The Singing Detective
Your Score
0
out of 10
User Score
7.3
out of 10
Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings
- Starring: Mel Gibson, Robert Downey Jr., Robin Wright
- Summary: The story of a crime novelist (Downey Jr.) who, languishing in his hospital bed, occupies his time by mapping out a screenplay in his head about a cynical private investigator who doubles as a singer in a dance band. (Paramount Classics)
- Director: Keith Gordon
- Genre(s): Mystery, Comedy, Musical
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 8 out of 33
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Mixed: 21 out of 33
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Negative: 4 out of 33
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75The movie does not propose to be a comedy, a musical, a film noir story or a medical account. It proposes to be a subjective view of suffering, and the ways this character tries to cope with it. Understand that, and the pieces fall into place.
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60It’s powerful, all right, and Downey’s performance is lacerating, but missing is any sense of lyricism in Dark’s hallucinatory yearnings. Without that leap of transcendence, this new Singing Detective doesn’t sing.
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60A genuinely brilliant cast--Robin Wright Penn and Katie Holmes are especially notable--distinctive camerawork, and terrific art design all contribute to this unique blend of fantasy and reality that truly transports the viewer to a magical realm.
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38See not only the original "Detective" but the Steve Martin-Bernadette Peters film "Pennies From Heaven." If you insist on giving Downey and company $8 instead, you'll be getting wooden nickels from Hell.
Score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 4
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Mixed: 0 out of 4
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Negative: 0 out of 4
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AndrewR.9Crazy mental trip.
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