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Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don Cheadle, Maury Chaykin ... see more see more... , Terry Kinney , Vinny Argiro , L. Scott Caldwell , G. Smokey Campbell , Nicky Corello , Nigel Gibbs , Albert Hall , Renee Humphrey , Brendan Kelly , Deborah Lacey , Jeris Poindexter , Steve Randazzo , Peggy Rea , John Roselius , Beau Starr , Mel Winkler , Frank Davis , Kenny Endoso , J.D. Smith , Scott Lincoln , Lisa Nicole Carson , Barry Shabaka Henley , Jernard Burks , David Wolos Fonteno , Joseph Latimore

Denzel Washington stars in this adaptation of the novel by African-American crime author Walter Mosley, the first of his stories to reach the screen. Ezekiel Rawlins (Washington), known to his friends... read more read more... as "Easy," has just lost his job at an aircraft plant in post-WW II Los Angeles, a time when good-paying jobs for black men are hard to come by. He's wondering how to make his mortgage payment when he's approached by De Witt Albright (Tom Sizemore), who describes his job as "doing favors for friends." It seems that a woman named Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals) has gone missing; Daphne is the former girlfriend of wealthy mayoral candidate Todd Carter (Terry Kinney) and a known habitué of the black jazz clubs and night spots on L.A.'s Central Avenue. Albright offers Easy $100 to help him find Daphne, and while he doesn't have any detective experience, the price is right, so Easy agrees. After a passionate affair with a friend of Daphne's, Coretta James (Lisa Nicole Carson), leads to that woman's murder, Easy enlists the help of his friend Mouse (Don Cheadle), who seems to know just a bit too well how to use a gun, which gives Easy all too clear a look at the lower depths of L.A.'s upper crust. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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64% liked it

9,525 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

52 critics

R, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Carl Franklin

Release Date: September 29, 1995

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DVD Release Date: March 9, 1999

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Stats: 410 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (410)

  • ythelastman89
    December 16, 2010
    ythelastman89
    A lot of this movie is unintentionally funny, mostly because it is so obvious in trying to mock the whole Film Noir genre. However, it really doesn't end up doing so visually, which makes no sense really. It has a very unnecessary voice-over from Denzel Washington that really tak... read morees you out of the story rather than educate you on the characters and plot. The movie doesn't end up being really bad and for the most part it's very enjoyable, what with the bizarre performances and character choices. It does manage to get the time period down, which is the greatest strength of the movie. Jennifer Beals also plays one good Femme Fatal, but not enough to save the movie. The ending is really what sends it off into the nonsense territory, making the entire story completely worthless.
  • garyX
    April 22, 2010
    garyX
    Honest working stiff Denzel Washington finds himself out of a job and desperate for money, so he accepts a job locating a young woman for a shady stranger. Devil In A Blue dress is an extremely stylish modern noir with a slightly different slant; the setting of a post war Los Ang... read moreeles within the African American community gives this detective story a different flavour that marks it out from the norm. Denzel gives yet another solid performance of a tough but dignified, righteous man but the film is pretty much yanked out from under him by Don Cheadle in his breakthrough role. As Denzel's trigger happy sidekick he is both fearsome and hilarious and he effortlessly steals every scene he appears in. Although Tom Sizemore makes a good heavy, I felt we didn't see nearly enough of the corrupt politician who was behind all of these events but if you liked Chinatown or L.A. Confidential, this is well worth a look.
  • arashxak
    November 19, 2009
    arashxak
    This movie would have been so much better if it wasn't made at all & Denzel Washington is annoying like always
  • harrycaul
    July 29, 2008
    harrycaul
    Though well acted and beautifully crafted, "Devil in a Blue Dress" falls short of being something special because, although the concept of an African American film noir is commendably original and the background climate - of racial prejudice and the post-WWII hangover in L.A. - i... read mores fascinating, the actual mystery is pretty run-of-the-mill. The title is a bit of a misnomer because, if anything, Jennifer Beals' femme fatale is not deadly enough, and the movie also lacks a proper bad guy, a larger-than-life, charismatic kingpin: a Sidney Greenstreet or a John Huston; Maury Chaykin's creepy political candidate would have fit the bill nicely but he's only onscreen for a couple of minutes. The unseen events bookending Easy Rawlins' (Denzel Washington) transition from disaffected war veteran to private investigator - namely his former criminal escapades with a trigger-happy associate in Texas (Don Cheadle) versus his further adventures as a fully-fledged gumshoe - unfortunately sound a lot more interesting than the story we are being told, making this feel like a sequel to, or a two-hour trailer for, an even better film.
  • sanjurosamurai
    December 19, 2007
    sanjurosamurai
    The most underrated movie ever made. Brilliant. washington and cheadle delivered two of the better acting performances i have ever seen. a throwback to the great films done by warner in the 30's.
  • DrZeek
    June 4, 2007
    DrZeek
    Easy Rawlins: A man once told me that you step out of your door in the morning, and you are already in trouble. The only question is are you on top of that trouble or not?

