Black Day Blue Night (1995)

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This neo-film noir is one of a genre of late twentieth century American films that all seem to involve corrupt characters, fast cars, a ribbon of highway and, of course, plenty of guns wielded by people who appear never to have taken a gun safety course. The actors are the best reason to see "Black Day, Blue Night." There is the late, great J.T. Walsh ("Swing Blade," "Pleasantville," "Red Rock West," "The Last Seduction," and many more), who did many neo-films noirs (See also "Breakdown"). Then there is Michele Forbes of the TV series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Homicide." (In a supporting role, there is even the late Bejamin Lum who also appeared on a Star Trek episode titled "The Naked Now.") A spoiler of sorts--a clue really: Only the most innocent survive, but innocence is a very relative term in a movie like this, and you probably won't guess who is innocent before the final reel.

Black Day Blue Night was actually good modern noir. Three young nomads on the run from their own lives team up on something of a road trip through a desert in the middle of nowhere (as most modern noir does). One woman finds that her husband is cheating on her, and after finding him in a hotel room, decides to head off and start anew. Strangely enough, she travels with her husband's mistress, who is forgiveable given that the sleazebag never told her he was married. And together, while driving in the pouring rain, they meet a third, very mysterious young man with a suitcase full of secrets. While they're giddy and free and all suspicious of one another, the cops back at town have them marked as suspects in the death of a policeman. Black Day Blue Night starts out with immediate confrontation, and throws in a pretty good story with all it's twists meant to mislead your suspicions of one character after another, leading to a very unusual ending. That is, the movie starts with immediate action confrontation, and once you think the story is solved, you are immediately thrust into yet another turn in the plot, revealing just a little more than you expected before the movie is over. But, as some viewers have written, the ending is slightly confusing and a bit of a let down. The killer is not who you would immediately expect and, once revealed, becomes somewhat confusing due to a rather thinly explained flashback which reveals all of the necessary motive to solve the mystery. But actually, there is a finale beyond that, which I would think is the most interesting of the film. Because modern noir always involves a circle of criminal suspects, almost always all of them guilty of something, it is also a genre that always involves money. And thus the question in these movies always becomes --how far are the characters willing to go for money?If you like this rendition of modern film noir, I would suggest watching Red Rock West (it's also got J.T. Walsh and some going-ons in the blasted desert)!

* may contain spoilers*After a "car crash", local sherrifs discover a pile of money and the drivers deads, most of the money is marked and JT Walsh suspects a survivor is on the run and soon is on the track of him/her, Mia Sara and Michelle Forbes who form an unlikely relationship after Mia catches Michelle with her wife-beating husband.The film's locations and cinematography distract from what is a slow story and a slow movie. The two ladies in a pink cadallac decide to take on mysterious hitchhiker Gil Bellows who has the largest sideburns I've ever seen in a movie - instinctly you believe that Bellows is the survivor and his suitcase holds the remaining cash from the car crash/robbery.This is reinforced when JT walsh beats Bellows to a pulp and his sherriff buddies scare Bellows with questions about who he is and where he is going.The whole concept of the mysterious hitchhiker is soon ditched as Mia gets topless in some hot steamy waters with Bellows and after a while JT Walsh gets killed and we realise that Mia was the survivor and has the money.Again Bellows, mysterious as ever seems to disappear and reappear when the story seems necessary - for, example, when Mia's hubby returns all blacked up (why was he all blacked up, did Mia dump him in a coal mine or something?). Mia's hubby decides to "kidnap" his wife, the cadallac and the money and drives away.Bellows follows in his truck/jeep - as Mia and hubby hurtle towards a speeding train and then hits it and explodes violently.Then the sequence that really made no sense appears. Bellows, gets out of his jeep - goes over to Mia, looks at her and then RUNS exactly the same way he drove - for about 10 to 20 seconds, stops and then screams ands then carries on running....where's he running to...why did he take off his jacket for? Why didn't he just take the jeep? The ending made no sense....the rest of the film wasn't too bad and I'm sure Mia getting topless sure adds a little steam to a slow story.Overall: 3/10

This is one of those fun entertaining thrillers. I don't want to give anything away but if your in the mood this is one of those rare gems that no one has seen. Great plot twists, Great surprises. This one will keep you guessing. Mia Sara and Michelle Forbes are awesome!