The Choirboys (1977)

If you never read the book - three stars, if you read the book...

zero stars.

As a standalone B-movie, it's very mediocre, but watchable. Low expectations are richly rewarded here.

If you read Wambaugh's book, you will loathe the movie because it betrays your hopes and expectations so badly. No wonder Wambaugh wanted to have his name removed from the credits. The movie tears all the flesh away from his excellent book and keeps just a few bones.

If you have not read the book, but "kinda" liked the movie, read the book. You are in for a huge treat. If you read the book, but have not seen the movie, that's as far as you need go. Or read the book again. September 3, 2007

Absolutely Disgraceful!

The book was a work of art. Any REAL police officer who has read it will tell you so. This movie is a horrible interpretation of the book. Don't waste your time - read the book instead!! January 10, 2006

What an awful piece of trash

Imagine the grit of Hill Street Blues and the idiocy of Police Academy mixed mixed up with the drunken rowdiness of Porky's. Don't forget to add in a lot of unlikable cop characters who spend all their time exploiting hookers, insulting minorities, and threatening (even killing) gays. And laughing about it from beginning to end.

[I'd give it zero or negative stars if that was possible.]

August 25, 2005

Near-Complete Failure to Exploit Unbelievable Potential

This film, with its superlative cast and the terrific book upon which it is based, miserably failed to deliver the depth, richness and impact of that fine book. The actors were just perfect -- Roscoe Rules and Harold Bloomguard, in particular, were portrayed stupendously -- and some of the vignettes came across properly, but in total this movie ended up being a real shame. I read that Joseph Wambaugh wanted to have himself completely dis-associated from the film (which is one reason that the next movie made from a Wambaugh book, The Onion Field, more closely adheres to its source).

Read the book, watch this film once (mainly to see how well the actors just NAILED their roles!) and then hope for a remake or, perhaps, a re-edit. January 28, 2003

The Choirboys is Great Fun

I first saw this movie as a kid, and as a grown up I'm now a cop. This movie looks at life as a cop with a sense of humor mingled with what really happens on the street. Some parts of the movie don't mix well but is still a lot of fun to watch and know some things never change. August 9, 2001

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