It seems to me that the character of Dempsey Powers has to be based on the real-life criminal Larry Davis (shot a bunch of cops in the South Bronx but acquitted, a "folk hero" in the old neighborhood, claimed that the police were after him to cover up a police-run drug ring, was finally convicted of a different crime). I am not usually the only person to notice stuff like this, though. I checked the IMDb trivia section, and even wikipedia, and nobody else seems to have made this connection. So I'm making it now, for what it's worth. I love this episode, Joel Grey is so over-the-top crazy, it's a treat to watch him, as always.
4 Reviews
Murderous paranoia
TheLittleSongbird29 April 2020
As well as liking 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' very much, its best episodes being as good as the 'Law and Order' franchise got, "Cuba Libre's" story sounds so interesting. Also interesting is seeing a different side to Joel Grey, well from what has been personally seen of his. On first watch, "Cuba Libre" struck me as a very solidly done episode with many great things, but also not being one of my favourites with other episodes leaving bigger impressions on me.
On re-watches, "Cuba Libre" is one of the 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' episodes that got better over-time with each watch. It's still not one of my favourite episodes of the show, but the good things about it still hold up and even better and with each watch there was more to appreciate. It has always given me a lot of joy seeing films, episodes and cartoons etc. being better on re-watches and being able to appreciate them even more with more things to take note of.
Maybe the connection between Winters' past and what happens with him in the present day could have gone into a little more detail and been focused on more. That would have made the character even meatier than he already was, and just felt that the episode could have done more with it.
Especially considering that it does otherwise do so well with the rest of the subjects it explores. Its dealing of subjects of how people think when institutionalized, paranoia and being loyal in a well intentioned but misguided way could have been superficial and cliffs notes, but actually to me it was much more than that. Which helped making Winters and Powers such well drawn characters, almost a character study when it came to the former and the character is more complex than one thinks. Powers is a formidable character. These are all things that were more obvious on re-watches, and why the episode got better over-time.
Really liked the case overall as well. Other episodes may have had a little more suspense and emotion, but "Cuba Libre" still delivered on those thanks to Winters and Powers being so interesting. As well as some nail-biting intensity. It is an intricate case with nothing being obvious, but generally it doesn't get muddled. Goren and Eames are great, Goren is one of the most charismatic and entertaining characters of the franchise and doesn't dominate too much over Eames, who has some nice wit in her dialogue. Their chemistry is tense yet playful. It's a tautly and perceptively scripted episode, and the it looks and sounds great as usual.
Have no issues with the acting, Vincent D'Onofrio is a joy and seeing Clifton Powell so formidable and particularly Grey (for me his performance makes the episode) being so marvellously chilling and even somewhat affecting adds so much to the episode's appeal.
Overall, very good. 8/10
On re-watches, "Cuba Libre" is one of the 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' episodes that got better over-time with each watch. It's still not one of my favourite episodes of the show, but the good things about it still hold up and even better and with each watch there was more to appreciate. It has always given me a lot of joy seeing films, episodes and cartoons etc. being better on re-watches and being able to appreciate them even more with more things to take note of.
Maybe the connection between Winters' past and what happens with him in the present day could have gone into a little more detail and been focused on more. That would have made the character even meatier than he already was, and just felt that the episode could have done more with it.
Especially considering that it does otherwise do so well with the rest of the subjects it explores. Its dealing of subjects of how people think when institutionalized, paranoia and being loyal in a well intentioned but misguided way could have been superficial and cliffs notes, but actually to me it was much more than that. Which helped making Winters and Powers such well drawn characters, almost a character study when it came to the former and the character is more complex than one thinks. Powers is a formidable character. These are all things that were more obvious on re-watches, and why the episode got better over-time.
Really liked the case overall as well. Other episodes may have had a little more suspense and emotion, but "Cuba Libre" still delivered on those thanks to Winters and Powers being so interesting. As well as some nail-biting intensity. It is an intricate case with nothing being obvious, but generally it doesn't get muddled. Goren and Eames are great, Goren is one of the most charismatic and entertaining characters of the franchise and doesn't dominate too much over Eames, who has some nice wit in her dialogue. Their chemistry is tense yet playful. It's a tautly and perceptively scripted episode, and the it looks and sounds great as usual.
Have no issues with the acting, Vincent D'Onofrio is a joy and seeing Clifton Powell so formidable and particularly Grey (for me his performance makes the episode) being so marvellously chilling and even somewhat affecting adds so much to the episode's appeal.
Overall, very good. 8/10
Intense Story With Two Bitter, Nasty People
ccthemovieman-125 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Joel Grey stars as a paranoid, bitter, revenge old man who gets out of jail and has three people contracted to be killed: his wife, his lawyer and his son. The latter doesn't happen but only Goren and company figured it out just in time. However, there is another individual who is still in jail with the same paranoid personality who even's more cunning than the old man. He, too, has a murder in the works, has it executed and is ready for an escape plan for both he and his son, the guy who did the killings.
This is a very good episode with twists and turns and smart crooks but not quite as smart as our hero who is stumped until the end when he can play the two smart guys against each other.
This is a very good episode with twists and turns and smart crooks but not quite as smart as our hero who is stumped until the end when he can play the two smart guys against each other.
A tale of two cons
bkoganbing24 August 2017
This Criminal Intent episode is the story of a pair of convicts, one is Clifton Powell who stands in well with the black convicts in the joint. The second is Joel Grey whom I'm surprised is not in more Club Fed like surroundings. Nevertheless he's rich enough to afford the protection Powell can give him. He can also buy himself some hits on the outside that wait until Grey's paroled and can savor the moment.
I doubt Grey is the type of millionaire known for his philanthropy. He's got a Howard Hughes type paranoia about his fortune, but much worse. It's quite a performance.
And it's a treat to see how Vincent D'Onofrio makes the paranoia work for law enforcement to nail Grey and Powell.
I doubt Grey is the type of millionaire known for his philanthropy. He's got a Howard Hughes type paranoia about his fortune, but much worse. It's quite a performance.
And it's a treat to see how Vincent D'Onofrio makes the paranoia work for law enforcement to nail Grey and Powell.
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