Mike's Murder (1984)

That was an excellent one.

Good movie but grossly overrated

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

With a poll coming up on IMDbs Classic Film board for the best movies of 1984,I decided to take a look at Warner Archive titles on Amazon Uk,and I spotted an overlooked Neo-Noir,which led to me getting ready to meet Mike.The plot:Receiving a phone call from her boyfriend Mike, Betty Parrish discovers that Mike has messed around with some local drug dealers,which leads to Parrish having to sort out a safe house for Mike.Finding himself penniless,Mike continues to secretly deal cocaine with his pal Pete.Nearing the completion of a big deal,Mike & Pete take advantage of their customers being temporarily disturbed,by secretly cutting one of the bags open,so that they can re-sell some of the coke.Thrilled about having stolen right under their clients nose,Mike gets set to spend some time with his girlfriend Parrish.As Parrish waits for her boyfriend to arrive,Mike discovers that he has been sniffed out.View on the film:Whilst the DVD sadly does not contain the (infamously) deleted footage,Warner Archive give the film a good transfer,with the presentation capturing the mix of film & video stock,and the added bonus of the trailer giving a tease as to what the movie could have been.Hacked to bits by the studio, (who replaced Joe Jackson's score with a shivering one from John Barry,and changed the original design for the plot to be played chronologically backwards) the ripped from the headlines (with the film being loosely based on the murder of a man involved in a drug cartel with 2 UCLA football players)screenplay by writer/director James Bridges still offers an easy-going mix of twenty somethings teen Drama and sun-set Neo- Noir.Bridges gives Parrish's love story light & fluffy notes which are counted by a disturbing normality to the coke epidemic about to take place,with Bridges showing Mike being unable to stop himself from going down a line filled with ruthless drug barons and two faced friends.Reuniting with James Bridges,the pretty Debra Winger does very well at showing Parrish lose her girlie innocence,thanks to Winger giving Parrish's romance with Mike a breezy atmosphere,which is hardened as Parrish discovers the secret life that Mike has been living.Whilst the flick was forced by the studio to sit on the shelf for a year,director James Bridges and cinematographer Reynaldo Villalobos stylish on location filming is able to still shine,due to Bridges & Vallalobos giving the movie a sunny appearance to match Parrish dream romance with Mike,which gradually sinks into a dark Neo-Noir world,as Parrish meets the people behind Mike's Murder.

Who the hell is anybody kidding? Some people say that this movie stinks? Get the hell out of here! Without a doubt, this movie was one of the best films Hollywood ever put out. From the first scene of intrigue, to the last moments of hell-raising ice-chilling fear, no sane person can say that this movie didn't scare the hell out of them! When watching this movie, you don't know "what the hell" will happen next. Debra Winger's subject is someone you just can't help but feel sorry for. She's kept totally in the dark about her love interest's real profession, and past times. And when you finally see, and feel, what truly kind of low-life bastards that really do infest the drug trade, a world that I unfortunately do know something about, you'll see for yourself that this film is very realistic and an absolute heart-stopper! You will not be disappointed!

Scrappy, long on-the-shelf film by director James Bridges concerns bank-teller Debra Winger's obsession over finding out what happened to a guy she was dating, who has mysteriously vanished. Bridges put this together with Winger after their partnership on "Urban Cowboy", but it was a career low-point for both. Many trips to the editing room couldn't salvage it (causing one to wonder, did it have its soul removed or was there never a soul to begin with?). If you can get through the muddled introductions, Paul Winfield manages a thoughtful performance as a gay music executive, and Winger does well with a very sketchy role. Joe Jackson performs three forgettable songs (his soundtrack album was already out and gathering dust by the time this picture finally arrived in theaters). *1/2 from ****

My experience with this film differs from some of those who seem to be objecting to both the plot and the cast.I thought the idea of a 20's something woman who immerses herself in a quasi-relationship with a person on the fringe of society to be interesting. Winger turns in a terrific performance. Part of the human experience or journey is that one encounters difficult moments in one's life - including anticipating relationships one wants desperately to work out.Betty is in the unfortunate position of having to view Mike from afar as the latter is caught in a nightmarish world of drugs and deceit. I found Mike's drug partner in crime very compelling. One had a real sense of dread and doom as he tried to "make-up" for an irredeemable mistake. Paul Winfield is spot on as the record producer who has also suffered a loss.All in all, what we have here is a subtle film which is compelling and which a typical focus group would probably pass over. One good example of why film producers and directors should stay away from them and let their artistic visions guide their actions.