Miami Vice

Aug. 10th, 2006 02:03 pm
davywavy: (Default)
[personal profile] davywavy
Twenty years ago, I wanted to be an undercover cop in Miami. It seemed the height of cool to live in a world where you got fast cars and boats, the sharpest clothes, gorgeous women (or Sheena Easton, anyway), and you could get a pretty good idea of whether someone would live or die by how fashionable their haircut and facial hair were.

All of a sudden, thanks to the new film, I do again.
Miami Vice probably isn't the most entertaining film I've seen this year - that accolade will probably go to Thank you for Smoking or maybe Dead Man's Chest - but it is the film I'm likely to watch again most often a few years down the line, just because Michael Mann has the ability to make doing just about anything look like the coolest, most exciting, downright best thing that you could be doing with your time.
There's a definite connection between exciting movies and neural stimulation, and the last time I walked out of a cinema with this much of a confident bounce in my step and 'up' mood was when I went to see the original Matrix in 1999.
Despite being set in 2006 rather than 1984 with only the names and context remaining consistent, the themes of the film and the TV series are consistent with one another - the effortless cool of the characters in the face of what are actually truly awful circumstances. Sonny Crockett is still a smooth southerner who can't keep it in his trousers. Ricardo Tubbs is still a straight talking New Yorker on transfer who is the voice of reason to Crockett's passion. And Crockett's haircut and wardrobe are still risible but still, somehow, the single coolest thing you'll see on screen this year.
Some people might say that heroism is rising to great challenges and overcoming them. In the light of this film, I disagree: heroism is maintaining an immaculate razor-cut after three days at sea aboard a leaky tramp steamer shipping guns into the everglades.
What I liked most about the film is the way it manages to be both completely OTT Hollywoodish and outrageous and also grippingly convincing in the same package; fancy taking a high-powered speedboat to Havana for a quick Mojito? Well, as a Miami Cop you can do just that - and even better it's all on expenses and you've got a beautiful woman on your arm.
Obviously, it's not a perfect film (few films which don't have Cary Elwes as the Dread Pirate Roberts are). It's not even as good as Heat. I thought the ending was unconvincing considering what had happened before and the characters, but that's really by-the-by. As a combination of grit, entertainment, drama and fun, you probably aren't going to get a better sharp-as-a-knife, slam-bang police procedural in the forseeable future.

Anyway, in the light of all this, I've bought myself some cool new sunglasses which make me look like a drug dealer. Miami here I come.

Date: 2006-08-10 01:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elbly.livejournal.com
Obviously, it's not a perfect film (few films which don't have Cary Elwes as the Dread Pirate Roberts are).

I've never heard a statement which I could agree with more!

Date: 2006-08-10 01:58 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Odd that, I am toying with growing a pr0n star moustache for similar reasons. What are the glasses? post a link.

Date: 2006-08-10 02:07 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
All you ever buy on ebay is blimming sunglasses

H

Date: 2006-08-10 02:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
I can't help being this cool, you know.

Date: 2006-08-10 02:15 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
What do you mean "not as good as Heat" - nor are 99% of other films made, you have set the bar pretty hard, and Mann didn't have the same calibre of actor to play with here. It was about as good as Manhunter, and better than that tosh he made with that short bloke who's wife ditched him for being a puff, pretending to be an assassin.

Date: 2006-08-10 02:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
I saw Manhunter again a few weeks ago and it was nothing like as good as I remember. I'd definitely mark it better. Collateral wasn't a great film - it looks like he perfected the visual style he developed on that film with this one, but did a lot better with the cast and script this time around.
Tom Cruise is not a convincing assassin.

Date: 2006-08-10 02:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] karohemd.livejournal.com
Miami here I come.
The authorities will be slapping on their latex gloves in anticipation. ;oÞ

Date: 2006-08-10 02:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
Oh, you had to bring that up.

Date: 2006-08-10 02:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] applez.livejournal.com
Miami here I come.

Oh dear. All part of the post-hurricane repair plan methinks. ;-)

Date: 2006-08-10 03:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
If anyone can repair Miami, it's me.

Date: 2006-08-11 11:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nebuchanezzer.livejournal.com
so, the thing I didn't like about it was the way the director treated the blow up dolls, I mean, women. Mute, in a coma, being tossed around like a sack of potatos, barely able to wrangle English, "belonging" to a new dealer ( hello scarface!) etc. sigh

Date: 2006-08-11 11:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davywavy.livejournal.com
That's a good point; the feel of the sexes as presented was very 80's in tone. Even Gong Li's character, despite being a tough criminal, was ultimately used and discarded by Crockett.
Michael Mann's films do tend not to have major female characters, though. One wonders if he doesn't know how to deal with girls, or something.

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