All in all, Detective Story is best left behind in a trash heap of dated cop melodrama.
What an awful review, reads more like a polemic attack piece. Using the word 'Melodrama' to denigrate is lame criticism. Melodrama, is a style.
One thing I always liked about fellow film buffs, is there open-mindedness to watch films with widely different topics and styles and being able to appreciate what they are trying to say.
Detective Story, is one of my favourite films, since I first viewed as a very young kid. And I still think it stands up well.
I love the heightened emotions in this film.
The film is about ethics, both personal and professional. Like many great films it presents a moral dilemma, for you to learn from. Movies are like a mental exercise to me.
I've not seen this mentioned before but, I believe this film was one of the inspirations for David Mamet's, "Glengarry Glen Ross". Mostly set in one location (office/police station), and mostly about interpersonal ethics. Some of the dialogue style is also similar. I suppose you think that's a piece of garbage too.
You need to learn how to watch a movie. It starts with expectations 'off'. Good luck..