Pas de vacances pour les Blues

As in every comedy, there are things that are very funny and things that are annoying or stupid. You just hope that the "good" outweighs the "bad." I think that's the case here, even though I traded in the tape. However, I did watch it a couple of times, so there are enough laughs to make this worth seeing. There are enough odd characters, too. That's no surprise when you see the supporting cast: Stanley Tucci, Larry Miller, Fiona Shaw and Tom Arnold. All of them put added spark to the film. Tucci, as "Meurte," is most obvious as he continually tries to mug the leading couple, played by Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid. Miller plays a weird cop with a lisp and a very weird accent. I guess you could call this movie "quirky."

Turner and Quaid are so smug as modern-day Nick and Nora Charles, you want to root for "Muerte" to succeed. Frankly, I never found Turner, except perhaps in "Body Heat," to be that alluring. However, I think she is an underrated comedienne.

As a whole, this comedy is a little rough in spots, hence the PG-13 rating which often means more profanity than R-rated films. This is not for the kiddies, but adults will laugh.

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.

'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.

This is not Great Cinema, and it's not supposed to be. It's "I've had a bad day and don't want to think too hard" lighthearted fun. Not only are Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner great as Jeff and Jane Blue, but the supporting cast of Stanley Tucci ("that's 'MUERTE', as in 'DEATH'), Fiona Shaw (now perfect as Harry Potter's Aunt Petunia Dursley), Obba Babatunde and Larry Miller as the outclassed detectives, and Tom Arnold and Park Overall as the "normal" couple for balance make the whole cast shine. Park your brain, relax, enjoy, and remember, even GWTW is NOT "GWTW".

One of the better movies of 1993. It was funny, brilliant and full of intrigue.

I liked Dennis Quaid as Jeff Blue. He was full of wisecracks and that smile he gave you told you that he was up to something and/or was only telling you half-truths.

Jeff's wife, Jane, played by Kathleen Turner, was more of the "straight person" to Jeff, but at times, she could she could be funny and tough as well.

Larry Miller as Detective Sgt Halsey was hilarious. Although his accent was horrible (maybe it was intended that way), I liked him as the dopey detective.

Stanley Tucci as "Muerte" or "Morty" as the Blues refer to him as, was the best. He plays a robber in New Orleans and he meets the couple he tries and tries again to rob; The Blues. Every time he tries, he fails and that high pitch scream Muerte/Morty screams when something bad is going to happen to him is hilarious. It no longer becomes a job for Muerte, but a challenge. About the only thing he could "steal" from the Blues was the entire movie. He had me laughing non-stop every time he appeared.

My favorite parts in the movie:

Muerte: "I am Muerte"

Jeff Blue: "Oh hi Morty!!!"

Muerte: "Muerte!!! Muerte!!! no Morty!!! Muerte!!!!"

And when Jeff Blue meets with Paulina Novacek (Fiona Shaw), her gang has "Muerte", thinking he is one of Jeff's "confederates", He (Jeff) plays off it, saying that Muerte is the big guy and refers to him as "The Big 'M'" and "Muerte". Suddenly, Muerte to save his butt, keeps screaming, "I'm Morty!!! Morty!!!".

Stanley Tucci is priceless in this movie.