Homicide - The Movie (DVD, 2001)

I've watched every TV show of every season of HOMICIDE, LIFE ON THE STREETS, including this one, at least 3 times, and I think that anyone can enjoy this movie on its own merits. If you've never seen the TV series, this movie is an excellent introduction, kind of a teaser that can be appreciated even more by watching some of the shows that made this TV series GREAT. For diehard HOMICIDE fans, one of the shortcomings of this movie is that many former cast members get too little air time. For those who've not seen the TV series, the storyline might be too sketchy, but the ending should be a surprise to everyone. In fact, the ending of this movie not only recaptures some of the genius of the series (memorable final scenes) but also subliminally "invites" the viewer to find out more about the characters who are in this movie, especially the last scene. You might say that the finale of this excellent series (this movie) is, in fact, an invitation to enjoy the gritty, gripping acting and highly entertaining stories of the entire series.