The New Centurions

The story takes place in the early 1970s Los Angeles, a period marked by intense urban policing and social tensions. It follows three rookies through a year of patrols, incidents, and personal upheaval that range from ambition to tragedy.

The action unfolds in Los Angeles, focusing on its urban core and East Los Angeles where working-class communities live. The city’s markets, tenement blocks, and crowded streets provide the backdrop for police work and the daily dangers officers face. This setting highlights the social and economic contrasts the rookies encounter on patrol.

🚔 Duty vs. Self

Roy Fehler embodies the pull between the badge and his personal life. The job consumes his time and thoughts, straining his marriage and his law-school plans. The film analyzes how professional duty can eclipse family ties and personal happiness, leading to mounting stress and choices with lifelong consequences.

🧠 Mental Strain & Loss

The narrative documents the psychological toll of police work, including depression and alcohol use. Andy Kilvinski's retirement and subsequent suicide highlight the hidden costs of decades on the force. Roy's downward spiral after trauma underscores how violence on the streets can fracture a person’s sense of self and stability.

🌆 Urban Violence & Exploitation

The film portrays the gritty realities of city policing, from midnight calls to dangerous chases. It confronts exploitation in East LA, including the oppression faced by residents in dilapidated housing. The tension between order, violence, and social inequalities shapes the officers' world and their choices.