It's not easy leaving a fresh footprint on well-trodden noir territory, but "Out of the Blue", manages to leave an impression.
When Connor (Ray Nicholson) meets Marilyn at a secluded beach the attraction is immediate. They become an item, however there are hurdles. She is married, apparently to an abusive husband, she also has a stepdaughter and Conner is an ex-con watched closely by his quirky parole officer and the local cop who hates his guts.
Nice to see Dianne Kruger as Marilyn though, back in the day ("Troy"), her face launched a thousand ships. As she comes splashing up the beach towards Conner in a red swimsuit you can believe she is still capable of hoisting a sail or two.
Conner works in a very cool looking library, but the way Marilyn makes a beeline for the shelf with James M Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice", we think we know where the film is going.
Writer/director Neil LaBute grasped the basic ingredients that make these things work. He gave it a light touch that lifts "Out of the Blue" above the sort of thing you get on Lifetime movies.
Despite critics that thought otherwise, there's clever dialogue. When Connor describes to Marilyn over the phone how he has just escaped being killed before making it look like two guys killed each other, he says, "That was my night, how was yours?"
Towards the end Connor is beginning to suspect he is being played for a naïf by a classic femme fatale; he joins great noir company.
The sex scenes in "Out of the Blue" seem a little over-considered. Overall, the journey is more rewarding than the destination. The finale has a twist and there's a twist within the twist as Marilyn gives us a final look that suggests she's duplicitous to the core. However, maybe it wasn't the best way to end it, it's all a bit too twisty.
The film looks good and has a terrific score by Adam Bosarge, reminding us of the great scores for noir by Herrmann and Rozsa. Still, he is his own guy; he's someone to watch out for.
I think "Out of the Blue" is worth sitting back and just letting it roll. I enjoyed it more than either of the "Knives Out" mysteries.
When Connor (Ray Nicholson) meets Marilyn at a secluded beach the attraction is immediate. They become an item, however there are hurdles. She is married, apparently to an abusive husband, she also has a stepdaughter and Conner is an ex-con watched closely by his quirky parole officer and the local cop who hates his guts.
Nice to see Dianne Kruger as Marilyn though, back in the day ("Troy"), her face launched a thousand ships. As she comes splashing up the beach towards Conner in a red swimsuit you can believe she is still capable of hoisting a sail or two.
Conner works in a very cool looking library, but the way Marilyn makes a beeline for the shelf with James M Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice", we think we know where the film is going.
Writer/director Neil LaBute grasped the basic ingredients that make these things work. He gave it a light touch that lifts "Out of the Blue" above the sort of thing you get on Lifetime movies.
Despite critics that thought otherwise, there's clever dialogue. When Connor describes to Marilyn over the phone how he has just escaped being killed before making it look like two guys killed each other, he says, "That was my night, how was yours?"
Towards the end Connor is beginning to suspect he is being played for a naïf by a classic femme fatale; he joins great noir company.
The sex scenes in "Out of the Blue" seem a little over-considered. Overall, the journey is more rewarding than the destination. The finale has a twist and there's a twist within the twist as Marilyn gives us a final look that suggests she's duplicitous to the core. However, maybe it wasn't the best way to end it, it's all a bit too twisty.
The film looks good and has a terrific score by Adam Bosarge, reminding us of the great scores for noir by Herrmann and Rozsa. Still, he is his own guy; he's someone to watch out for.
I think "Out of the Blue" is worth sitting back and just letting it roll. I enjoyed it more than either of the "Knives Out" mysteries.