the United States on September 7, 2018, by Global Road Entertainment, it was pulled from the schedule in August 2018 following the closure of Global Road Entertainment. It was eventually acquired by Saban Films and released on March 19, 2021, followed by a PVOD release on April 9, 2021. The film premiered in France on September 5, 2021 when it was screened out of competition at the Deauville American Film Festival where Depp was a guest of honor. The film received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

In 2015, Los Angeles Times investigative reporter Darius "Jack" Jackson is assigned to write about the murder of the Notorious B.I.G.[Christopher Wallace], and meets with the retired and disgraced Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detective Russell Poole. In a series of flashbacks, Poole reveals his theory that Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight paid corrupt LAPD officers to murder Wallace and cover it up.

In 1997, just weeks after the Wallace murder, Poole is tasked with investigating the shooting of off-duty black police officer Kevin Gaines by a white detective, Frank Lyga. Poole faces pressure from upper management in relation to the media frenzy involving other recent race-related incidents in Los Angeles, namely the beating of Rodney King and the murder trial of O. J. Simpson. During the course of the investigation, Poole learns that Gaines was on Knight's payroll and had Bloods gang affiliation. Poole's superior officer, Lieutenant O'Shea, refuses to give credence to this theory and orders Poole to close the Gaines-Lyga shooting. Lyga is exonerated but faces a civil suit, with the Gaines family being represented by attorney Johnnie Cochran. Poole confirms from an undercover FBI agent the connection between Knight and Gaines, and he is transferred to the Robbery-Homicide Division to investigate the Wallace murder.

Poole and his partner Fred Miller obtain the names of suspects including David Mack, another LAPD officer in Knight's employ, as well as Nation of Islam member Amir Muhammad and Blood member Wardell Fouse. Poole learns Mack worked security for Wallace and has also been recently tied to a bank robbery. Mack is arrested but does not give up any information related to Wallace's death. Poole begins investigating yet another LAPD officer, Rafael Pérez, after learning that he has been stealing cocaine from the evidence room. Poole tails Pérez and watches him shoot a drug dealer but Poole intervenes and shoots Pérez in self-defense. Pérez is criminally charged and implicates himself and other officers in various criminal activities. Poole is granted his own task force and also prepares to take the stand in Lyga's civil trial where he intends to claim, on the record, that Mack was involved in Wallace's death and that the LAPD is covering it up, but the city settles before the trial commences. Lyga is unable to clear his name and Poole is shunned by the LAPD.

Voletta Wallace files a wrongful death claim against Los Angeles based on the evidence championed by Poole. Mack and Amir Muhammad were named as defendants, but were dropped shortly before the trial began after the LAPD and FBI dismissed them as suspects. Poole resigns in disgrace one month before he was eligible for his pension, which ultimately costs him his family.

Jackson meets with Poole and Voletta who have developed a friendship in the decades since her son's murder. Jackson apologizes to her for previously writing an article implicating her son in the murder of Tupac Shakur; which she accepts. Voletta reveals that she is thankful for Poole's sacrifice in his attempts to solve the murder. Poole informs Jackson that Wallace's earning potential was estimated at $1 billion, and that a civil suit would bankrupt the city. One day, Poole goes to the L.A. Sheriff's Department in an attempt to reopen his investigation, but suffers a heart attack and dies some time after.

Out of guilt, Jackson, using the information he has learned, writes an article about Russell Poole declaring him as a forgotten hero. Jackson's article is received with acclaim, however, he soon resigns from his job, finding the system too hypocritical to celebrate worthy men like Poole. Both the murders of Wallace and Tupac remain unsolved.

