Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Devil in a Blue Dress Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 9, 2022

Carl Franklin's "Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include archival audio commentary by Carl Franklin; new program with Don Cheadle and Carl Franklin; new program with writer Walter Mosley and critic Attica Locke; vintage trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Folks that like Carl Franklin’s Devil in a Blue Dress cite its period atmosphere as one of its greatest strengths. I think they are right because this film does revive 1940s Los Angeles in a rather impressive fashion. The locations, the cars, the clothing, they all look legit. But whenever I view the film, I instantly detect something else that is part of this period atmosphere that actually makes it impossible for my mind to question its authenticity. It is a very particular form of anxiety that everyone in the film is forced to live with. You see people smiling and trying to be kind to each other, working hard and partying even harder, but in a way, they are all actors playing different parts that allow them to mask their fears. Why is that? Because the large middle class that would eventually establish America as the world’s greatest economic power is still in its infancy. In fact, most everyone is still at the starting line, and some folks are actually behind it. The film does not emphasize their anxiety but channels it really well, which might be the only way in which it could have been done right.

Everything that happens in the life of Denzel Washington’s character, Easy Rawlins, is a byproduct of this very particular anxiety. Shortly after his boss tells him that his help is no longer needed, the visibly disturbed Easy ends up at a lousy bar where his old pal Joppy (Mel Winkler) offers to put him in touch with a man that could help him get work again. Because he needs to continue paying his mortgage, Easy meets Dewitt Albright (Tom Sizemore), a local goon with deep pockets, and then agrees to do a job for him. To get paid, Easy would need to track down Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals), a white girl with a reputation of spending time in some of the city’s most popular black clubs, who has gone missing. On the next day, Easy goes to work and quickly discovers that Daphne was in a relationship with Todd Carter (Terry Kinney), one of the wealthiest men around, who wants to be the next mayor but is trailing in a tough race against Matthew Terell (Maury Chaykin). However, Easy’s interest in the girl quickly puts him on the radar of a couple of very unfriendly detectives and some powerful men who are curious about his findings as well. To help him deal with the hazards of the job, Easy welcomes Mouse (Don Cheadle), his childhood buddy from Houston, who enjoys killing troublemakers and getting paid to do it.

The great period atmosphere and the noirish story should have transformed this film into quite a gem, but the closer you examine its construction, the easier it becomes to recognize a myriad of flaws. Some could have been avoided, but there are quite a few that emerge from the specific characterizations the stars were asked to do. For example, the story that Easy describes is broken into multiple episodes that peak in some pretty random ways. Characters come in a unique situation, do the best they can to enhance the drama, and then the film shifts to a different episode where the same practice is repeated in a new situation. The continuity is very awkward, which is one of the biggest reasons why so many of the twists that eventually produce the resolution look and feel completely unrealistic. (To be perfectly clear, it is not that the relationships that are revealed at the end are unbelievable, rather it is the chronology of the events that prepares their emergence that is quite unconvincing).

The direction of the stars is problematic as well. Washington leads in some very familiar ways, but it is difficult to brush aside the fact that Cheadle repeatedly overshadows him when he is supposed to remain strong. This happens because the two are allowed to do characters that are right for different films -- the former acts in a darker, socially-conscious Raymond Chandler-esque film noir, while the latter brings in a personality that would have been perfect in a looser project like Bill Duke’s Hoodlum. Unsurprisingly, it becomes very difficult for the film to build up and sustain the type of drama and suspense that ought to make it appear coherent. Beals is an odd choice for a femme fatale as well. In fact, it is hard to tell if she was meant to be one. Why? Because there is a rather substantial part of the film that hypes her as such and this is precisely the type of woman Easy is dispatched to locate, but later on she is forced to undergo a character transformation that destroys her image in such a trivial way that it feels like her complete arc was rushed.

When the final credits roll, it is very difficult not to conclude that this film should have been much better. It looks good, a few times even great, but it ends up rehashing a wide range of genre cliches that make it instantly forgettable. It should have been bolder and rougher, in a few areas maybe even dirty and scandalous, so that it looks like a very, very distant relative of Training Day.

Devil in a Blue Dress Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

*Please note that the comments below were also used in our review of the 4K Blu-ray release of Devil in a Blue Dress. They address specific similarities and discrepancies between the 1080p and native 4K presentations of the film's new 4K restoration.

4K BLU-RAY DISC

This upcoming release is sourced from an exclusive new 4K restoration that was supervised and approved by director Carl Franklin. Obviously, this means that the technical presentation of the film isn't identical to the one from this Region-B release, which British label Indicator/Powerhouse Films produced in 2020. (I do not have any other releases of this film in my library to reference in our review). There is also an upcoming standard Blu-ray release, which we have listed here.

