Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Deep Cover

 Deep Cover
type
TVTItem
 Deep Cover
label
Deep Cover
 Deep Cover
page
DeepCover
 Deep Cover
comment
Deep Cover is a 1992 crime film directed by Bill Duke and starring Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum.Russell Stevens Jr. (Fishburne) is a cop recruited by the DEA to go deep undercover in the Los Angeles drug trade and enable the prosecution of key members of the Gallegos Cartel. He eventually makes a name for himself and becomes a major distributor, but problems arise when he allies himself with David Jason (Goldblum), a crooked lawyer with ambitions beyond his station.
 Deep Cover
fetched
2023-08-07T14:58:37Z
 Deep Cover
parsed
2023-08-07T14:58:37Z
 Deep Cover
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Deep Cover / int_1206d299
type
Can't Kill You, Still Need You
 Deep Cover / int_1206d299
comment
Can't Kill You, Still Need You: After Russell and David murder Barbossa, his boss Anton Gallegos demands a sitdown. He makes it abundantly clear that he considered Barbossa a valuable partner and the only reason he doesn't just kill them for their betrayal is because of Barbossa's open debt to Gallegos, which they now inherited. Russell and David realize that Gallegos has no intention of working with them even if they pay the debt, so they orchestrate his murder as well to force Gallegos' uncle to make a new deal in person.
 Deep Cover / int_1206d299
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_1206d299
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_1206d299
 Deep Cover / int_1501e2dd
type
Hero Antagonist
 Deep Cover / int_1501e2dd
comment
Hero Antagonist: Taft is an LAPD narcotics detective who believes that Russell (an undercover cop working for the DEA) is just some ordinary drug dealer recently moved into town who's spreading that crap to get rich off it. He continues to pursue Russell and his associates and endangers Russell's own investigation into the Gallegos Cartel at several points.
 Deep Cover / int_1501e2dd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_1501e2dd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_1501e2dd
 Deep Cover / int_1c6ded94
type
Wicked Cultured
 Deep Cover / int_1c6ded94
comment
Wicked Cultured: David at one point remarks "In dreams begin responsibilities," which is a slight misquote of a line by William Butler Yeats.
 Deep Cover / int_1c6ded94
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_1c6ded94
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_1c6ded94
 Deep Cover / int_2d4fa515
type
Ax-Crazy
 Deep Cover / int_2d4fa515
comment
Ax-Crazy: David starts out as Affably Evil, but gradually becomes a psychotically vicious killer.
 Deep Cover / int_2d4fa515
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_2d4fa515
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_2d4fa515
 Deep Cover / int_32768814
type
Kick the Son of a Bitch
 Deep Cover / int_32768814
comment
Kick The Son Of A Bitch: While Barbossa's murder of Eddie was needlessly cruel, Eddie did have it coming. One, for being an incompetent jerkoff drug dealer who tried to sell out Russell to the cops (thereby demonstrating he can't be trusted not to cooperate with the police if his ass is on the line), and two, he also sticks a fork in Barbossa's chest right beforehand when he clearly hadn't made up his mind yet whether to just cut Eddie loose or "dispose" of him.
 Deep Cover / int_32768814
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_32768814
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_32768814
 Deep Cover / int_35f57671
type
Minion with an F in Evil
 Deep Cover / int_35f57671
comment
Minion with an F in Evil: Gopher, one of Barbossa's henchmen, only ever comes across as an avuncular old man, and is quite horrified by Barbossa's cruelty. He even starts helping Russell at the end.
 Deep Cover / int_35f57671
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_35f57671
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_35f57671
 Deep Cover / int_3cb1d38d
type
Bad Boss
 Deep Cover / int_3cb1d38d
comment
Bad Boss: Felix Barbossa, the underboss of the cartel, isn't an easy guy to work for. Not only does he beat one of his minions to death with a pool cue to show his displeasure, he also despises David for no rational reason and attempts to have him murdered after rejecting his synthetic drug plan out of hand.
 Deep Cover / int_3cb1d38d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_3cb1d38d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_3cb1d38d
 Deep Cover / int_3dd3951e
type
Cowboy Cop
 Deep Cover / int_3dd3951e
comment
Cowboy Cop: Russell starts to go against his superior's orders to protect David from Barbossa by killing the latter. Lt. Carver attempts to arrest him, but Russell turns the tables and continues his mission to take down Gallegos.