Cast

Production

Depp plays former LAPD detective Russell Poole Johnny Depp 2, 2011.jpg
Depp plays former LAPD detective Russell Poole

On February 4, 2013, Miriam Segal's British production company Good Films was reported to have bought the film rights to Randall Sullivan's non-fiction book LAbyrinth. This explored police corruption in Los Angeles related to detective Russell Poole's investigation of the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, which were never solved. [13] On September 7, 2016, Johnny Depp was reportedly cast in the film to play Poole, the Los Angeles police detective. [3]

Brad Furman was announced as director for the film, from a script written by Christian Contreras and adapted from the book. [3] On September 19, Open Road Films acquired the film's US distribution rights. It co-financed the film along with Miramax, while Good Universe handled the film's international sales. [4]

Casting

On November 11, 2016, Rockmond Dunbar was cast in the film to play Dreadlocks. The same day Forest Whitaker joined the film to play the journalist who teams up with the police officer to uncover the truth. [6] [5] On November 17, Neil Brown Jr. was cast in the film to play police officer Rafael Pérez. [7] Xander Berkeley, Shea Whigham, Wynn Everett, and Toby Huss were cast in the film on December 13, while two days later Louis Herthum and Shamier Anderson also joined the film, with Herthum playing a city attorney who defends Poole on trial and Anderson playing corrupt LAPD officer David "D. Mack" Mack. [8] [9] On January 6, 2017, Amin Joseph joined the film to play police officer Kevin Gaines, and on January 18, Laurence Mason to play an FBI agent, Dunton. [10] [11] On January 23, 2017, newcomer Joseph Ferrante joined the film for an unspecified role. [12]

Filming

Principal photography on the film began on December 13, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. [14] Principal photography wrapped in May 2017.

Release

The first trailer for the film, originally titled LAbyrinth, was released on May 21, 2018, which would have been the Notorious B.I.G.'s 46th birthday. [15] Following the merger between Open Road Films and IM Global to form Global Road Entertainment, the film was retitled City of Lies and given a release date of September 7, 2018, the 22nd anniversary of the murder of Tupac Shakur. [16] [17] In August 2018, the film was pulled from the schedule, reportedly due to an ongoing lawsuit involving Depp and the film's location manager; no new release date was announced. [18]

On August 23, 2018, the Daily Beast reported that Depp's legal trouble was used as a scapegoat. It suggested that the Los Angeles Police Department may have been trying to suppress the film, in which it is negatively portrayed, or that there were other major players who did not want the film released. [19] In July 2020, Adam Tod Brown argued that the film was suppressed so Voletta Wallace cannot reopen the Notorious B.I.G. murder case to sue the LAPD. [20] On August 29, 2018, Bank Leumi filed another lawsuit against Miramax over millions of dollars in unpaid guarantees caused by pulling the film from release. [21]

City of Lies was first premiered in Italy when it was screened on December 9, 2018, out of competition, at the Noir in Festival as the closing film of the event. [22] [23] It received a limited release in Italy on January 10, 2019. The film was released on Blu-ray in Italy on June 19, 2019. [24] On September 5, 2021, the film was presented for the first time in France when it was screened out of competition at the Deauville American Film Festival. [25] [26] Depp and Furman presented the film at the festival where Depp was a guest of honor. [25] [27] [28]

On March 4, 2021, Saban Films announced that it had taken over the distribution rights, and scheduled the movie for release on March 19, 2021. [29] In October 2021, Highland Film Group picked up international rights to the film for worldwide sales and marketing.

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, the film grossed $275,049 from 501 theaters in its opening weekend, a per-venue average of $549. [30]

Downloads and rentals

On Redbox, the film debuted at #1 on the rental chart and #5 on the VOD chart for week ending June 13, 2021. [31]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 51% based on 49 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. [32] According to Metacritic, which calculated a weighted average score of 44 out of 100 based on 12 critics, the film received "mixed or average reviews". [33]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, writing: "...in large part due to the stellar work from Depp and Whitaker, this is a valuable and somewhat illuminating look back at the senseless, stunning killings of two rap icons just six months apart." [34] Writing for The Hollywood Reporter , John DeFore wrote: "This is a compelling drama with real-world concerns that shouldn't be ignored, and it deserves better than to be the victim of an actor's offscreen sins." [35]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Depp</span> American actor (born 1963)

John Christopher Depp II is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and two British Academy Film Awards. His films, in which he has often played eccentric characters, have grossed over $8 billion worldwide, making him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suge Knight</span> American music executive (born 1965)

Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. is an American record executive, former NFL player, and convicted felon, who is the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight was a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in the 1990s. This feat is attributed to the record label's first two album releases: Dr. Dre's The Chronic in 1992 and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993. Knight is currently serving a 28-year sentence in prison for a fatal hit-and-run in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hughes brothers</span> American film directors, producers and screenwriters (born 1972)

Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes, known together professionally as the Hughes Brothers, are American twin brother filmmakers. They are known for visceral and often violent films, including Menace II Society (1993), Dead Presidents (1995), From Hell (2001), and The Book of Eli (2010). They did most of their collaborations between 1993 and 2001. They have primarily worked separately since Albert moved to Prague in 2004, with The Book of Eli being the only film they have directed together following his move.

