Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Average Rating: 7.3/10
Reviews Counted: 52
Fresh: 45 | Rotten: 7
Humor, interesting characters, and attention to details make the stylish Devil in a Blue Dress an above average noir.
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Critic Reviews: 16
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 4
Humor, interesting characters, and attention to details make the stylish Devil in a Blue Dress an above average noir.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 9,804
My Rating
Movie Info
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 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
Sep 29, 1995 Wide
Mar 9, 1999
TriStar
Cast
-
Denzel Washington
Easy Rawlins -
Tom Sizemore
DeWitt Albright -
Jennifer Beals
Daphne Monet -
Don Cheadle
Mouse -
Maury Chaykin
Matthew Terell -
Terry Kinney
Todd Carter -
Vinny Argiro
Baxter -
L. Scott Caldwell
Hattie Parsons -
G. Smokey Campbell
Nightclub Owner -
Nicky Corello
Sheriff -
Nigel Gibbs
Bootlegger -
Albert Hall
Odell -
Renee Humphrey
Barbara -
Brendan Kelly
Terell's Chauffeur -
Deborah Lacey
Sophie -
Jeris Poindexter
Alphonso Jenkins -
Steve Randazzo
Benny Giacomo -
Peggy Rea
Carter's Secretary -
John Roselius
Mason -
Beau Starr
Miller -
Mel Winkler
Joppy -
Frank Davis
Butcher -
Kenny Endoso
Manny -
J.D. Smith
Pool Hall Owner -
Scott Lincoln
Richard McGee -
Lisa Nicole Carson
Coretta James -
Barry Shabaka Henley
Woodcutter -
Jernard Burks
Dupree Brouchard -
David Wolos Fonteno
Junior Fornay -
Joseph Latimore
Frank Green
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (7) | DVD (5)
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 underworld figures, make strong impressions.
Top CriticSheer pleasure.
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.
A fluid, persuasive piece of movie-making graced with the considerable visual sophistication.
The film also does a convincing job of re-creating Los Angeles of 1948 with both specificity and poetry.
A bland, workaday detective flick.
Stylish neo-noir.
Invoking social realism more than pulp fiction, Carl Franklin's Devil in a Blue Dress is an innovative genre film on several counts.
In the aftermath of the Oscars, it now seems clear that Devil in a Blue Dress was one of the best films of 1995.
Carl Franklin's unusually creative studio movie, boasting superlative acting from Denzel Washington and particularly newcomer Don Cheadle, reinvents a genre and a bygone era, in this case, Los Angeles circa 1948.
Great, grand piece of modern noir, with a unique twist that rethinks the genre even as it honors its finest elements. Great performances all around.
A very complex and engrossing mystery, filled with wonderful period details.
...a throwback to the gumshoe tales of the thirties and forties.
Production design and acting aside, this film is less than one wants it to be.
Audience Reviews for Devil in a Blue Dress
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Devil in a Blue Dress yet.
What's Hot On RT
Bradley Cooper's Best Movies
Fast & Furious 6 is Certified Fresh
Fast & Furious cars gallery
Blockbusters ranked!
Featured on RT
- Critics Consensus: Fast & Furious 6 is Certified Fresh 22
- Red Carpet Photos with Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carano and More 0
- Video: The Hangover Part III Cast Interviews 0
- Total Recall: Bradley Cooper's Best Movies 38
- Parental Guidance: Epic and Beautiful Creatures 2
- Comic Book Movies You Can Watch Online 9
- In Pictures: The Cars of Fast & Furious 0
Top Headlines
-
Evan Peters Joins X-Men: Days of Future Past
0
-
Toby Jones Talks Captain America: The Winter Soldier
0
-
The Poltergeist Reboot May Actually Be a Sequel
9
-
Will Forte Promises MacGruber 2
1
-
Universal Plans Timecop Reboot
2
-
Return of the Jedi Turns 30
1
-
Vin Diesel Says Fast & Furious 7 Will Take Place in L.A.
0
Fresh Links
Featured
Star Trek Movies Ranked
HitFix offers their own take on the worst-to-best of the Enterprise crew's cinematic adventures.
Top 10 Star Trek Villains
Rolling Stone unveils the Enterprise's most irksome adversaries.
Celebrity Yearkbook Flashback
We'll bet you never realized how many stars were cheerleaders and high school athletes!
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Weirdest Movie Siblings
From Twins to The Royal Tenenbaums, Moviefone explores cinema's oddest siblings.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Foreign Titles
- Le diable en robe bleue (FR)