    Denzel Washington stars as Ezekial "Easy" Rawlins, a WWII veteran who now owns a house in 1948 LA but has n... read moreo job. He needs money, and along comes a solution in the form of some PI work given to him by Tom Sizemore's character.

    By getting involved, he gets too involved, and is caught up in a back and forth plot involving rival mayoral candidates and various mysterious murders.

    The movie is based on a series of noir novels written in the 80s by Walter Mosely, this movie is a lot about combining the So Cal African American Jazz society with the style of neo noir.

    It looks great and has a good soundtrack, and that's really what matters.

    Washington is good in the role, but Don Cheadle comes in halfway through and steals the entire movie. His character Mouse is a friend from Easy's past, and he is also basically a psychopathic killer. What makes him work is the fact that he's played by Don Cheadle, and that's enough right there.

    This is also a very well paced film. As the movie approached the end, I really wasn't very ready for it, because I was enjoying the easy going nature of the movie. Good flick.

    Mouse: You said don't shoot him, right? Well I didn't; I choked him... If you didn't want me to kill him, why did you leave me alone with him?
  • stevetheman1236
    September 11, 2011
    stevetheman1236
    It's not the most exciting or interesting movie out there, and I noticed a homage or two to Chinatown, but thanks to a reliable story, some good acting, and, above all, impeccable direction from Carl Franklin, Devil In A Blue Dress is an enjoyable watch. It's a worthy addition to... read more the neo-noir genre.
  • StefanoEarnest
    November 29, 2011
    StefanoEarnest
    It's not the most exciting or interesting movie out there, and I noticed a homage or two to Chinatown, but thanks to a reliable story, some good acting, and, above all, impeccable direction from Carl Franklin, Devil In A Blue Dress is an enjoyable watch. It's a worthy addition to... read more the neo-noir genre.
  • qtmemoe
    January 20, 2008
    qtmemoe
    If you like Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Oceans 11) you will like this movie. his first "big break" as the supporting roll to Denzel washington based on the book by Walter Mosely...good plot.
  • vkbeall
    December 1, 2011
    vkbeall
    Surprisingly good movie that I watched on crackle.com for free, I tend to find all Denzel movies entertaining/good with exception of 'The Book of Eli' which was neutral

View All Devil in a Blue Dress Reviews

Critic Reviews

Todd McCarthy
March 26, 2009
Todd McCarthy, Variety

Entering the main flow of the story relatively late, Don Cheadle steals all his scenes as a live-wire, trigger-happy old buddy of Easy's from Texas, while Sizemore and Mel Winkler, as colorful underwo... Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

The role of Easy looks as tailor-made for Mr. Washington as his suit, and it shows off the full effect of this actor's movie-star dazzle. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
August 15, 2002
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

A fluid, persuasive piece of movie-making graced with the considerable visual sophistication. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
June 18, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The film also does a convincing job of re-creating Los Angeles of 1948 with both specificity and poetry. Full Review

Liam Lacey
April 12, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

A bland, workaday detective flick. Full Review

Peter Travers
May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

The movie simmers with pungent suspense, humor and eroticism.

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Franklin's picture is effortlessly wise beneath its entertaining surface. Full Review

Mike Clark
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today

A hoary Chinatown knock-off wrapped in a seductively novel black-culture veneer, with a dash of Laura added for bad measure.

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

First-rate American pulp -- fast, absorbing and substantive. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

While Devil in a Blue Dress never develops the taut momentum of Franklin's previous effort, One False Move, it maintains audience involvement. Full Review

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Devil in a Blue Dress Trivia

  • Which film stars Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle and Jennifer Beals?  Answer »
  • what was the name of the actor who played Mouse in the movie Devil with a blue dress?  Answer »
  • In the movie "Devil in a Blue Dress", named the actor who played Easy Rawlins.   Answer »
  • Which actress from the tv series The L Word played a starring role in Devil in a Blue Dress alongside Denzel Washington?  Answer »
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