21 Bridges

The film stars Chadwick Boseman as an NYPD Detective who shuts down the 21 river crossings of Manhattan to find two suspected cop killers, portrayed by Stephan James and Taylor Kitsch. Sienna Miller, Keith David and J. K. Simmons appear in supporting roles. The film was produced by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, Mike Larocca, Robert Simonds, Gigi Pritzker, Boseman (in his only producing credit) and Logan Coles. It was also Boseman’s final theatrical film before his death in August 2020. His last two films, Da 5 Bloods and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, were released on Netflix.

The project was announced as 17 Bridges in July 2018. Principal photography began on September 24, 2018 in New York City, primarily Brooklyn, and also took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Several members of the cast joined the film in October 2018, including James and David.

21 Bridges was theatrically released in the United States on November 22, 2019, by STXfilms. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $49 million worldwide on a $33 million production budget.

Struggling with his father’s legacy, Davis has earned a reputation for killing several criminals over the years, although he claims they were all in self-defense and is uncomfortable with the label.

One night, Michael Trujillo and Ray Jackson, two small-time criminals and ex-military soldiers, attempt to steal 30 kilograms of cocaine from a wine shop in Brooklyn. Instead, they find 300 kilograms of cocaine, and when a group of officers from the NYPD’s 85th Precinct arrives, Ray guns them down in a shootout, killing seven and wounding another, who later dies at hospital. After Michael and Ray escape into Manhattan with 50 kilograms, Michael chastises Ray for putting them in jeopardy by killing cops. Assigned to the case, Davis and NYPD Narcotics Detective Frankie Burns come into conflict with Sgt. Butchco and Sgt. Dugan, who attempt to allow FBI Special Agents to take over the case. Reasoning that the criminals would have to sell the cocaine in Manhattan before escaping the state, Davis secures the reluctant approval of the Deputy Mayor, the FBI, and the precinct’s head, Captain McKenna, for Manhattan Island to be locked down until 5 a.m.

As Ray and Michael go with their liaison, Bush, to meet their buyer, Hawk, who gives them $1 million, Davis and Burns manage to identify all three. Bush is soon gunned down by Butchco and Dugan in a nightclub. After catching Butchco planting his backup sidearm on Bush’s body and briefly scuffling with him, Davis becomes more suspicious of his colleagues.

Adi, a money launderer, gives Michael and Ray new identities and tells them to depart for Miami the next morning. However, before he can secure their money in an offshore account, a team of NYPD officers led by Lieutenant Kelly manages to locate and raid his apartment. Adi is mortally wounded but gives Michael two flash drives and their password.

Davis and Burns catch up to Michael and Ray; after accidentally killing a civilian, Ray is fatally wounded by Davis. Michael holds Burns at gunpoint, telling Davis about the drives and how suspicious everything is, before escaping. Burns scolds Davis for letting Michael escape despite Davis’ reputation. In a hotel room, Michael unlocks the drives, realizing that McKenna’s precinct was involved in trafficking the drugs from the winery and earning profits for it, and that some of the cops he and Ray had killed in the shootout had been corrupt. After another chase where Michael abandons his money, Davis manages to corner him on a subway train and convinces him to surrender, promising to keep him alive. Burns, who has also boarded the train, suddenly shoots Michael, claiming when he berates her that she thought Michael was still holding Davis at gunpoint. Michael secretly gives Davis the drives and password before dying. As the police congratulate the two for their efforts, Davis discovers that Burns had contacted Kelly before Adi’s apartment was raided.

The next morning, McKenna returns home to find Davis holding him at gunpoint, having accessed the drives. McKenna explains that the officers went into drug trafficking because they were struggling to survive on a measly pay. Davis, refusing to walk away, kills the arriving Butchco, Dugan and Kelly – who were all on McKenna’s payroll – then McKenna, who refuses to surrender. Burns, whom Davis deduced was also allied with McKenna, appears from behind and holds Davis at gunpoint, but surrenders after Davis reveals that he had already leaked the information online, exposing all the corrupt cops in New York, and reasons that her daughter would live without her mother should she get a life sentence for killing him.

In the aftermath, Davis solemnly drives along the Manhattan Bridge in the sunset, taking the drives with him.