Devil in a Blue Dress

R

Released Sep 29, 1995

1 hr. 42 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

List

92%

122 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins (Denzel Washington) is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore), a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals), who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.

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Critics Consensus

Humor, interesting characters, and attention to details make the stylish Devil in a Blue Dress an above average noir.

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Felix T

Not enough Walter Mosley, too much Denzel.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/15/24

Full Review

Narciso R

Excellent movie, excellent cast. Some sad scenes, but still excellent. NRJ.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Over 25 years old Denzel Washington stars in a classic neo-noir thriller He plays detective Easy Rawlins taking place in Los Angeles as a WWII veteran with little job prospects Rawlins meets a white man named Dewitt who needs someone track down a missing white woman by the name of Daphne Monet He takes the job eager to pay off his financial woes but the case turns out to be much bigger than he thought The character of Easy Rawlins by Walter Mosley has actually appeared in 14 novels There would've been a movie series but it's a shame this didn't make enough money to do so It's still a good 1940s neo-noir mystery thriller full of murder, blackmail, intrigue, and having a private eye attempt to swim through the murky waters of racist and police-corrupted America Works as a good whodunnit as well as an established period piece with a fine performance by Washington

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/08/23

Full Review

isa e

All time classic, a great book adaptation, the casting was spot on, Washington was brilliant as always, Sizemore and Cobb excel in supporting roles, plot moves along at a brisk pace, and its is note perfect every scene

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/02/23

Full Review

David F

This neo-noir does a pretty good job of capturing the atmosphere of the post-war Los Angeles crime spree but it isn't nearly as good as the book, unfortunately.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/25/23

Full Review

Olson K

Watched on March 4, 2023

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/24

Full Review

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Carl Franklin

Director

Denzel Washington

Ezekiel 'Easy' Rawlins

Tom Sizemore

DeWitt Albright

Jennifer Beals

Daphne Monet

Don Cheadle

Raymond 'Mouse' Alexander

Maury Chaykin

Matthew Terell

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Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - You Got Blood on My Coat

2:38

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - The Color Line in America

3:56

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - Threatened at Knifepoint

2:32

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - He's My Brother!

2:06

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - Cabin Shootout

3:10

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - Scaring Racists

2:51

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - Meeting Daphne

3:15

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - Corrupt Candidate

2:57

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - I'm Not Drunk

1:26

Devil in a Blue Dress: Official Clip - Beaten by Cops

2:03

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Desson Thomson

Washington Post

In Devil, folks like Easy Rawlins have long since learned to roll with the racial punches. It's precisely that kind of offhand profundity that makes the movie so memorable. Franklin's picture is effortlessly wise beneath its entertaining surface.

Oct 27, 2021

Full Review

Henry Sheehan

Orange County Register

Thanks to screenwriter and director Carl Franklin, Devil has blossomed into a compulsively watchable mystery, a redolently atmospheric period piece, and a provocative meditation on race, ambition and civics.

Rated: A

Oct 27, 2021

Full Review

Patricia Bibby

Associated Press

It is a smart, sly film imbued with the rich subtle tones of a mournful blues saxophone piece, worthy of comparisons to some of the best noir films of decades past.

Oct 27, 2021

Full Review

Todd James

Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)

The story unfolds slowly, but it's a script that will hook you from the start.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 29, 2024

Full Review

Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

Carl Franklin’s neo-noir is hard-boiled and filled with moods of disillusionment in Los Angeles...

Feb 22, 2023

Full Review

Imran Khan

PopMatters

Denzel Washington’s voiceover in neo-noir Devil in a Blue Dress is an equal mix of deadpan charm and wide-eyed innocence, which textures and nuances his performance.

Oct 19, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins (Denzel Washington) is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore), a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals), who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.

Director: Carl Franklin
Executive Producer: Jonathan Demme, Edward Saxon
Screenwriter: Walter Mosley, Carl Franklin
Distributor: Columbia Tristar, TriStar Pictures, Home Box Office (HBO) [us]
Production Co: Clinica Estetico, TriStar Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.9M
Sound Mix: Surround

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