Blue City

Judd Nelson playing the part of Burt Reynolds. I always thought that was the best way to describe this film. That description is not meant to take anything away from it. Just a description of it.

Like in many of Reynolds' roles, Nelson plays a smart mouthed wisecracking anti-hero. He's not nearly as sure of himself as his pretends to be. Like many of Reynolds' characters, Nelson's Billy Turner is making it up as he goes along as he seeks rough justice. Unlike many action adventure films, the outcome is in doubt. Turner is not an invincible killing machine.

I remember seeing it when it came out. I thought it was a fun film worth watching. The theme is appealing. I think it's an underrated film and the proof the critics' opinions are just that: opinions and therefore subjective. You have to see it for yourself.

What's good about this flick? The gorgeous Anita Morris plays Nelson's stepmother and the woman oozes sex appeal. A wonderfully smarmy performance by Paul Winfield as a corrupt police chief. David Caruso acts circles around his co-star Judd Nelson. Some really nice shots of the coastline while Nelson rides his hog down the interstate. Ry Cooder's bluesy score is just a treat to listen to and captures the atmosphere of the settings.

What's bad about it? Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson aren't trying at all; they look like they're here for the paycheck and nothing more. They exhibit no chemistry in any of their scenes together, and Nelson looks like he's reciting all of his lines in the least interested manner possible, and Sheedy looks as though she'd rather be anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, these two performers are probably the reason why most people would want to see this movie. I say skip it and see them in St. Elmo's Fire or better yet The Breakfast Club.

Other than some noteworthy names attached to the project (Judd Nelson, David Caruso, Ally Sheedy, Paul Winfield, Scott Wilson and filmmaker Walter Hill), "Blue City" is a by-the-numbers, but unscrupulous dramatic thriller that involves a lot of bruising beat-ups and heated confrontations as it has Judd Nelson as a real rebellious young drifter returning back to his home town to find out his well-regarded father was murdered and the police had done little about it because of the lack of evidence. So with the help of a friend or two he takes it upon himself to stir up a ruckus with the local heavies to hopefully to find his father's killer. Nelson's disruptively brooding character spends most of the time instigating conflicts and getting into tit for tat situations by waging a criminal war to get some point across. Questionable methods indeed, but it provides constant brutality and a furiously nippy edge over the use of growing suspense and mystery. Nearly every character involved with the exception of Ally Sheedy is quite nasty or have shades… even our supposed heroes. As for Sheedy's character, she felt nothing more than a padded distraction in the usual love interest angle and in the end could have been rubbed out. There are some good performances. Scott Wilson provided some sparks in his villainous local mob role with Tommy 'Tiny' Lister as one of his henchman. A stoic Paul Winfield is solid and Anita Morris brings a nervous energy. Walter Hill's co-written screenplay is uneven (some things making little sense) and foreseeable in its plot twists (where it seems like easy come, easy go), but the script keeps the dialogues blunt and simple. The choice of setting is ideal with some scenic Florida shots, as the humidity goes down well with the tension that's boiling over between the parties involved. Director Michelle Manning handling is rather tight, but pretty cut and dry. Ry Cooder provides the upbeat music score that embellishes the environment and ordeals, although it can be rigid and overwrought. Reasonably mindless fodder

Good performances by Nelson & Sheedy and a twist in the end give this film a good bit of quality. Don't listen to the naysayers, there are many more films higher rated than this which are much worse. Worth a watch.

I knew nothing beforehand about this film. I only watched it because Ally Sheedy was in the cast. This was one of the poorest films I have seen in a long time. In my opinion, the only actor who really put anything into his part was Paul Winfield. I like Ms. Sheedy no matter what film she's in, ever since I first saw her in War Games. Judd Nelson was inappropriate as the hero. The plot became more preposterous as the film went on, so that by the end nothing that happens surprises the viewer. The actions which the hero did were totally over the top, and he got away with all of them!! All in all, a film to avoid.