<i>Biggie & Tupac</i> 2002 film

Biggie & Tupac is a 2002 feature-length documentary film about the murdered American rappers Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace and Tupac Shakur by Nick Broomfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rampart scandal</span> 1990s police corruption scandal in Los Angeles

The Rampart scandal was a police corruption scandal which unfolded in Los Angeles, California during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The scandal concerned widespread criminal activity within the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) anti-gang unit of the Los Angeles Police Department's Rampart Division. More than 70 police officers were initially implicated in various forms of misconduct, including police brutality, planting of false evidence, stealing and drug dealing, bank robbery, perjury and cover-ups thereof.

Russell Wayne Poole was a Los Angeles Police Department detective who investigated the murder of the Notorious B.I.G., a rapper also known as Biggie Smalls. Poole also investigated the killing of LAPD Officer Kevin Gaines by LAPD Officer Frank Lyga on March 18, 1997. After retiring in 1999, he formed a private detective agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Heard</span> American actress (born 1986)

Amber Laura Heard is an American actress. She had her first leading role in the horror film All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006), and went on to star in films such as The Ward (2010), Drive Angry (2011), and London Fields (2018). She has also had supporting roles in films including Pineapple Express (2008), Never Back Down (2008), The Joneses (2009), The Rum Diary (2011), Paranoia (2013), Machete Kills (2013), 3 Days to Kill (2014), Magic Mike XXL (2015), and The Danish Girl (2015). From 2017 to 2023, Heard played Mera in the DC Extended Universe, including the films Justice League (2017), Aquaman (2018), and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). She has also acted in television series such as The CW's teen drama Hidden Palms (2007) and the Paramount+ fantasy series The Stand (2020–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rafael Pérez (police officer)</span> Former Los Angeles Police officer and convicted criminal

Ray Lopez is an American former police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the central figure in the LAPD Rampart scandal. An officer with the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) task force, Pérez was involved in numerous crimes and corruption, notably the shooting and framing of Javier Ovando, in addition to the theft and resale of at least $800,000 of cocaine from LAPD evidence lockers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mack (police officer)</span> American runner and police officer convicted for bank robbery

David Anthony Mack is a former professional runner and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer involved in the Rampart Division's Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) unit. He was one of the central figures in the LAPD Rampart police corruption scandal. Mack was arrested in December 1997 for robbery of $722,000 from a South Central Los Angeles branch of the Bank of America. He was sentenced to fourteen years and three months in federal prison. Mack has never revealed the whereabouts of the money.

Kevin Lee Gaines was an American police officer assigned to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums unit implicated in the Rampart scandal.

<i>The Murder of Biggie Smalls</i> Non-fiction book by Cathy Scott

The Murder of Biggie Smalls is a non-fiction true crime book by author and journalist Cathy Scott. Published in October 2000 by St. Martin's Press, it covers the March 9, 1997 murder of the Notorious B.I.G. in a drive-by shooting. A second updated edition of the book was released in September 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Philips</span> American writer and investigative journalist (1952–2024)

Charles Alan Philips was an American writer and journalist. He was best known for his investigative reporting in the Los Angeles Times on the culture, corruption, and crime in the music industry during the 1990s and 2000s, which garnered both awards and controversy. In 1999, Philips won a Pulitzer Prize, with Michael A. Hiltzik, for their co-authored series exposing corruption in the entertainment industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Kading</span> American detective

Gregory James Kading is an American author and former Los Angeles Police Department detective best known for working on a multi law-enforcement task force that investigated the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls in the mid-2000s. Many credit Kading and his LAPD task force for the 2023 arrest of Duane ‘Keefe D’ Davis for the September 1996 murder of Tupac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of the Notorious B.I.G.</span> 1997 murder of an American musician

The American rapper Christopher Wallace, better known as the Notorious B.I.G., was murdered in a drive-by shooting in the early hours of March 9, 1997, in Los Angeles, California. He was 24 years old. Prior to the event, Wallace promoted his second studio album Life After Death, and attended an after-party in Los Angeles instead of traveling to London.

