365 Movies Day #84 "Miami Blues"

I love a good Fred Ward movie. Besides having a cool first name, he's just a fun actor to watch. His quirky, loveable detective in this film is one of his best roles. Alec Baldwin also really pushes himself in this one as dangerously crazy compulsive criminal Fred Ferenger "Junior". Lot's of Freds in this movie. Round out the cast with the beautiful (and for those who are interested, often nude) Jennifer Jason Leigh, in an early role. Her character, prostitute Susie Waggoner, who is hooking to put herself through business school, is so naive and sweet you just want to hug her.

Directed by hit and miss director George Armitage, this one is definitely one of his hits. He directed my favorite film of all time with "Grosse Pointe Blank" and left me hanging on "The Big Bounce" and wondering what the heck happened with "Vigilante Force" where Jan Michael Vincent performed with the emotional depth of a cardboard standee.

Like "Grosse Pointe Blank" this film also features a Saturday Night Live vet in the form of Nora Dunn and I just realized that a friend of mine's mom was the stewardess in the film.

The film is basically about Junior's inability to deal with life outside of crime which spawns a dark, dark comedy about his influence on the lives of Waggoner and Ward's character, Sgt Moseley. It's funny. It's disturbing. It's very awkward, but in a fun way. Also, it's Alec Baldwin when he was young and thin and quite the lady's man.

Check it out.

MIAMI BLUES ON IMDB