Out of Blue

Released Mar 22, 2019

1 hr. 50 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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List

37%

67 Reviews

Tomatometer

32%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

Mike Hoolihan is an unconventional New Orleans cop investigating the murder of renowned astrophysicist Jennifer Rockwell, a black hole expert found shot to death in her observatory. As Mike tumbles down the rabbit hole of the disturbing case, she finds herself grappling with increasingly existential questions of quantum mechanics, parallel universes, and exploding stars - cosmic secrets that may hold the key to unraveling the crime, while throwing into doubt her very understanding of reality.

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Critics Consensus

Out of Blue smolders without ever really sparking to life -- which, considering the source material and talent assembled, can only be considered a disappointment.

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Audience Member

I stayed with it, waiting but not sure what for - the acting was better than the plot (well don't think there really is one)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

blaise p

Just watched this on BBC2 and did not find it perfect, but still well spent time. It is a cops and murderers story played out amongst people who live a very different life from most of those who write about it. I have made it a habit of watching a movie, and then look up what the "critics" had to say about it. Again and again I find that the "Rotten Tomatoes approved" label has not much meaning, as for every movie there are always a lot of those criticising , who are very obviously far too stupid to actually comprehend anything that is two steps ahead of Star wars, or Marvel comics movies.... What would be correct to criticise would be the lousy explanation of Schrödingers Cat that is given by persons who ought to know better and which are absurdly preposterous for quantum physicists and makes it all a bit unrealistic. Still... this is about real human beings, and even real police, so it is way above the usual garbage that is sold as movie nowadays. Still... 35% and 32%... really? Checking the opinions on Rotten Tomatoes from critcs and audiences is almost always great entertainment and worth a big laugh... what morons write here is amazing. What is good and what is not.. is decided by majority vote ???? lol...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

isla s

This is not a film for everyone - its very much an arty film with a fair amount of philosophy/cosmology present at times, that may put some people off. I suppose its a little slow plot wise but I liked that it gives the viewer time to contemplate things. It emphasises/focusses in on the colour blue a lot (the blue of the sea and, moreso, the sky (but I guess the films title hinted at that). There is quite a melancholic feel to it but I liked following the main character, Mike, around, discovering what they discovered. I thought Miriam was a particularly interesting character. I also liked the musical score - it's not too loud and jarring or anything - it highlights the main characters curiosiy and perseverence to solve the case. I felt this film is rather understated. To some it may appear quite bleak and bland but I see its appeal - its not entirely memorable but it's worth seeing I reckon anyway, so yes, I'd recommend it, so long as you know what kind of film it is. I reckon it'd look particularly good seeing it, visually, on as large a screen as possible.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Better Murder Mysteries Exist On ITV or BBC, Such As Vere, Frost Or Even The Bill. This Tries To Set The Scene In Mississippi, In The Threads Of "True Detective" - But Against That Masterpiece Of Film Making, This Is A Deplorable Mess..With Very Crap Acting. Absolutely Terrible Scene Segue Attempts That Don't Develop Any Validation Of Its Comprising Parts. A Good Example Of Crappy Film-Making That Others Will Dress As Film-Making Mess That Is Supposed?? Genius?? ..Ahhh, No...This Is Rubbish, Just Live With It & Move On..

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

ronald h

Although it's billed as a thriller, a lot of viewers will find "Out of Blue" infuriatingly slow and deliberate. Yes, it's a murder mystery. But it's also ruminative concerning issues like our place in the universe and the paradoxical nature of events and our perception of them. Schrödinger's cat is mentioned a lot. Sound confusing? It is, intentionally so. Patricia Clarkson plays Mike Hoolihan, a middle aged New Orleans detective investigating the murder of astrophysicist Jenifer Rockwell (Mamie Gummer). She was shot to death in the observatory where she had just delivered a lecture about the mysteries of the universe. We hear a lot of talk in this film about how we are all stardust. Suspects in the crime include fellow professor Ian Strammi (Tony Jones) and Rockwell's boyfriend Duncan (Jonathan Majors). The murder also has the same modus operandi of a known serial killer from years past. James Caan plays Rockwell's irate father, a retired war hero who may be a key figure in the case. All the ingredients for a juicy mystery are here, but the pace is almost somnolent. Lovers of fast action will be asleep 30 minutes into this film. Those who choose to stay awake will have a lot to ponder. Symbolism abounds, from repeated passages with Brenda Lee singing "I'll Be Seeing You"(too many times!) to Hoolihan's cat (just to remind us of Schrödinger), to a jar of Hydra skin cream, to mysterious rolling blue marbles. The New Orleans portrayed here is not the bright, noisy Bourbon Street city, but a quiet place of dark, muted colors. Clarkson's strong performance is magnetic enough to hold our interest in spite of all the arcane goings on. She's emotionally reserved, a recovering alcoholic. Her police work is intuitive and thoughtful. She skillfully underacts, so when she finally flares up later in the film, it has real impact. I found this film to be entertaining, in spite of its artsy self-consciousness. But many viewers will not have the patience for it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

In the end i was completely bemused as to what was going on , there was a strain of David Lynch allusions throughout . There was no one carrying a log or wrapped in bubblewrap , Give it a miss .

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Carol Morley

Director

Patricia Clarkson

Detective Mike Hoolihan

Jacki Weaver

Miriam Rockwell

James Caan

Col. Tom Rockwell

Toby Jones

Prof. Ian Strammi

Mamie Gummer

Jennifer Rockwell

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Out of Blue: Trailer 1

1:51

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

I just wasn't clear what it was I was supposed to be taking away from anything I had just watched.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 17, 2019

Full Review

Anthony Lane

New Yorker

Viewers who like their mysteries to be solved, rather than merely mused upon, should prepare for bewilderment.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

When a film-maker aims this high, how can one do anything but watch in wonder?

Rated: 5/5

Mar 31, 2019

Full Review

Natasha Alvar

The Critical Movie Critics

The issue here is that surrealism and the detective narrative aren't exactly the most complimentary, especially when it lulls the viewer into a state we call sleep.

Mar 22, 2021

Full Review

Tom Beasley

Flickering Myth

Morley delights in allowing the story, adapted from the Martin Amis novel Night Train, to unfurl in slippery and enjoyable fashion.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 16, 2020

Full Review

Bill Newcott

Movies For The Rest Of Us

Out of Blue spends a bit more time than it should focusing on the realm of the multiverse, but that's only because it comes at the expense of the crackerjack mystery at its heart.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 27, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Mike Hoolihan is an unconventional New Orleans cop investigating the murder of renowned astrophysicist Jennifer Rockwell, a black hole expert found shot to death in her observatory. As Mike tumbles down the rabbit hole of the disturbing case, she finds herself grappling with increasingly existential questions of quantum mechanics, parallel universes, and exploding stars - cosmic secrets that may hold the key to unraveling the crime, while throwing into doubt her very understanding of reality.

Director: Carol Morley
Executive Producer: Peter Hampden, Philip Herd, John Jencks, Norman Merry, Andrew Orr
Screenwriter: Carol Morley
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Cannon and Morley Productions
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 22, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 29, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.7K

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