<i>Notorious</i> (2009 film) 2009 film about the Notorious B.I.G.

Notorious is a 2009 American biographical drama film directed by George Tillman Jr., and written by Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker. It is based on the life of Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. Much of the film dramatizes key events in Biggie's life: his criminal lifestyle, arrest and release from prison, his relationships with Sean Combs, Tupac Shakur, Lil' Kim and Faith Evans, his involvement in the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry and his drive-by-shooting murder on March 9, 1997. The film stars Jamal Woolard as Wallace, with Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, and Anthony Mackie in supporting roles. Biggie's mother, Voletta, served as a producer for the film, alongside his former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shamier Anderson</span> Canadian actor

Shamier Anderson is a Canadian actor. He is known for his roles in the television series Wynonna Earp, as U.S. Deputy Marshal Xavier Dolls, Invasion, as Trevante Cole, and for Mr. Nobody in the action film John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randall Sullivan</span> American author and journalist

Randall Sullivan is an American author and journalist who has also worked as a screenwriter, film and television producer and on-camera television personality.

<i>Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd</i> 2020 libel trial in London, England

Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd[2020] EWHC 2911 (QB) was a defamation lawsuit brought in England. The case was initiated by American actor Johnny Depp, who sued News Group Newspapers (NGN) and then-executive editor Dan Wootton for libel after The Sun ran an article that claimed Depp had abused his ex-wife and criticised his casting in the Fantastic Beasts film series. The article stated, "Overwhelming evidence was filed to show Johnny Depp engaged in domestic violence against his wife Amber Heard," who "recounted a detailed history of domestic abuse incidents, some of which had led to her fearing for her life." After a three-week trial in London in July 2020, Andrew Nicol, a High Court judge sitting without a jury, rejected Depp's claim in a verdict announced later that year, ruling that the published material was "substantially true".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wardell Fouse</span> Bloods gang member implicated in the murder of the Notorious B.I.G.

Wardell Fouse, also known by his aliases Darnell Bolton and Poochie, was an American Bloods gang member who was implicated in the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. Fouse belonged to the California-based gang known as the Mob Piru Bloods. Since Fouse was deceased by the time his alleged involvement became known to the investigating police, no charges were filed against him.

