Miami Blues

Jennifer Jason Leigh is one of my favorite actresses, so you can imagine my excitement knowing that she is appearing in the new Quentin Tarantino movie The Hateful Eight. These two working together seems more than appropriate to me.Especially since Leigh starred in the very Tarantino-esque, before Tarantino-esque was a thing, 1990 film Miami Blues.

Alec Baldwin stars as Junior, a violent psychopath recently released from prison. Wanting to start a new life, he hops a plane to Miami. Once on land, he steals a suitcase and breaks the finger of a Hare Krishna that gets in his way. The Hare Krishna dies from the shock. Junior hops on a courtesy bus and checks into the hotel it goes to. Once there, he pays a bellhop to send a prostitute to his room. The bellhop sends up Susie, Leigh, a naive community college student who turns tricks on the side. The two fall for one another and become a couple, even buying a house together. Susie is blinded by the promise of picket fences and rose gardens and is blissfully ignorent about Junior's darkside.

Not so ignorant is Sgt Hoke Moseley, Fred Ward, a veteran police officer assigned to the Hare Krishna murder case. He's able to track down Junior and knows that he is trouble. Sensing that Hoke is on his trail, he busts into the Sgt.'s place and brutally beats him up. In the process, he also steals Hoke's gun, badge, and dentures. In his mind, Junior now believes he is a cop with these possessions. With his violent streak, he's a dirty cop at best. Hoke knows he has to stop Junior before things get real ugly.

I love this movie. It's dark, funny, and incredibly violent. All three of the leads have never been better. Baldwin is both funny and menacing. Even though he does disturbing acts, you can tell he truly loves Susie and wants to give her the life she deserves. It's a tough role but he nails it. As does Leigh who has a tricky role as well. Susie is not bright, and in the hands of another actress might come off as a bimbo. But Leigh gives her a sweet, innocent charm. You know she's seen some dark things as a prostitute, but she knows that Junior has a sweet side and truly cares for her. Ward is terrific as well. Once his possessions are stolen, Hoke has to go out and reclaim them to prove his manhood. I think the teeth especially symbolize this, because without them, he has lost his bite. Like a dog without teeth. Despite the darkness, these are three characters you end up liking and hope that they get that better life.

Ward was a huge fan of the Charles Willeford novel that this is based on and bought the rights so that he could produce the movie. He took it to Jonathan Demme in hopes that he would direct it. Demme suggested George Armitage, a director that Demme worked with back in his Roger Corman days.Armiatge, who would also write the screenplay, was a perfect fit for this material. He really gets the material. It's slick and gritty without being flashy. I think it's his work on this that lead him to direct the similarly themed Grosse Point Blank seven years later. Demme would stay on to co produce with Ward.

Another intersting sidenote is that Ward originally was going to play Junior with Gene Hackman playing Hoke. When Hackman had to drop out, Baldwin came into read. He was so perfect that they offered him the role as Junior with Ward gracefully taking over the Hoke role.

Like I said earlier, I love this movie. If you are in the mood for something funny and dark, you should see it. I can't recommend it enough.

It's on blu ray and dvd.