Peligro en Miami

This has a mean edge to it which usually doesn't excite me, but I really like this movie, because the meanness is tempered with comedy. It's pure entertainment, one of the fastest-moving 97 minutes you will find, thanks to a good combination of violence and humor.

The three main characters in here are all low-life scumbags but interesting and definitely fun to watch. Alec Baldwin plays a psycho thug and exhibits a good flair for comedy, which he has pursed several times in movies after this one. He's also a legitimately tough guy, or at least sounds like one. Jennifer Jason Leigh, perhaps the all-time female sleazoid in movies, is a lame-brained prostitute. I was very impressed with her southern accent.

Fred Ward is a strange cop in pursuit, one who has problems with his false teeth! Hey, this IS kind of an odd crime movie.

Despite the above, the violence in here can get rough with a few unpredictable happenings that will get your attention. There's also a good soundtrack, capped off at the end by Norman Greenbaum's classic "Spirit In The Sky."

Arresting, oddball and darkly comedic crime fiction from the mind of the late Charles Willeford, written for the screen and directed by George Armitage and co-produced by Jonathan Demme. Some people may find it a little too unpleasant for their tastes, but others will delight in its unpredictability. It's got enough interesting faces in its supporting cast to help it make an enjoyable cult-favourite type of film.

Alec Baldwin plays psychopathic hoodlum "Junior" Frenger, who arrives in Miami intending to "start over", or in his case simply move on to a new assortment of victims. (He begins by messing up a Hare Krishna in an airport.) He hooks up with Susie Waggoner, a sweet, simple minded hooker played by the endearing Jennifer Jason Leigh. A tough homicide detective, Hoke Moseley (Fred Ward, good as always) follows his trail, but gets victimized himself when Junior gets the drop on him, and steals Hokes' gun, badge, and false teeth. Junior then has the time of his life pretending to be a cop, while entering into a domestic situation with Susie.

"Miami Blues" does get fairly violent sometimes, but if this sort of thing doesn't bother you, you can have a good time with this story and these players. It's got a hip soundtrack including a score by Gary Chang (this viewer loves the use of Norman Greenbaums' "Spirit in the Sky"). Among the supporting actors are Nora Dunn of 'Saturday Night Live' & "Three Kings", Demme regular Charles Napier ("The Blues Brothers", "The Silence of the Lambs"), Obba Babatunde, and Jose Perez; cameos range from Martine Beswicke ("Prehistoric Women") to Paul Gleason ("The Breakfast Club") to Shirley Stoler ("The Honeymoon Killers").

Highly recommended to fans of cult cinema.

'Miami Blues' fans nod at each knowingly like they share a secret. For some reason this super cool movie isn't all that well known by most movie buffs, but those that appreciate it see it for the highly original and quirky piece of work that it is. Writer/director George Armitage served his apprenticeship with exploitation king Roger Corman in the early 70s, as did Jonathan Demme who co-produced. If you like Demme's mid-period movies like 'Something Wild' and 'Married To The Mob' you'll love 'Miami Blues'. Armitage even uses Demme's mascot Charles Napier, the craggy faced character actor beloved by Russ Meyer nuts. The movie is based on a book by Charles Willeford which features his regular protagonist Hoke Mosely. Quentin Tarantino is a major Willeford fan, and much of 'Miami Blues' prefigures Tarantino's fresh mix of crime and comedy. Mosely is played by Fred Ward who gives one of his very best performances. Alec Baldwin also lucks out as Junior. You'll rarely see either actor as good as this anywhere else. Both of them are just brilliant in this movie, as is Jennifer Jason Leigh. The three of them together are just a joy to watch. Add to that small supporting roles by Napier, Nora Dunn ('Three Kings') and Shirley Stoler ('The Honeymoon Killers') and it's a film buffs dream. You even get a totally pointless cameo by cult favourite Martine Beswick! I don't know why she's even in the movie, but it's alright by me! I always enjoy watching 'Miami Blues' every time I pull it out of my collection. Lots of old favourites lose their appeal as the years go by, not so this one, which just gets better and better to me. Highly recommended fun!

It's hard to peg this movie. "Miami Blues" seems to dance along the lines of black comedy, quasi-psycho thriller and pastel noir. And it's offbeat, to say the least; something like this doesn't just come along every day. But the comedic elements didn't work for me; I guess I was just never in sync with its sense of humor.

I was much more interested in Jennifer Jason Leigh's character, of the three (Ward and Baldwin are certainly no amateurs). Her character's not bright, but just sweet enough to make you feel bad when she's emotionally abused. It'd be an understatement to say she walks away with this movie.

5/10

This is one of those movies that perhaps not a lot of people saw, but for me, it's one of those 'obscure classics'. A little quirky at times, but it just looked like a fun movie to act in, and definitely a fun movie to watch. The cast does a great job, especially Alec Baldwin and Fred Ward. They just really seemed to be enjoy their characters. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives her usual solid performance in yet another offbeat role. Alec Baldwin always seems to give some 'classic scene' deliveries (Glengarry Glen Ross, Malice, The Edge, etc.), and once again here in Miami Blues, he scores some big ones. On the bed, counting the stolen money, doing Al 'Scarface' Pacino. Rhyming while finding the 'very big' gun. The entire dinner scene with Ward's Moseley. Stopping the store burglar with a jar of spaghetti sauce. His 'raid' of the betting room ('remain silent'). -Etc. etc. These are just a few examples of some of his classic scenes or lines. They're usually hysterical!!

Anyway, there is some violence, some 'dark' comedy (e.g. Ravindra!), etc., but overall, I think this movie was very entertaining and a nice offbeat surprise with some great performances and lines. Chalk it up under one of my 'Top Ten Favorites That Not Everybody Saw'.