Director: Mike Figgis
Notable Cast: Sean
Bean, Melanie Griffith, Tommy Lee Jones, Sting
In the idea of being perfectly frank, Stormy Monday was a film that never crossed my consciousness until
Arrow Video announced that they were bringing it to Blu Ray a few months ago.
Considering the stacked cast, it did come as a surprise that the film seemed to
be truly a cult item. However, it was concerning. A film with this kind of cast
from a well-received director (and featuring cinematography of Roger Deakins)
should have some notoriety going for it in cinephile circles, but perhaps it
was just one that fleeted away from me somehow. After watching Stormy Monday though, it’s kind of
understandable why this seems to be a forgotten piece of film. For what its
worth, it’s a decently confident debut for director Mike Figgis, but it’s also
a film so rooted in being a neo noir and subtle in its building of characters
and plot that it comes off as too slow for its own good. On the back of the box
it’s referred to as a ‘romantic crime thriller’ but the romance, thrills, and
crimes all seem pretty safe in comparison to many of the other modern noir
thrillers that have come and gone. It’s a good film, but hardly one to capture
the heart.
Brendan (Bean) only just recently found a job working as a
cleaner for a local jazz club under the shady workings of its owner, Finney
(Sting). It just so happens that in that same day he runs into the same woman
Kate (Griffith) three times and eventually takes her on a date. Things are
looking up for ol’ Brendan. That is until he’s somewhat unwittingly dragged
into a questionable land deal by the strong armed American Cosmo (Jones).
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| The romance. |
For a British thriller, it is a bit shocking at how much
that Stormy Monday attempts to feel
like an American noir film from decades ago. Director/writer Mike Figgis does
his best to replicate the tone, narrative structure, and subtle character/plot
builds of the genre for this one and his intense focus in this manner is
respectable. Much of Stormy Monday is carried by the smaller details of the
film, including some phenomenal visuals provided by Deakins and the scene
stealing moments of the secondary cast of Tommy Lee Jones and Sting. The film is
one that, for the most part, is very easy to consume in the whole, but also
detailed enough in its representation of the city and its blend of different
social class to make it one to appreciate. It even has a strangely effective and low key satire of the manner that America is viewed from a different scope (for 1988, at least) and it showcases some of the things that are just under the surface of the film. In many ways, it’s easy to see why
Stormy Monday has developed its own cult following throughout the years and why
many critics (including ones included in the booklet with this Blu Ray or on
the special features) praise it so highly.
 |
| The thrills. |
That is, unfortunately, not a similar opinion that I share
about the film. Yes, Stormy Monday
has a lot of enjoy about it in the details, but the film, as a whole, seems to
have to fight back its consumable nature and subtle character growth moments to
be memorable at all. It’s as if Stormy
Monday gets a bit over half way to impressing on all of its stronger
elements, but can’t quite push it into the next level of artistic merit. Sean
Bean is solid in the lead role, but a bit bland. The neon visuals and bluesy
hue of the film indicate depth, but don’t strike out to make a bold statement.
The antagonists of the film are realistic and formidable against our two
lovers, but never threatening enough for the audience to feel their presence at any
given time. Even the love story, which is central to getting the plot and
narrative moving, feels weirdly vague and hollow as if the Romeo and Juliet
inspired “star crossed lovers” angle just feels like happenstance instead of
fate. This if a film caught somewhere between the mainstream nature of its simplicity
and realism, but wanting to generate a more artistic streak to be a universally
loved film. Stormy Monday is a film I
want to love and enjoy, but it ultimately comes off as one that meandered by and
never hit its full stride.
Fortunately, for those fans and critics that appreciate this
film for what it is, this latest Arrow Video Blu Ray release feeds into the
artistic interpretation and details of the film that earn it the praise it has
received. It features an audio commentary with the director, a new video
appreciation along with a tour of the real life locations of the film, and it
has a wonderful essay in the booklet that digs into some of its history and
context. If anything, I found the additional features to be more interesting
than the film itself and that’s a huge nod in Arrow Video’s direction to build
a release like this around a film that doesn’t strike out as one
deserving of the attention.
 |
| The cinematography. |
Stormy Monday will
remain a cult classic for a reason. It’s packed with some fascinating
performances, a confident debut for its now widely praised director, and it
features some fantastic work from cinematographer Deakins. Within the context
of cinema history for those involved, it remains an intriguing piece of cinema
that will definitely interest those curious about it. For those who run in
circles outside of where this film would have already been mentioned, it’s hard
for me to give it the recommendation. It’s a good film, but one that, in the end,
falls flat when it comes to being a romantic thriller of noir inspiration.
ARROW VIDEO FEATURES:
Written By Matt Reifschneider
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