A violent and often hilarious crime story of living the American Dream through any means necessary, even if you know it won't last forever. Fred (played ruthlessly by Alec Baldwin) is a man who doesn't seem to think ahead all the time. He comes to Miami to make a living after getting out of prison. He wants to start over, but that doesn't mean he's giving up the crime gig. Committing crimes to Fred seems like a drug, the first thing he does getting off the plane is steal and then another more violent crime right after that.Getting to his hotel he orders a hooker. The innocent hooker is Suzy Waggoner, or Pepper, who seems oblivious and always has her head in the clouds. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives Suzy a believable innocence and is responsible for most of the emotional expression throughout the movie. Suzy coming into Fred's life seems unexpected to him, but it gives him something to work toward, the American Dream.Fred Ward plays an at times pitiful Sgt Hoke Moseley. He is always two steps behind Fred when it comes to solving the crimes he's committed. The real relationship and core of this crime story, is between Suzy and Fred. Suzy asks Fred not to do any more crimes. She doesn't go out of her way to investigate and she doesn't ask questions out of fear of the truth. All of this leads up to a fantastic third act that, while exciting, does all of the characters justice.

Dear George Armitage, I was thinking about addressing my review letter to Charles Willeford, the great man who wrote the book on which your movie was based. But then I thought I ought to address it to you, because Miami Blues is a very influential film. Or lets say, it seems to have inspired the style of one of my favorite American filmmakers of the last 20 years - Terry Zwigoff. Zwigoff even referenced Miami Blues in Bad Santa.It is almost as if Zwigoff borrowed all the cynicism of Ghost World, Bad Santa and Art School Confidential from Miami Blues. Though it must be said that all these movies were based on the work of writers who had extremely cynical views about American life and culture.He also seems to have borrowed some of your style. Every scene in your movie is like an event. I mean, each scene could be a standalone video on Youtube. This is also the case with some of Zwigoff's films. I liked how you paid attention while selecting actors who played the smallest roles. They were all very memorable.Alec Baldwin really nailed Freddie Frenger - what a change from the usually portly all American hero persona (like Dave Robicheaux in Heaven's Prisoners) to the nihilistic punk in Miami Blues. But it is the cherubic Jennifer Jason Leigh who steals the show. Her character in the book was a lot darker than in the movie. Anyway, Leigh was adorable in the film as an airhead prostitute with a heart of gold. Fred Ward was decent I guess. But I thought he failed to convey how pathetic the Hoke Moseley character really was. Charles Napier - favorite of Russ Meyer also makes an appearance.There are no good or bad guys in the film. It is a messed up world. Everyone is pathetic or doomed. Nobody or nothing is really worth saving. Like the lyric from a punk rock song - "Everyone's an a*****, everyone's a creep. I look out my window, there is garbage in the streets." It is a shame you didn't make more movies, George Armitage.Best Regards, Pimpin.(8/10)

Frederick Frenger Jr. (Alec Baldwin) is a violent psychopathic thief recently released from prison. He likes to be called Junior. He flies into Miami and starts stealing. A Hare Krishna bugs him and Junior breaks his finger. The guy dies. Sgt. Bill Henderson (Charles Napier) and Sgt. Hoke Moseley (Fred Ward) investigates the supposed homicide. Junior hires prostitute Susie Waggoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) with a heart of gold. She's clueless to his criminal ways.Writer/director George Armitage seems intend on creating wacky characters than actually coming up with funny scenes. The actors are all putting in a great effort to do weird things. Baldwin is a psycho. Leigh is an idiot with a weird voice. Ward's got the teeth. I just wish more effort was put into making funny dialog and hilarious scenes.

"Miami Blues" is a great adaption of Charles Willeford's first Hoke Moseley novel. Willeford was well known for pitch black humor and his writing is grim to the nth degree. This isn't a very nice movie and it's easy to see that's turned off a lot of the reviewers here. On the other hand despite the violence it's genuinely quirky and funny. The scene where Fred Ward as homicide detective Hoke Moseley and his cop buddy (Charles Napier!) crack jokes over the body of a murder victim while the victim's friend weeps a few feet away is priceless.Alec Baldwin does great work as Freddy Frenger, sociopath and ex-con, who immediately after his release from prison goes right back to beating people up and robbing them. Ward may have gotten top billing but Baldwin gets most of the screen time and dominates the movie. He first hires and then moves in with a dumb but innocent prostitute Susie Waggoner played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Leigh, Baldwin and Ward all do excellent work and the movie looks like it was as much fun to make as it is to watch. Leigh's prostitute is easily the most sympathetic character of the bunch and what happens to her is quite frankly a little heart breaking. She easily deserves better, and given the way the universe works that pretty much guarantees that she's not going to get it.Speaking of Waggoner and Frenger a lot of the reviewers here are misinterpreting the nature of their relationship. They both really do want that house with the yard and the white picket fence, and they really do love each other. When Leigh's Waggoner, normally an excellent cook, deliberately ruins a vinegar pie she's cooking for desert Frenger forces himself to down every forkful while praising her culinary skills.Highly recommended.