Undercover Blues

I did not expect much when I decided to watch this, but in point of fact its a very funny and clever movie with a lot going for it. Quaid and Turner have some real chemistry. This is easily Turner's best movie in the last eight years but that's not saying much I guess. Dennis Quaid's easy-going manner and joyful grin are perfect for the part.

Stanley Tucci is a riot as "Muerte", a bumbling wanna-be gangster who appears to have seen Al Pacino's "Scarface" once too many times. In many ways, its Tucci's movie and he makes the most of it.

Fiona Shaw is also appropriately over the top as a woman/criminal with a crush on Quaid, and there are other familiar faces in the case too.

All in all, a welcome surprise.

Not many movies keep you wanting to watch, like this one does. The plot is very simple; 2 spies on a vacation are asked to do a job while in New Orleans. The outcome...? One hilarious movie! Dennis Quaid & Kathleen Turner are great as Mr. & Mrs. Blue, the title roles. During the movie while they are fighting the bad guys, they're either bickering over their vacation or what they want to name their daughter. The standout of this movie is Stanley Tucci, who plays street thug Muerte. After a botched mugging of Mr. Blue, which leads to Muerte getting beat up with a stroller, Muerte constantly is following the Blues in the movie to get revenge. You won't be disappointed with this movie!

'Undercover Blues' is a very light-hearted comedy for those who don't always want to take life so seriously; perhaps too jovial for some but I enjoyed it. Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner were very likable as Jeff and Jane Blue, ex-spies who are revelling in family life only to be enticed back for one last job. Larry Miller and Obba Babatunde were humorous as the two New Orleans detectives who know the Blues' are up-to-something but aren't quite sure what exactly but it is Stanley Tucci' hilarious Muerte, the thief who can never get one over on the Blues', who steals the show in his slap-stick performance.

The film does skirt the edge of being a bit silly but is still entertaining with enough action and comedy for a quiet family evening. For those who refuse to just enjoy the innocence of the film, they can still take in the stunning backdrop of New Orleans before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

My husband and I were walking along the sidewalk in the New Orleans French Quarter in the summer of 1992, when he turned and looked at a woman walking alongside us in the street and said, "Oh, my god, that's Kathleen Turner." I was just getting ready to tell him I was sure it wasn't when I looked across the street toward a courtyard, and just about fainted. "Oh my god, It's Dennis Quaid!" We stopped for a minute and watched the two of them walk toward each other, and realized they were taking a break in the middle of filming a movie scene. We were on our way somewhere at the time so we didn't stay to watch, but we decided we'd have to find out what movie they were filming and make it a point to go see it. That's how we ended up seeing Undercover Blues the week it was released in 1993.

The sign that a movie's a good comedy is when you remember the plot's running gag, and it still makes you laugh years later.

I was explaining the Latin root "mort-" to my teenage daughter last night, and that reminded me of Muerte/Morty. I started laughing just thinking about Stanley Tucci's brilliant comedic turn in this role. I called to my husband and asked him if he remembered Muerte/Morty, and he said, "Sure, Stanley Tucci!" And then he started to laugh, too. It's pretty much automatic that any time I hear a word that starts with "mort," I think of Muerrrrrrrrrte!" If you haven't seen this movie, do. It's smart, funny, and at times it'll have you laughing so hard you hurt. And I guarantee you'll never hear a "mort-" word again without fondly remembering Stanley Tucci as Muerte, and his alter ego Morty.

A word to those out there who view cinema as either High Art (CAPITALS clearly audible and firmly enunciated) or that it must have Meaning (ditto): This is not your movie, nor was it made with you as its audience. It is light, funny and meant to entertain. It does this fairly well. You may not like this, but, then, you don't have to. Last time I looked, films as art or with meaning exist. Watch them-I do. I also watch movies as well as films. Having both is not a mutually-exclusive proposition. The Bicycle Thief and Rashomon will not spontaneously combust because this film exists-or vice versa. End of sermon.

Dennis Quaid is funny, Kathleen Turner is a scream, the supporting cast is great (the two detectives, Larry Miller and Obba Babatunde are a riot), but Stanley Tucci, as Muerte, steals the movie. I don't care if the plot has more holes than a piece of Swiss cheese! Park your brain at the door and just enjoy. So it's not GWTW. That's okay-we already have one of those. Highly recommended.