I saw the Keitel Bad Lieutenant Monet. Thanks again for posting it (obviously this will create a Bill Yung retort, but he will not alter my behavior of thanking someone who does me a solid no matter what he posts) - I enjoyed it. So, now, after viewing both, I can say that the Cage movie is not a remake. Each movie is about a different Bad Lieutenant in a different location. Keitel doesn't get away with anything - he gets drive-byed at the end for fucking up his game 7 bet ("LA's a lock"). The Cage movie was simply a dark comedy where getting away with it (more than getting away with it - actually profiting immensely including a promotion), despite being completely out of control and having to have several loose ends break his way (via clever screen-writing IMHO) was really funny and totally anti-establishment. Yes, corrupt people get away with shit all the time and can live, long, opulent lives as we both know and have seen over and over again.
The Keitel movie was a gritty reality-based movie, and I love how it was set at the height of violence in New York before the Giuliani clean-up - well worth the watch.