An extremely dark crime drama movie is on TV tonight

Banned in Ireland for a time, Martin Scorsese once called it one of the best films of the '90s.

The actor plays the unnamed title character, a corrupt New York cop addicted to drugs and steeped in gambling debt who exploits his authority in a variety of awful ways.

While investigating a shocking crime committed against a nun, however, the policeman starts to wrestle with his shocking actions. Can he find redemption despite what he has done?

Co-written and directed by cult filmmaker Abel Ferrara (King of New York), Bad Lieutenant plunges the viewer into the depths of addiction and depravity before building to an incredibly powerful Church-set scene in which Keitel's cop finally properly reckons with his crimes.

And though the film provoked controversy upon release for its lurid story - it was even banned in Ireland for a period - Bad Lieutenant was also praised by many for its stunningly brave central performance, its authentically gritty direction, and the film's religious iconography and theme of redemption.

In fact, Martin Scorsese named it the fifth best movie of the '90s, telling critic Roger Ebert: "Abel Ferrara‘s Bad Lieutenant, starring my old friend and collaborator Harvey Keitel. He’s always taken risks as an actor, and in the ’90s, in this film in particular, he really reached his prime."

Ferrara's movie also later got a sort-of reboot starring Nicolas Cage, which is also excellent if less abrasive in its content.

The original Bad Lieutenant is airing on the channel Legend Xtra tonight/tomorrow at 1am. It is also available to stream on Plex.

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