The entire film looks very sharp and all visuals boast outstanding density levels. Some parts of the film look strikingly vibrant too, but elsewhere there are various fluctuations that are introduced by specific stylistic choices. Most of these fluctuations are present during darker indoor and nighttime footage, but even outdoor daylight footage can be quite diverse. Of course, this isn't surprising because it is precisely how the film's period atmosphere is created. (See examples in screencaptures #2, 4, 15, and 20). However, because some of these stylistic choices utilize light, darkness, and shadows in very particular ways it may seem like detail isn't always properly exposed, which makes evaluating the overall quality of the presentation quite tricky. Here's a specific example: the sequence that screencapture #1 comes from has plenty of thick dark shadows leaving the impression that there is crushing that should have been avoided, but on the old master that was used to produce the Region-B release it is pretty clear that someone had attempted to compensate for the stylization by brightening up the darker areas. In fact, this appears to be the reason why the dynamic range on plenty of the daylight footage from the old release isn't always convincing as well. In other words, the intent was to expose more of the darker nuances, which is why grain tends to have the most powdery appearance there as well. This issue isn't present on the new presentation of the film. Furthermore, I viewed the entire film with Dolby Vision enabled and thought that the overall color balance is outstanding. However, I also tested the Blu-ray release and on the new 1080p presentation of the 4K restoration color balance is quite impressive as well. Primaries, supporting nuances, dark nuances, everything looks very, very good. So, the move from 1080p to native 4K with full dynamic range seems quite subtle, but only because the 1080p presentation is already very strong. Fluidity is most definitely better in native 4K, so if you have a larger screen the 4K presentation will definitely provide you with a superior viewing experience. Image stability is outstanding. Finally, the new 4K presentation does not have any of the flecks and minor blemishes that are present on the previous release. (Note: The 4K Blu-ray release is Region-Free).

BLU-RAY DISC

I like the 1080p presentation a lot. It gives the entire film a very pleasing and stable organic appearance that makes it just as easy to appreciate the improvements that are highlighted above. However, there are a couple of areas where I think trained eyes will easily recognize the small limitations of 1080p content. First, I think that density levels are just a tad better in native 4K, which is why all visuals appear tighter. (Admittedly, Dolby Vision does its usual enhancement as well, so this isn't just a standard limitation of the 1080p content). Second, I think that some of the most tricky dark content looks a tad more convincing in native 4K as well. Finally, if you have a very large screen it is easy to appreciate the superior fluidity of the visuals in native 4K as well. Of course, all of these are very minor details, but we are at a point in this hobby now where we have to try to recognize them. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Devil in a Blue Dress Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I only viewed the 4K presentation of the new 4K restoration of Devil in a Blue Dress in its entirety. I did only a couple of quick tests with footge from the 1080p presentation of the restoration on the Blu-ray. My impression is that the 5.1 tracks on the 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases handle the original sound design of the film really well. For additional comments, please see our review of the 4K Blu-ray release.

Devil in a Blue Dress Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary features director Carl Franklin and was recorded in 1998. Mr. Fraklin goes down memory lane and discusses in great detail how Devil in a Blue Dress was put together, the casting choices and specifically Denzel Washington's commitment to the project, where and how various sequence were shot, the film's stylistic appearance and the use of music in it, some of the symbolism in the film (there are some quite interesting comments about the use of the Griffith Observatory), the fear as the key theme of the film.

• Don Cheadle and Carl Franklin - in this new program, Don Cheadle and Carl Franklin discuss their collaboration on Devil in a Blue Dress and some of the unique qualities of the former's character, Mouse. The program was filmed exclusively for Criterion in March 2022. In English, not subtitled. (37 min).

• Attica Locke and Walter Mosley - in this new program, author Walter Mosley discusses the film adaptation of his novel Devil in a Blue Dress, other work, and the detective/crime genre with novelist and critic Attica Locke. The program was produced for Criterion in March 2022. In English, not subtitled. (26 min).

• Noir City Chicago - presented here is footage that was shot before and after a screening of Devil in a Blue Dress at Noir City Chicago, Music Box Theatre, in Chicago on August 17, 2018. Film noir expert Eddie Muller and Carl Franklin discuss the style of Devil in a Blue Dress as well as the director's work and passion for classic film noir. In English, not subtitled. (26 min).

• Don Cheadle Screen Test - In English, not subtitled. (14 min)

• Trailer - vintage trailer for Devil in a Blue Dress. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Julian Kimble as well as technical credits.

Devil in a Blue Dress Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is a shame that Devil in a Blue Dress does not tell a better story because its period appearance is lovely. Certain parts of it are very promising, but it feels like Carl Franklin had to work with a screenplay that was missing proper quality material and did the best he could with it. Hopefully, Franklin's One False Move, which I have to wholeheartedly agree with Eddie Muller is one of the best crime films of the last couple of decades, will soon get a North American release as well so that more people can discover it. Criterion's upcoming Blu-ray release of Devil in a Blue Dress is sourced from an excellent exclusive new 4K master that was supervised and approved by Franklin. If you plan to add Devil in a Blue Dress to your collection, please keep in mind that there is also an upcoming 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack release, which we have reviewed and listed here.