 Deep Cover / int_3dd3951e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_3dd3951e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_3dd3951e
 Deep Cover / int_44606d14
type
Becoming the Mask
 Deep Cover / int_44606d14
comment
Becoming the Mask: Russell is chosen to become an undercover narcotics officer because his personality is so similar to that of a typical criminal. As he discovers, he's actually pretty good at being a drug dealer. Eventually he's forced to sell crack cocaine for real because his handler doesn't have enough money in the budget to pay for all the stuff he brings in. Ultimately subverted in that he never completely loses sight that he's still a cop and helps to dismantle a major supplier.
 Deep Cover / int_44606d14
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Deep Cover / int_44606d14
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_44606d14
 Deep Cover / int_45cd286c
type
Corrupt Politician
 Deep Cover / int_45cd286c
comment
Corrupt Politician: Hector Guzman is a prominent Latin American diplomat who plays golf with George Bush Sr. and is also the kingpin of a drug cartel with his nephew Gallegos as the front man.
 Deep Cover / int_45cd286c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_45cd286c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_45cd286c
 Deep Cover / int_51589353
type
The Cartel
 Deep Cover / int_51589353
comment
The Cartel: Russell is tasked with infiltrating the fictional Gallegos Cartel, which is said to supply nearly 40% of the entire cocaine supply to the West Coast.
 Deep Cover / int_51589353
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_51589353
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_51589353
 Deep Cover / int_695d36b5
type
Must State If You're a Cop
 Deep Cover / int_695d36b5
comment
Must State If You're a Cop: At one point, Russell is asked point blank if he's a cop. He says just as frankly that he is, but answers the question in an incredibly sarcastic way to make it seem like he's bullshitting.
 Deep Cover / int_695d36b5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_695d36b5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_695d36b5
 Deep Cover / int_733ca2f8
type
Noble Bigot with a Badge
 Deep Cover / int_733ca2f8
comment
Noble Bigot with a Badge: DEA Special Agent Carver has no issue hurling the N-word around, but despite being a Smug Snake entirely too satisfied with himself, he does make it clear at several points that he's genuinely trying to combat the crack cocaine epidemic or at least, until his bosses order him to scupper the investigation.
 Deep Cover / int_733ca2f8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_733ca2f8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_733ca2f8
 Deep Cover / int_74b85afd
type
If You're So Evil, Eat This Kitten!
 Deep Cover / int_74b85afd
comment
If You're So Evil, Eat This Kitten!: When it becomes necessary to take out a competing drug dealer, Russell actually goes ahead and kills him.
 Deep Cover / int_74b85afd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_74b85afd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_74b85afd
 Deep Cover / int_7815ba15
type
N-Word Privileges
 Deep Cover / int_7815ba15
comment
N-Word Privileges: Played with. Agent Carver interviews three different black police officers to see if they can be recruited for his undercover program by bluntly asking each of them "What's the difference between a black man and a nigger?". The first one tries to awkwardly answer the question thus showing that he's too docile, the second one flies into a rage which shows that he's too easily provoked, but the third (Russell) calmly tells him "only a nigger would answer that question" to show him as more cunning and diplomatic than the previous two. At the end of the film, he does repeat the question and punches Carver in the stomach.
 Deep Cover / int_7815ba15
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_7815ba15
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_7815ba15
 Deep Cover / int_7f38c0cd
type
An Offer You Can't Refuse
 Deep Cover / int_7f38c0cd
comment
An Offer You Can't Refuse: Before Russell testifies at the House Judiciary Committee, Agent Carver threatens to charge Betty with money laundering unless Russell gives glowing praise of the DEA and its investigation. Russell complies with these demands, but manages to screw them over another way.
 Deep Cover / int_7f38c0cd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_7f38c0cd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_7f38c0cd
 Deep Cover / int_7fbb2a3
type
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
 Deep Cover / int_7fbb2a3
comment
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: After undercover cop Russell Stevens sets up a deal with drug kingpin Hector Guzman to record the transaction, he is followed by a local narcotics detective who scares off Guzman and almost sabotages the whole thing.
 Deep Cover / int_7fbb2a3
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_7fbb2a3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_7fbb2a3
 Deep Cover / int_8288929a
type
Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves
 Deep Cover / int_8288929a
comment
Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: After one of Barbossa's henchmen is caught by the police, the henchman gives up undercover cop Russell (thinking he's just a street dealer) to keep his own ass out of jail, confident that his bosses would consider Russell expendable. Instead they kill the henchman for making a deal with the cops and reward Russell for keeping his mouth shut all the way to his trial by giving him the henchman's job.
