Rent Miami Blues (1990)

Crime, Sunshine, and a Crooked Grin - Miami Blues review by griggs

I expected something much darker, but Miami Blues turns out to be more offbeat caper than hard-boiled noir. It’s violent, sure, but there’s a playful shrug to the mayhem—as if the film itself isn’t quite taking any of it seriously. Alex Baldwin struts through the chaos with a crooked grin and the energy of a man who’s never considered a long-term plan.

Fred Ward is the moral compass, albeit a bent one, playing a weary cop whose badge ends up in all the wrong hands. Jennifer Jason Leigh’s naïve optimism adds a strange sweetness to the mess, like someone wandered in from a romcom and decided to stay.

The tone is uneven, but that’s also part of the charm—it refuse to behave the way you expect. Whether it’s a crime film, satire or something in between, Miami Blues doesn’t quite settle. But for all its jagged edges, there’s something oddly enjoyable about watching it stumble around in its own madness.