Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Konterr Brilliant and touching

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

PimpinAinttEasy Dear George Armitage, I was thinking about addressing my review letter to Charles Willeford, the great man who wrote the book on which your movie was based. But then I thought I ought to address it to you, because Miami Blues is a very influential film. Or lets say, it seems to have inspired the style of one of my favorite American filmmakers of the last 20 years - Terry Zwigoff. Zwigoff even referenced Miami Blues in Bad Santa.It is almost as if Zwigoff borrowed all the cynicism of Ghost World, Bad Santa and Art School Confidential from Miami Blues. Though it must be said that all these movies were based on the work of writers who had extremely cynical views about American life and culture.He also seems to have borrowed some of your style. Every scene in your movie is like an event. I mean, each scene could be a standalone video on Youtube. This is also the case with some of Zwigoff's films. I liked how you paid attention while selecting actors who played the smallest roles. They were all very memorable.Alec Baldwin really nailed Freddie Frenger - what a change from the usually portly all American hero persona (like Dave Robicheaux in Heaven's Prisoners) to the nihilistic punk in Miami Blues. But it is the cherubic Jennifer Jason Leigh who steals the show. Her character in the book was a lot darker than in the movie. Anyway, Leigh was adorable in the film as an airhead prostitute with a heart of gold. Fred Ward was decent I guess. But I thought he failed to convey how pathetic the Hoke Moseley character really was. Charles Napier - favorite of Russ Meyer also makes an appearance.There are no good or bad guys in the film. It is a messed up world. Everyone is pathetic or doomed. Nobody or nothing is really worth saving. Like the lyric from a punk rock song - "Everyone's an a*****, everyone's a creep. I look out my window, there is garbage in the streets." It is a shame you didn't make more movies, George Armitage.Best Regards, Pimpin.(8/10)

Uriah43 Just out of prison "Frederick J. Fringer Jr." (Alec Baldwin) travels to Miami with the idea of seizing life by the throat and getting whatever he wants regardless of the consequences. After killing a member of the Hare Krishna sect in the airport he then proceeds to a hotel where he meets a young prostitute named "Susie Waggoner" (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who has the misfortune of being extremely naive. As a result she is easy prey for a man like "Junior" who manages to manipulate her in no time flat while at the same time embarking on a crime spree which leaves more than a few victims in his wake. One particular victim is a police detective named "Sergeant Hoke Moseley" (Fred Ward) who not only has his gun and badge taken from him but also his false teeth in the process. Needless to say Sergeant Moseley wants to find him pretty bad and Junior is making it as difficult as possible. Now rather than reveal any more of this film and risk ruining it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that all three of the actors just mentioned played their parts in an outstanding manner. I especially liked the performance of Jennifer Jason Leigh who was not only quite erotic but also seemed to be the perfect balance between both of these tough and hard-willed characters. In short, I thought this was a competent and enjoyable crime film and I have rated it accordingly.

christopher-underwood As the credits rolled and we had to listen once more to Norman Greenbaum's much overrated, Spirit in the Sky, I wondered what had led me to this movie in the first place. Based upon a book by Charles Willeford it is variously described as 'exciting', 'off beat', 'far out' or the more predictable 'underrated'. Whatever had led me here, I was left reflecting on how this film might have worked for me. The three main actors are fine and if Alec Baldwin is not one of my favourites he is certainly good here as is the seductive Jennifer Jason Leigh and eccentric, Fred Ward. First problem - nil chemistry between Baldwin and Leigh. Only the scenes with Ward in come alive to any great extent, so maybe Ward should have played the baddie and not the cop and done the frolicking with Leigh. Problem two, which, I guess really should be problem one, I don't believe any of it. I don't believe a freshly released guy would be so upfront and in everybody's face from day one. I don't believe in the prostitute turned housewife and I couldn't understand why Ward had to do everything by himself - he is a cop not a private eye. Okay, rant over, everybody else seems to like it, Spirit in the Sky included.

elshikh4 What did we already watch? Some disturbed young man who eats to thank his lover because of her cooking, a very stupid girl who can cook well, a policeman who searches for his denture, and that's it !?? Why the killed boy was a Harry Krishna's follower ?, why (Baldwin) killed the store's guard near the end ?, and if he was going just to sell the rare coins why he tried to rob the lady ?, and why he was imitating Al Pacino's scar face ?? Who was the main character "junior" ?, what was his problem ?, what was the main motif of this movie?, is it a black comedy ? Is it a different crime movie, is it a psychological thriller (Don't push it !) ? and how those actors just dedicated to do it in the first place ? The director was goofing all around, look at the scene of stopping the thief at the restaurant, it was like a cartoon, and I do mean it in a bad way ! Mostly there is something wrong with movies written and directed by the same person. The whole point was missing (if there was any !). Baldwin was in his worst with hyper-agitation. All the elements fizzled out to inform us what the basic deal was ? And the title ? It's really a laughable one. They took the steamy backgrounds so the name from "Miami Vice", the dazzling red car from "Magnum P.I", and the funny conflict from "Tom & Jerry"; as maybe a sick version of it entitled : who did steal my teeth ?!! What actually we've learned from this movie?!! : That (Baldwin) deserves failure, that some movies can come out of Hollywood and be that dumb, and that I'm the only blamable one as I insisted on finishing such a movie.It's not a crime movie, it's only a crime !