 Deep Cover / int_8288929a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_8288929a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_8288929a
 Deep Cover / int_8805822f
type
Naughty Nuns
 Deep Cover / int_8805822f
comment
Naughty Nuns: During a mob meeting at a strip club, there's "entertainment" from a Fanservice Extra in a nun costume.
 Deep Cover / int_8805822f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_8805822f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_8805822f
 Deep Cover / int_a38ed1f7
type
Coat Cape
 Deep Cover / int_a38ed1f7
comment
Coat Cape: Anton Gallegos wears one.
 Deep Cover / int_a38ed1f7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_a38ed1f7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_a38ed1f7
 Deep Cover / int_b5b3599d
type
Amoral Attorney
 Deep Cover / int_b5b3599d
comment
Amoral Attorney: David Jason is a drug lawyer who dreams of setting up his own operation producing synthetic drugs. Betty is one of David's partners in his synthetic drug scheme, and is also a lawyer who does money laundering for the cartel.
 Deep Cover / int_b5b3599d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_b5b3599d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_b5b3599d
 Deep Cover / int_baa60bd
type
Cassandra Gambit
 Deep Cover / int_baa60bd
comment
Cassandra Gambit: Russell has to Take a Third Option when asked by a gang of thugs if he's an undercover cop. If he lies, then any future arrest would be worthless because it'd be considered "entrapment". And of course, if he tells the truth, they'll kill him. So he just tells them the truth in a way that makes it seem ridiculous. (Note: This is actually a case of Artistic License – Law. Real undercover cops are allowed to lie to their marks about being cops. The entrapment clause doesn't work that way. Because if it did, there'd be a lot fewer arrests and a lot more dead cops.)
 Deep Cover / int_baa60bd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_baa60bd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_baa60bd
 Deep Cover / int_d833090a
type
Right Hand Versus Left Hand
 Deep Cover / int_d833090a
comment
Right Hand Versus Left Hand: The DEA is not sharing its information with the LAPD Narcotics Division, so Russell is frequently hounded by a Sergeant who thinks he's an ordinary drug dealer.
 Deep Cover / int_d833090a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_d833090a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_d833090a
 Deep Cover / int_dc292b90
type
Ear Ache
 Deep Cover / int_dc292b90
comment
Ear Ache: Gallegos makes it clear to Russell that he considers him beneath him by ripping off his earring.
 Deep Cover / int_dc292b90
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_dc292b90
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_dc292b90
 Deep Cover / int_de613f81
type
Hauled Before a Senate Subcommittee
 Deep Cover / int_de613f81
comment
Hauled Before a Senate Subcommittee: After Russell deals a crippling blow to the Gallegos cartel and implicates Mexican diplomat Hector Guzman as a high-level drug trafficker, he is brought before a House Judiciary Committee hearing to report his findings to the public representatives. When Guzman's crimes are brought to light, several members demand that the evidence be destroyed, as it will inevitably embarass the current administration and possibly hurt US-Mexico relations. Russell had anticipated this, and distributed copies to the press beforehand.
 Deep Cover / int_de613f81
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_de613f81
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_de613f81
 Deep Cover / int_e70127
type
The Mole
 Deep Cover / int_e70127
comment
The Mole: Barbossa is an informant for the LAPD.
 Deep Cover / int_e70127
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_e70127
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_e70127
 Deep Cover / int_eb4f769f
type
Race Fetish
 Deep Cover / int_eb4f769f
comment
Race Fetish: David wonders aloud why he likes having sex with black women so much; Russell says it's actually a slave fetish.
 Deep Cover / int_eb4f769f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_eb4f769f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_eb4f769f
 Deep Cover / int_name
type
ItemName
 Deep Cover / int_name
comment
 Deep Cover / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Deep Cover / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Deep Cover / int_name
 Deep Cover / int_name
itemName
Deep Cover

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Deep Cover
hasFeature
African-American Media / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Amoral Attorney / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
An Offer You Can't Refuse / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Can't Kill You, Still Need You / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Cassandra Gambit / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Corrupt Politician / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Ear Ache / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Film Noir Index / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Films Noirs Index / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Films of 1990–1994 / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Hauled Before a Senate Subcommittee / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
If You're So Evil, Eat This Kitten! / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Minion with an F in Evil / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Must State If You're a Cop / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
N-Word Privileges / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Naughty Nuns / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Noble Bigot with a Badge / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Race Fetish / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves / int_e9c807f1
 Deep Cover
hasFeature
The Cartel / int_e9c807f1