After Dark, My Sweet (1990)

An ex-boxer is drifting around after escaping from the mental hospital. He meets a widow who convinces him to help fix up the neglected estate her ex-husband left. Her Uncle talks them both... See full summary »

Director:

James Foley

Writers:

Jim Thompson (novel), Robert Redlin (screenplay)

Stars:

Jason Patric, Rachel Ward, Bruce Dern

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jason Patric	...	Kevin 'kid' Collins
Rocky Giordani	...	Bert
Rachel Ward	...	Fay Anderson
Bruce Dern	...	Garrett "Uncle Bud" Stoker
Tom Wagner	...	Counterman
Mike Hagerty	...	Truck Driver (as Michael G. Hagerty)
James E. Bowen Jr.	...	Second Driver
George Dickerson	...	Doc Goldman
Napoleon Walls	...	Boxing Referee
Corey Carrier	...	Jack
Jeanie Moore	...	Nanny
James Cotton	...	Charlie
Burke Byrnes	...	Cop
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vincent Mazella Jr.	...	Flashback Fighter (as Vince Mazzella Jr.)
Thomas Wagner

Storyline

An ex-boxer is drifting around after escaping from the mental hospital. He meets a widow who convinces him to help fix up the neglected estate her ex-husband left. Her Uncle talks them both into helping kidnap a rich boy for ransom money, and the ex-fighter must make decisions about his loyalties and what is right.

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Plot Keywords:

widow | self sacrifice | tragedy | tragic hero | distrust | 

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Taglines:

Seduced beyond the limits of deception. Betrayed beyond the limits of desire.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 August 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Depois do anoitecer, querida

Filming Locations:

Mecca, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,678,414

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenue Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is included on Roger Ebert's "Great Movies" list.

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Goofs

When Bruce Dern and Jason Patric are sitting in the car looking at the mansion, about 30 minutes into the movie, the reflection of a crew member is visible in the chrome of the driver side rear view mirror.

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Quotes

Kevin 'kid' Collins: [voiceover] There's something inside of every man that keeps him going long after he has any reason to. For years I kept going when going didn't seem to make any sense. And now I just had to keep going. I had to have the end come.

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Connections

Referenced in Siskel & Ebert: Contact/This World, Then the Fireworks/A Simple Wish/4 Little Girls/The Big Sleep/Shall We Dance? (1997)

User Reviews

Terrific, under-rated film of a classic Jim Thompson novel.

Ever read Jim Thompson? He's hard-boiled noir with the most extreme fatalism and misanthropy I've ever encountered. There are rarely private detectives in his work - just losers, psychotics and small-time con artists. This film has Thompson nailed - "If God made any real mistakes in this world, it was in giving us a will to live when we've got no excuse for it." Every character in the film balances on a razor's edge between surreal and creepy realism. There's sleazy, conniving Uncle Bud, played by Bruce Dern and spookily well-intentioned Doc Goldman played by George Dickerson. Jason Patric gives a wonderful, often heart-wrenching performance as Kid Collins, a none-too-bright, shy ex-fighter who's more scared of himself than of anyone else. Rachel Ward is Fay, the sexy femme fatale who we can't quite figure out...It's not your standard film noir, nor is it intended to be. After Dark My Sweet, along with The Grifters, are two excellent adaptations of novels by one of my favorite writers, Jim Thompson.