secondtake Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)I wanted to like this movie. A good friend pressed it forward as a belated view of the black noir experience, and there was such truth that the urban black world hadn't seen any attention in the classic noir days (post-War) I had to watch it.But this is more belated than anything. It's loaded with clichés without really moving them anywhere new (and a stale cliché is really deadening). The director AND screenwriter, Carl Franklin, is relatively untested—he's done a bunch of t.v. stuff, an African-American with talent as an a actor but a little stretched here, I think. The star does his best to hold it together, none other than Denzel Washington, but in fact even he is following old patterns a bit listlessly. This is really clear when a truly brilliant actor arrives on the scene—Don Cheadle—and in his moments there is finally a rising up and synthesis of intentions.The plot is almost a given—a detective on the outs faces a terrible crime, and a mysterious woman (call her a femme fatale if you want, but she's too plastic to work for me). He is hounded by a white man (or two) with truly dubious or evil intentions that he can't quite decipher. Until it really gets out of his control. The book is here is by the much lauded author Walter Mosley, and I only discovered this today (I saw them movie innocently). And I've read one or two things by Mosley and actually found the same problem as the movie: lots of tropes and worn out problems approached in the same old way. Except with black characters.Now this may be naive, but I think in fact the world of urban Blacks and their crime worlds in mid-Century America is really really ripe for some serious fictional writing. Something without myth making. There must be a black Bogart or Mitchum type out there for those inclined. There's another problem, though, looking back and wishing we had better movies about certain things than we did. Maybe that's just the way it was, and we need new movies about new things, not re-hashed themes that only half make up for what might have been. Or not. We weren't there, and we never can be.So all good intentions aside, give this movie a skeptical look. It's well enough made and has some tightly made moments, but as a whole it flounders and lacks one of the basics—originality.

olliemankz Yeah, this has to be one of the best detective stories ever done, and I'm a huge detective fiction fan. It has ambiance, the ambiance of Los Angeles in 1948, all the way through, and that was probably not an easy feat. It has Denzel at possibly the perfect time for him to take this perfect for him role ... it seems to me the role he was born for.DIABD has Don Cheadle as almost unrecognizable ... and he's a complete hoot. It has Jennifer Beals ... where the heck had she gone since Flashdance? Well, she showed up here and she was likewise perfect. And the movie has a plot that actually makes sense, has twists and turns and ends up somewhere that makes sense, too.I thought I had seen it when it came out 20 years ago and don't remember having been too impressed; that must have been another Denzel Washington or Walter Mosley effort. I have read a little of Mosley's fiction but not this one, yet. Put it down as awesome. The one liners are fabulous, too.Oh, yeah, Tom Sizemore shows why he was a major talent. Terrific script, terrific directing and completely atmospheric. Set aside some quality time, grab your popcorn and, if you like, your other, and enjoy.P.S. I have tried like heck ... yeah, I'm an older female to put it euphemistically, who puts things euphemistically ... to correct the spelling on "ambience," with an "e" not an "a" in the middle. Let's see if it takes in this late-added footnote. IMDb's spellchecker seems to insist on "ambiance." But the ungainfully employed English majors as Garrison Keillor always joked about them at least know, that's not the preferred spelling. I think I'm writing enough for IMDb to take note, check the spelling and perhaps fix the spellchecker. Even if the spelling that makes those of us who love English shudder might be gaining prominence, please at least let us spell it the way we wish! lol

Maziun It was a nice experience to watch a movie set in Harlem . This is one of the few serious movies set in the black community . Usually when a movie is set in black community it's either a comedy or drama . This one is an interesting thriller . Kinda a neo-noir movie (although it doesn't exactly fits into that description – for example Easy isn't a detective ).I like the mood of Harlem here . I like the fact that main hero isn't 100% good guy. I like the mystery – the twists are really surprising and it's hard to figure out who is bad and who is good. The only problem I had was with the unexplained past of Easy and Mouse . It seems important for the story , yet never really much screen time is given for that subject . In the end I've got only muddled idea what happened in the past. Thankfully , it doesn't destroy the movie .There is some strong acting here . Denzel Washington ("Glory" ) is as charismatic as always in the leading role of Easy. I was positively surprised by Jennifer Beals ("Flashdance") as Daphne Monet . I didn't expected such mature role from here. She shows true talent here and proves she is more than a pretty face. My favorite is Don Cheadle ("Hotel Ruanda") as Mouse – typical "shoot first , then ask questions" kind of guy . He brings a lot of fun into movie.It's a well made movie with mystery , jokes and drama in it . I give it 7/10.

michael germaine "FRANK IS MY BROTHER" Talk about subplots of subplots...you really have to pay attention to follow the story. Great cast and great characters..The film has a great look and a very fast pace.I'm surprised it didn't do well at the box office but neither did The Black Dalia or Mulholland Falls. Gotta love Mouse....he just rolled in and then just rolled out...he had some perfect timingIt just wouldn't have been right if Luke(the crazy gardener) didn't check in near the end. Great sound track.It was rare a black man could win in the late 40's. Where there is politics, there is money and murder. Still true today.I'm glad Easy(Denzel) decided to become a private eye. How could he go back to a 9 to 5?