Ok, this official synopsis via TIFF is sort of sounding awesome now, in a sort of deliriously crazy way.
Terence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage), a homicide detective with the New Orleans Police Department, is promoted to Lieutenant after he saves a prisoner from drowning in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. However, during his heroic act, he severely injures his back and is put on prescription pain medication. A year later, Terence – struggling with his addictions to sex, Vicodin and cocaine – finds himself in the battle to bring down drug dealer Big Fate, who is suspected of massacring an entire family of African immigrants.
However, according to TIFF, the film — which is also 121 minutes long, fyi — is rated with a Canadian 14A, which generally means PG-13 in the U.S. Does that mean Herzog’s not really pushing it that far or do the American/Canadian standards vary that much in this case? It’s a bit early to tell, but you’d think a gun-toting nut high on blow he snorted of whore’s butts would get you an R. I’m sure we’ll all find out soon enough. For random comparison however, another upcoming TIFF film, Drew Barrymore’s “Whip It!,” is rated 14A in Canada and also has a PG-13 rating in the U.S. Update: Though keen Canadian readers point out this is not always the case so we might be worried for nothing (let’s face it, if this is going to be good, we want it to be ridiculous and Rated-R).
“Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” will make its North American debut sometime during the Toronto International Film Festival that runs September 10-19
