Conflict of Interest (film)

Conflict of Interest is a 1993 independent action film directed by Gary Davis.^[1]

Plot

Set in Los Angeles, the film opens with Mickey Flannery (McDonald), an Irish cop on the edge whose wife Patty (Hanson) is shot and killed in front of their young son Jason (Katz). Seven years later, after having worked multiple jobs, he returns to his job at the police department in homicide, working under Captain Garland (Page). He has personally investigated a car ring deal, but the captain has no interest, because it has no connection to homicide. Mickey is now in a relationship with Vera (Young) and looks forward to meeting with his son (Harris) after years. Jason has grown up with his grandparents, and is not enthusiastic to reunite with his father. While joining him on lunch, Mickey is startled when he hears gunshots after two cars drive by. Car repair shop and heavy metal club owner Gideon (Nelson) and his muscled companion Casey (Stevens) are the killers, who have shot a guy named Trasher (Chapman) in cold blood.

Jason, meanwhile, catches the eye of Eve (Milano), a tough but lustrous heavy metal girl who takes Jason to Gideon's heavy metal club, where she reveals herself to be his girlfriend, even though she is still in high school. After being introduced to Gideon and Casey, he goes home with Gloria (Brook), a co-worker of the club whom he has sex with. Back at home, he confronts his father with having abandoned him, though Mickey explains that he could not take care of him because he was mourning and became an alcoholic - without a job. Mickey is then called to the job to investigate the death of no other than Gloria. He finds a letter signed by Jason in her room, and realizes that his son is somehow involved, though hides this piece of evidence from his colleagues. He rushes to San Pedro High School to get an explanation from his son, but Gideon interrupts them, warning Mickey to leave "his friend" alone. Gideon then offers Jason a job as a sound engineer in his club, which Jason gladly accepts. As Gideon drives off, Mickey recognizes his car as the same one that drove off after the killing of Trasher.

Mickey follows Gideon to his home and, after cuffing home, confronts him with the murder as well as warning him to stay away from his son. He is interrupted by his captain, who lashes out at Mickey for breaking the police rules by having visited Gideon on his own, and informs him that Gideon has an alibi for the night that Gloria was murdered. Gideon, in fact, has provided an alibi for every worker in the club, and sends Shannon (Howe) to pleasure Jason, in order to distract him from thinking that he might look suspicious. Gideon notices that Eve does not like this, as for she has become infatuated with Jason herself. Jason, meanwhile, blacks out during sex with Shannon and later moments finds her shot to death. As Mickey arrives at the spot around this time, Gideon shows him Shannon's body and informs him that his son is responsible. When a report is made of Shannon's death, the captain becomes suspicious and infuriated when he learns from Gideon that Mickey showed up at the scene of the crime only moments after her death, prompting him to think that Jason killed both women: Mickey is fired on the spot.

Meanwhile, Jason remembers that Gideon shot Shannon and is trying to frame him. He convinces Eve that they should get out as soon as possible, but are stopped by Gideon's men. With the help from his old friend Ray Dureen (De Broux) and colleague Oakes (Powell), Mickey yet again steps outside the book to prove that Gideon is framing his son. He suspects that Detective Falcone (Acovone), who has always been harassing Mickey whenever he exclaimed suspicion of Gideon, might have something to do with the entire ring, and decides to follow him. Falcone drives off to Gideon's place at the dock, where he is currently planning on finishing off Jason and Eve. After rescuing both their lives, Mickey is captured by one of Gideon's men. He witnesses Gideon using his gun to kill Falcone and then prepares to kill him, when suddenly Jason comes to the rescue. After killing Gideon in an explosion, Mickey finds out that Ray was involved with the car deal ring as well, and as he goes over to confront him, Ray admits that he had Patty killed because she found out about his criminal activities. Mickey considers killing Ray, but, encouraged by Jason, turns him in to the police.

Cast

• Christopher McDonald as Mickey Flannery
• Judd Nelson as Charles "Gideon" Morningside
• Alyssa Milano as Eve
• Zia Harris as Jason Flannery
• Lee de Broux as Ray Dureen
• Jay Acovone as Detective Bob Falcone
• Clifton Powell as Detective Oakes
• Harrison Page as Captain Garland
• Dey Young as Vera
• Cole Stevens as Casey
• Kelli Brook as Gloria
• Lynette Howe as Shannon
• Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst as Francesca
• Vincent Klyn as Mueller
• Tabby Hanson as Patty Flannery
• Joey Katz as Young Jason Flannery
• Alex Chapman as Trasher

Production

The film was shot between July 9 and August 5, 1992.^[2]

References

External links

• Conflict of Interest at the Internet Movie Database
• Conflict of Interest at Rotten Tomatoes