Devil in a Blue Dress is a 1995 American neo-noir mystery thriller film written and directed by Carl Franklin. Based on the book of the same name by famed crime author Walter Mosley; 2020’s recipient of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, making him the first Black man to receive the honor.
This is an adaptation of Mosley’s first novel starring Denzel Washington as unlicensed Private Detective Easy Rawlins and co-stars: Don Cheadle and Jennifer Beals.
Ezekiel “EASY” Rawlins is a WWII veteran who lives in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. Down on his luck and unemployed, Easy decides to take on the case of a missing woman as an unlicensed P.I.
In my opinion this is the best companion film to L.A. Confidential (1997, Directed by Curtis Hansen); a true Neo-noir in all the right ways. The film is gritty, nihilistic and grounded in its setting. The performances especially from Washington and Cheadle are justification enough to watch this movie. Devil in a Blue Dress was shot on location and has one hell of a film score by Elmer Bernstein.
The perfect movie to chill out with and immerse yourself into the era of its setting.
I highly recommend this film and will not waste anymore time to summarize it and possibly spoil anything.
So stay cool, light up a few and drink some brew. But, above all else – Never take your finger of that REWIND BUTTON.
Movie Link –
