in . He works from the gut . We have Ludlow 's number from the beginning : He wakes up , vomits , cleans his gun , and knocks back a couple of miniature bottles of vodka . Then he crashes a kidnappers ' den and puts down four gangsters before they know what 's hit them . `` Do n't worry , '' he tells the distraught little girls caged up in the back . `` I 'm a cop . '' It 's probably superfluous to add that he 's still nursing a grievous hangover from the wife who died in flagrante with a person unknown two or three years ago . It 's also probably superfluous to mention that Internal Affairs -LRB- headed by Hugh Laurie -RRB- is beginning to sniff around Ludlow 's unit . In particular , IA is talking to his ex-partner Washington -LRB- Terry Crews -RRB- , a revelation that sends Ludlow reaching for his baseball bat . Before he can put Washington straight , though , his old pal is gunned down before his eyes by a couple of punks . Can Ludlow cover up his own potentially incriminating presence at the
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In `` Street Kings , '' Keanu Reeves ' bad-boy cop Tom Ludlow may not play by the rules , but the film sure does . Keanu Reeves , second from left , and Forest Whitaker are shifty cops in `` Street Kings . '' The movie is textbook Cop Noir . Directed by David Ayer , who wrote `` Training Day '' and directed `` Harsh Times , '' from a script that originated with `` L.A. Confidential '' novelist James Ellroy , it 's a story both men have told before and will doubtless return to again . Too bad that story -- the one about the constant struggle with an impure world , betrayal , disillusionment , retribution , all that jazz -- is n't told with much originality this time around . As Ludlow , a detective with a special LAPD vice squad , Reeves shoots first and asks questions much , much later . In his field the bad guys are easy to spot , and if Tom has to get his hands dirty , well , then he 'll be careful to wipe away the residue before he calls it