One can learn a semester’s worth of film school education by watching the films ofSidney Lumet. A prolific, steady studio hand for decades, Lumet was a refreshingly unshowy filmmaker who relied on gripping scripts and stellar performances. More so than even the most virtuosic auteurs, Lumet, who wrote the definitive book on filmmaking,Making Movies, knew how to elevate films through simple but potent formalist tricks. Within his deep filmography, Lumet directed a handful of overlooked gems buried under stone-cold classics like12 Angry MenandDog Day Afternoon, includingQ & A, apolice procedural and crime sagaabout systemic corruption and the futility of justice. Considering the topical nature of its themes in 2025, the film is more built to be appreciated today than in 1990.
Sidney Lumet Tells a Sprawling Crime Epic in ‘Q & A’
Rather than indulging in athletic feats of filmmaking or a distinct style, Sidney Lumet deployed a minimalist approach to tackle urgent and evergreen social issues.One of the recurring themes,police corruption and abuse of power,was the throughline of an unofficial spiritual trilogy of cop thrillers, includingSerpico,Prince of the City, and concluding withQ & A. The film, featuring a rare writing credit by Lumet, centers around the aftershock of the street execution of a low-level Puerto Rican gangster by the revered but crooked police detective Mike Brennan (Nick Nolte), who has various dealings with organized crime families throughout New York City. The District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau assigns Aloysius “Al” Reilly (Timothy Hutton), a young, straight-laced DA who was the son of a slain police officer, to run a deposition on Brennan’s shooting, which is understood to be an open-and-shut case of self-defense. Dubious of Brennan’s innocence, Al investigates the case and unearths a whirlwind of backdoor corruption as he consults with a Puerto Rican crime boss, Bobby Tex (Armand Assante), to bring justice to this cover-up.
The abridged synopsis ofQ & Adoesn’t tell the whole story, as it isa crime epicwithout the runtime to back it up. With a film that also features a turf war between rival Italian and Puerto Rican gangs and a splintered romance between Al and his ex, Nancy Bosch (Jenny Lumet),a 3-hour runtimewould’ve let every plot line breathe a little more. The film’s second act has the pacing of a cop drama on television due to Lumet juggling multiple story arcs at once, with the arc surrounding Al and Nancy’s contentious relationship being the most undercooked. You can sense Lumet’s determination to craft an all-encompassing story about crime in America, but it undermines the director’s strengths as a character and performance-based filmmaker. One has to wonder if Lumet granted screenwriting duties to a previous collaborator likeFrank PiersonorDavid Mamet,Q & Awould’ve been more taut and focused.
‘Q & A’ Dissects Police Corruption and Abuse of Power
All gripes aside, the highs ofQ & Ademonstrate the best ofSidney Lumet’s impeccable abilities as a directorof stirring drama and complex themes. At arguably the apex of his career,Nick Nolte shines as the charismatic but ferocious police detective. His performance as Mike Brennan, the charming raconteur and imposing super cop, nails how police officers become invincible from prosecution or public backlash. Fellow cops and commanding officers are hesitant to look into Brennan’s sketchy background, not just out of fear, but alsobecause they view him as a guardian of the community against the treacherous urban streets. Brennan is juxtaposed to the lawful boy scout in Al, who gradually develops a hard edge as his investigation runs into roadblocks.
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The era of the renegade cop begins in San Francisco.
In a period of increasingly intensified scrutiny surrounding brutality, abuse of power, and the political machinations behind the police force, the tepid response toQ & Aupon release indicates that it was simply ahead of its time,similar toNetwork. Lumet builds toward completing Al’s heroic arc by finding incriminating evidence against Brennan. The detective is shot dead in the police precinct, but, despite his villainous ways,there is no catharsis to his demise. Lumet teases that the files documenting Brennan’s Q & A session will lead to his indictment, but nothing arises, because a legal document is nothing compared to a corrupt mayor’s office.
In a chilling climax, Al, in one last gasp of hope, threatens his boss, Bloomenfeld (Lee Richarson), that he’ll leak the rampant corruption to the press. Bloomenfeld, in a non-threatening, pragmatic manner, informs Al that the mayor’s office will deny his mother her widow’s service pension if this story is publicized. In a fit of rage, Al destroys Bloomenfeld’s office, distraught over the systemic cover-up orchestrated at the highest levels of public office. In the end,Q & Ashows that heroes are merelycogs in the machine, and the heavies like Brennan are pawns controlled by politicians and mobsters.
Sidney Lumet’s History With Crime Dramas and Nick Nolte’s Ascending Stardom
AlongsideMartin ScorseseandSpike Lee, Sidney Lumet is one of thepremiere New York City filmmakers. No matter the genre — crime, drama, or satire — the Big Apple perfectly complemented Lumet’s gritty, precise cinematic vision. Best of all, his films were not faux recreations of NYC subways and intersections, as he shot 22 films in his hometown, and found great success away from Hollywood during a time when the industry was expanding its operations nationwide. It’s become cliché to describe a geographic setting as an ancillary “character” in a story, but that is certainly true of Lumet, who helped define the grimy aesthetic of New York inSerpico,Dog Day Afternoon, andPrince of the City.Pauline Kaelwrotethat “his gift — and it’s not a minor one — is for urban animal energy, for drive.” Even in non-crime films primarily featuring interior settings, including12 Angry MenandNetwork, the manic and weary nature of his character was informed by the constant claustrophobia and relentless charge of the city. Because of his unpretentious approach to the craft and worker-like approach to filming sturdy, down-the-middle dramas and thrillers, Lumet is the ultimate New Yorker.
Q & Ais a culmination of Lumet’s fascination with NYC’s criminal underworld that stretches back to his more underappreciated efforts likeThe Anderson Tapes. The director underscores the treacherous milieu of NYC crime by showing that good versus evil and cops versus criminals were never a one-to-one battle. The “good guys” were always fighting against the city and a greater syndicate,as brutally demonstrated inQ & Awith Al Reilly’s earnest fight for justiceamid police corruption and the cultural adoration of law enforcement. The film spotlights various fabrics of the urban setting, ranging from the crime-stricken streets to the closed doors of the police chief’s offices, a dynamic that can be tracked in future stories likeThe Wire. At first,Dog Day Afternoonpresented itself as a no-frills thrillerabout a real-life bank robbery, but Lumet’s keen awareness of NYC’s politics elevated theAl Pacinofilm into a poignant study of identity and media exposure.
Nick Nolte, a former recipient ofPeople’s Sexiest Man Alive,has one of the most unexpected movie star careers in recent history.With his gruff voice and sheer menace, he seemed destined to remain a sturdy character actor, playing cops and criminals in films and police procedurals for decades.Q & Acatches Nolte at a fascinating period right before he ascends to household status and heartthrob mode with his turn inBarbra Streisand’s drama,The Prince of Tides. Hebrought an unmistakable presenceto every film as an actor inclined to work with major directors, including Martin Scorsese,George Miller,James L. Brooks,William Friedkin, andPaul Schrader. As the shady detective Brennan, Nolte utilizes all his familiar traits while turning up his untapped charisma to 11. It’s a shame he never starred in another film by Lumet, as the two operated on such a similar wavelength.
Q&Ais available to watch on Hulu and Disney+ with Hulu in the U.S.
Watch on Hulu
In Q&A, a young district attorney investigates a corrupt police detective, while navigating complicated personal ties with a former lover and her influential new protector, a crime boss. As he seeks justice, he faces challenges intertwined with power dynamics and moral dilemmas within the justice system.
