This has a convoluted story like out of Chandler. The dreamy woman who has disappeared and the unlikely schmo hired to find her. She is white, a rich man's wife, and thought to have disappeared in the black side of town so they get him as improbable private dick who has to sniff her out, a black guy who just wants to make mortgage to keep owning his house. A lot of snooping in clubs and seamy places around LA. People turning up dead in the night and he stands to get the rap. Hidden machinations that involve people in high places, a set of incriminating photos with a mayoral election in the balance. And all this as the noir world that turns against the protagonist - he's beaten, framed for murder, used as pawn - but now it acquires another layer of significance that conveys a more real plight than Marlowe.And we have a curious camera, a world rife with texture and depth. This isn't the glossy recreation of an era of LA Confidential, more like Altman where we brush against spaces and the world surrounds from all sides, worthy of The Long Goodbye. It has all these marvelous places, the blues club above the convenience store, the cabin up in the hills where a body turns up, his sunny neighborhood that is routinely invaded.It's as good as if adapted from Chandler I daresay, plus about black experience in a world where boundaries are drawn starkly against you, plus a world rife for exploration in and out of these boundaries. It's good stuff, this one. They tried to set it up for future films where he returns as the PI but I see that it didn't pan out. First time's the charm anyway.Noir Meter: 3/4 | Neo-noir or post noir? Neo

A voluptuously seedy tale of blackmail, murder and double-cross, "Devil in a Blue Dress" captures splendidly the mood of the forties, and is a worthy modern equivalent to old gems such as "Double Indemnity", "The Blue Dahlia" and "The Big Sleep".It's summer in Los Angeles, 1948. Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins (Denzel Washington) returned from World War II a few years ago to a land of opportunity. He got a job, a mortgage and a home of his own. But now he has lost his job and is determined not to lose his house. A friend introduces Easy to a sleazy character named DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore) who ostensibly is trying to locate the former girlfriend of mayoral candidate Tom Carter (Terry Kinney) so that the couple may be reunited. Desperate to keep making his mortgage payments, Easy accepts the job of finding the girlfriend, a woman named Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals). His search causes him to be suspect in several murders and arouses the interest of the rival candidate for mayor, Matthew Teran (Maury Chaykin). Easy finds that he is not the only person looking for Daphne Monet and that no one is exactly who he, or she, appears to be. There's strong acting by all the members of the cast. Washington brings his typical integrity and likability to Easy, and Don Cheadle almost steals the show. Mouse is quick to kill, basically a psycho, but a great friend to have. Also noteworthy is Tom Sizemore as a ruthless, cold-blooded bad guy and Jennifer Beals is alluring as the mysterious "Daphne Monet." Regardless, this is a fascinating movie that just oozes with the 1940's atmosphere. Great narration in there, a la film noir, great automobiles and great sets. It puts you right into the late 40's in Los Angeles, a little bit like the film Chinatown.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

1948 the war is over. And Easy Rawlins is out of a job. having been fired by Champion Aircraft Easy is willing to do anything to pay his Mortgage. When Easy is offered a job by a white man named Dewitt Albright. The Job seems simple enough. Locate a white woman named Daphne Monet a white woman who loves the Negro jazz clubs and Negro company. Since Easy is a black man he can move around in that community. Seems simple enough but there are lies half truths betrayals and murder before its all over and Easy will be right in the middle of it. With the cops on the left wanting him. And Gangsters and corrupt politics on the right all wanting Easy dead. Easy must find a way to clear his name and to protect himself when the devil comes calling.The Movie is almost faithful to the book. And its a wonderful time If you're into Chandler like storytelling. Easy Rawlins is a worthy successor to Phillip Marlowe. both are world weary knights with a code of honor. As the movie shows Easy is a man with his own code. He's loyal to his friends and he's willing to do what it takes to get the job done.. Carl Franklin carefully crafts this adaptation into a suspenseful film noir And Denzel Washington shows us why he is the only choice to play Easy Rawlins . A look back at the good old days when they were not always good. and the future wasn't always certain.

Old timers say that casting is 97% of a motion picture. That's on display here - for good and bad. When the "Chimatown" moment occurs and the audience doesn't care is that the audience's fault... or the producers?devil in a blue dress. blue dress in a devil. Satan in a red dress and Lucifer in yellow. purple, orange, green and purple. kind of makes on want to blink. central avenue. avenue central. don Beadle. densely washing ton. devil in a blue dress. blue dress in a devil. Satan in a red dress and Lucifer in yellow. purple, orange, green and pink. kinda makes on want to blink. central avenue. avenue central. don Beadle. densely washing ton. devil in a blue dress. blue dress in a devil. Satan in a red dress and Lucifer in yellow. purple, orange, green and pink. kinda makes on want to blink. central avenue. avenue central. don Beadle. densely washing ton.