Miami Blues - appreciation review

Miami Blues (15)

Dir. George ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ Armitage

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (X @cleric20, Bluesky @cleric20.bsky.social)

"Your turn to notify the next of kin?"

"No way. I did the fat lady that sat on the kid. That's good for two.”

Miami Blues is just a delicious madness of a movie, I can still remember loving it on VHS when my pal Mike and I rented it on spec with a bottle of Thunderbird, a Chinese take away and the possibility of Jennifer Jason Leigh going topless - we were in our teens 😄… 

 “Your husband must have been glad he died!” snarls a grinning, dead-eyed Alec Baldwin in Miami Blues, a crime-em-up that dances on the razor’s edge between deranged comedy and gritty neo-noir. Directed by George ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ Armitage, this cult gem sizzles with the unhinged energy of Baldwin’s psychotic antihero, Freddy Frenger Jr., a man whose moral compass is very wonky. From the moment he steps off the plane and snaps a Hare Krishna’s finger in an airport shakedown, you know you’re in for a wild ride. It echos the humour of Airplane!’s religious nut-thumping scene, but with a deadly spin. 

Baldwin picks up the topless mantra - manly man hair 

Baldwin doesn’t just chew the scenery—he devours it whole, turning in a performance so electric it’s almost hypnotic. His Freddy is a charming psychopath, a man who treats crime like performance art, complete with stolen cop badges and a penchant for violence that feels both absurd and terrifying. But Baldwin isn’t the only star here. The aforementioned Jennifer Jason Leigh brings a disarming sweetness to Susie Waggoner, a wide-eyed hooker with dreams of domestic bliss, while Fred ‘Southern Comfort’ Ward’s Sgt. Hoke Moseley is a grizzled detective trying to piece together the trail of chaos Freddy leaves in his wake. Watching their bizarre cat-and-mouse game unfold is like witnessing a slow-motion car crash, equally horrifying and riveting. 

pretty woman vibes

The film’s Miami setting is a neon-soaked fever dream, perfectly complementing the offbeat humor and escalating mayhem. Armitage deftly balances moments of brutal violence (there’s a finger chopping scene that will 100% have you shout ‘arrgggghh’ and then smirk as the victim tries to gather up his lost digits) with laugh-out-loud absurdity, creating a tone that feels both unpredictable and dangerously fun. What makes Miami Blues truly special, though, is its gleeful defiance of convention. This isn’t just another slick crime thriller, it’s a twisted exploration of moral decay, where even the heroes are flawed, and the villains are disturbingly human. 

sh*t happens when you party naked

Baldwin’s manic energy propels the film into cult classic territory, making Freddy Frenger Jr. one of cinema’s most memorably (and criminally unseen) unhinged criminals. So, if you’re brave enough for a crime flick that breaks the rules and delivers big on unpredictable thrills, Miami Blues is my tip for you. With stolen teeth that bite, this madcap descent into Miami’s seedy underbelly just dares you not to love it. 

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - Excellently unhinged...) 

Additional similar vibe viewing:

Raising Arizona (1987)

“When love isn’t enough, steal a baby!” Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter light up this Coen Brothers crime caper with a madcap blend of absurdity, action, and oddly touching moments. Think Miami Blues with nappies. 

 After Dark, My Sweet (1990) 

Jason Patric smoulders as a broken-down boxer lured into a treacherous kidnapping scheme. This neo-noir’s slow-burn tension and doomed romance evoke a Miami Blues-style fatalism, but with even more psychological grit. 

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) 

What happens when a professional hitman (John Cusack) crashes his high school reunion? Hilarious existential musings, some stellar ’80s music, and a body count that makes Miami Blues look tame. A black comedy with killer instincts. 

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) 

Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer riff off each other in Shane Black’s razor-sharp murder mystery. It’s hilarious and brutal, with a self-aware edge that makes it a perfect spiritual cousin to Miami Blues. 

In Bruges (2008) 

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson navigate Bruges, guilt, and hitman ethics in this bleakly funny existential thriller. Miami Blues fans will appreciate the mix of absurd violence and unexpected pathos.

Filth (2013) 

Meet Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy), a corrupt, drug-fueled Scottish detective spiralling into madness. Filth is a turbocharged crime-comedy drenched in dark humour and shocking depravity—imagine Miami Blues filtered through Irvine Welsh’s twisted worldview. Caution: not for the faint of heart.

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