IMDb > Romeo Is Bleeding (1993)
Romeo Is Bleeding
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Romeo Is Bleeding (1993) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
Romeo Is Bleeding (1993) -- Open-ended Trailer from Gramercy
Romeo Is Bleeding (1993) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.3/10   6,062 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Peter Medak
Writer (WGA):
Hilary Henkin (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Romeo Is Bleeding on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
4 February 1994 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama | Thriller more
Tagline:
The story of a cop who wanted it bad and got it worse.
Plot:
A corrupt police sergeant who supplies tips on the locations of safeguarded witnesses to the Mob bites... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
Villains We Love: Romeo is Bleeding
 (From Cinematical. 20 October 2009, 6:20 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Solid And Curiously Touching Modern Noir more (75 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Gary Oldman ... Jack
Wallace Wood ... Waiter

Juliette Lewis ... Sheri

David Proval ... Scully
Will Patton ... Martie
Gene Canfield ... John

Larry Joshua ... Joey
Michael Wincott ... Sal

Lena Olin ... Mona
William Duff-Griffin ... Paddy

James Cromwell ... Cage
Paul Butler ... Skouras

Annabella Sciorra ... Natalie

Tony Sirico ... Malacci
Victoria Bastel ... Girl #1
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
100 min | Spain:104 min | Japan:110 min | Argentina:106 min
Country:
UK | USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Argentina:16 | South Korea:18 | Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 (video rating) | Australia:MA | Canada:R (video rating) | Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Portugal:M/18 | UK:18 | USA:R
Filming Locations:
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA more
Company:
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film's title is taken from a Tom Waits song. In the end credits he receives "special thanks" for its use. more
Goofs:
Plot holes: When Jack shoots Lena in the large floor area, after discarding the weapon, the camera pans out and we see two cops atop the stairs just standing as if nothing took place. more
Quotes:
Sheri: You know what the best part about making it with a cop is?
Jack Grimaldi: No.
Sheri: You got two guns. One for me and one for them.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Due South: Juliet Is Bleeding (#2.7)" (1996) more
Soundtrack:
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMER TIME more

FAQ

Why does the voice over switch from 3rd person to 1st person?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
What happens to Natalie?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
41 out of 46 people found the following comment useful.
Solid And Curiously Touching Modern Noir, 1 November 2003
9/10
Author: secragt from United States

ROMEO IS BLEEDING is a fascinating and unusual hybrid of highly personalized old fashioned 40s noir and ultra-violent stylized 90s crime drama. It's the kind of movie they never make anymore, with an unappealing protagonist, an entirely corrupt universe where justice and virtue won't triumph and a heartbreaking ending which basically guaranteed it would never be a commercial hit. Obviously some were put off by these things, accounting for the low rating this sleeper minor masterpiece has. Bur that's part of why I love it!

While there is significant "man's man" violence and the obvious titillation from Lena Olin, this movie is at its heart a pure noir cautionary tale with careful structuring designed to get us to the amazingly powerful payoff, which tops all. The writer (Hilary Henkin) is obviously knowledgeable about her 40s and 50s hard boiled repertoire and fills ROMEO with references and touches which students of the genre will enjoy.

But the center of this movie is Gary Oldman. His blisteringly desperate performance as a corrupt cop at the end of the long slide to oblivion defines the movie and is both hypnotic and disturbing. His voiceovers are a worthy throwback to the old Raymond Chandler raps voiced by Bogart or Dick Powell or Robert Montgomery. Lena Olin is at her menacing best; this is surely the role which landed her the gig as Sydney's subtly venomous mother in ALIAS, and she takes full advantage of the over-the-top femme fatale characterization with deadly verve. Oldman and Olin share a bizarre chemistry which is fortunate for the script, because Olin's repeated seductions of Oldman when he basically knows she is luring him to his doom would never have worked if the actors didn't bring it to life on the screen.

There aren't a lot of actresses who can out-menace Gary Oldman but Lena Olin absolutely pulls it off.

ROMEO IS BLEEDING is not perfect. Roy Scheider's mafioso character is strangely caricatured and sticks out in a world otherwise occupied by three dimensional players. Scheider tries hard, too, which is a shame because it's just not there in the role. Lena Olin's brazen escape from police custody defies plausibility in the extreme. Gary Oldman is seemingly not quite properly motivated at all times. Nevertheless, the searing denouement to this movie burns all of these concerns away because it is one of the most unexpectedly poignant and heartrending in the last quarter century of noir. If you have a pulse, you will well up at the end, and probably think about a longing that you left behind at some point in your life against your wishes. 9 / 10

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (75 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Romeo Is Bleeding (1993)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Pretty stupid scene coffee_scent_80
romantic movie? bob-simms
Want to hear a really embarrassing story JAlexa9898
One of the most important scenes is missing! capnzulu
A perfect noir thriller - incredible movie! MassiveG
song during Juliette Lewis' sexy dance moniqueness
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Bound Coffy Face Eater Sin City Buffalo Soldiers
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Crime section IMDb UK section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.