References

  1. "City of Lies (2018)". The Numbers . Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  2. Jmix/JesseSurratt Productions (2017-06-14), Author Randall Sullivan Speaks On LAbyrinth The NEW Russell Poole Movie Starring Johnny Depp , retrieved 2017-07-15
  3. 1 2 3 Kit, Borys (September 7, 2016). "Johnny Depp to Star in Notorious B.I.G.-Tupac Thriller 'Labyrinth'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Kroll, Justin (September 19, 2016). "Open Road Acquires Johnny Depp Crime Thriller 'Labyrinth'". Variety. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Fleming, Mike Jr. (November 16, 2016). "Forest Whitaker Joins Johnny Depp In Tupac/Notorious BIG Murder Drama 'LAbyrinth'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  6. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (November 11, 2016). "Rockmond Dunbar Joins Biggie-Tupac Thriller 'LAbyrinth'; Richard Robichaux Cast In 'Ocean's Eight' & 'Last Flag Flying'". Deadline Hollywood . Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  7. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (November 17, 2016). "'Straight Outta Compton's Neil Brown Jr. Heads To 'LAbyrinth'". Deadline Hollywood . Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 N'Duka, Amanda (December 14, 2016). "'LAbyrinth' Adds To Its Cast As Production Begins; Shioli Kutsuna Joins 'The Outsider'". Deadline Hollywood . Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 N'Duka, Amanda (December 15, 2016). "Louis Herthum & Shamier Anderson Cast In 'LAbyrinth'". Deadline Hollywood . Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  10. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (January 7, 2017). "Amin Joseph Cast In 'LAbyrinth'; Shioli Kutsuna Joins Indie Film 'Oh Lucy!'". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Media. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  11. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (January 18, 2017). "'Soldado' Cast 'Teen Wolf' Actor Ian Bohen; Laurence Mason Boards 'LAbyrinth'". Deadline Hollywood . Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  12. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (January 23, 2017). "Netflix's 'Come Sunday' Adds Stacey Sargeant; Joseph Ferrante Cast In 'LAbyrinth'". Deadline Hollywood . Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  13. Kemp, Stuart (February 4, 2013). "U.K.'s Good Films Buys Rights to L.A. Cop Corruption Novel 'LAbyrinth'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  14. Evry, Max (January 13, 2017). "First Look at Johnny Depp and His Mustache in LAbyrinth". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on June 19, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  15. Carson, Rene (May 21, 2018). "New trailer for Johnny Depp/Forest Whitaker murder mystery City of Lies now online". Film Fetish. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  16. Frater, Patrick (2018-05-09). "Johnny Depp's 'City of Lies' Acquired for China". Variety. Archived from the original on 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
  17. "Johnny Depp is investigating 2pac and Biggie's murder in this new trailer for City of Lies". Film Industry Network. May 21, 2018. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  18. Hipes, Patrick (August 6, 2018). "Johnny Depp's 'City Of Lies' Movie Pulled From Release Schedule". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  19. Rohrlich, Justin (2018-08-23). "Inside the Shocking Death of Johnny Depp's Biggie-Murder Movie 'City of Lies'". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  20. Clark, Samantha (July 20, 2020). "Conspiracy! The Show – Ep. 125 – Banned Media Report: City Of Lies". Unpops.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  21. Emery, Debbie (August 29, 2018). "Global Road, Miramax Sued by Bank Over Refusal to Release 'City of Lies'". Miramax . Archived from the original on July 16, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  22. "CITY OF LIES - L'ORA DELLA VERITÀ. Film di chiusura fuori concorso". Archived from the original on 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  23. "[Noir in Festival] Recensione di City of lies - L'ora della verità, con Johnny Depp". December 9, 2018. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  24. "City of Lies - L'Ora Della Verità Blu-ray". Archived from the original on 2021-03-16. Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  25. 1 2 "Deauville: Johnny Depp présente "City of lies", film qui a été "kidnappé"" [Deauville: Johnny Depp presents 'City of Lies', a film that was 'kidnapped']. La Dépêche . Actu ciné (in French). AFP. 5 September 2021. Présenté dimanche pour la première fois en France[Presented on Sunday for the first time in France]
  26. "Johnny Depp presenta en Deauville "City of Lies", la película que estuvo "secuestrada"" [Johnny Depp presents in Deauville 'City of Lies', the film that was 'kidnapped']. RFI (in Spanish). AFP. 6 September 2021. 'City of Lies' se presentó fuera de competencia.["City of Lies" was presented out of competition.]
  27. @muldervillenet (5 September 2021). "FCAD 2021 - City of lies - Johnny Depp presentation". youtube.com. Mulderville.net (published 12 September 2021).
  28. Jackson, Eve (7 September 2021). "'France will always be my home,' says Johnny Depp". France 24 . arts24.
  29. "City of Lies: Johnny Depp's Notorious B.I.G. movie hits theaters in 2 weeks". www.joblo.com. 4 March 2021. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  30. Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 21, 2021). "'City Of Lies' Debut Brings Life To Specialty Box Office As Theaters Open; 'The Courier' Premieres Strong". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  31. Latchem, J. (2021), 'City of Lies' Tops Redbox Disc Rentals; 'The Marksman' Remains Top Digital Title – Media Play News, archived from the original on 11 July 2022, retrieved 10 July 2022
  32. "City of Lies (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on 2022-06-16. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  33. City of Lies Reviews Archived 2022-01-09 at the Wayback Machine . Metacritic. Retrieved March 24, 2021
  34. Roeper, Richard (March 18, 2021). "'City of Lies': Johnny Depp the real deal as a cop obsessed with justice for Tupac and Biggie". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  35. Defore, John (March 18, 2021). "'City of Lies': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.