Black Day Blue Night (1995) User Reviews

But what does it all mean, Basil?

[vertigo_14 · 7/10 · 17 March 2004]

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)!

Another J.T. Walsh performance worth seeing.....

[merklekranz · 6/10 · 1 August 2008]

Though "Black Day Blue Night" is not on a par with "Breakdown" or "Red Rock West", it does have another fine performance by J.T. Walsh, so for his admirers, this is a must see. Like "Red Rock West", "Black Day Blue Night" is a twisted modern noir, with plenty of guitar strums further enhancing some similarity between the two films. There is ample nudity, gorgeous desert locations, and a story that under close scrutiny, doesn't always make a whole lot of sense. Scenes move rapidly, then stand motionless for gratuitous nudity, finally starting up again. Character development of the four main players is quite good, and if you can overlook some minor faults, you will not be disappointed. - MERK

J.T. Walsh is reason enough to see it

[Miles-10 · 7/10 · 16 January 2005]

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.

good entertainment

[oliverburnett · 13 October 2001]

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!

Good cast, good story - too loose in its telling

[I_Ailurophile · 6/10 · 19 June 2022]

It's not bad. In all regards the screenplay is much stronger than not, with lots of great ideas. The cast is solid, the filming locations are gorgeous, and it's well made from a technical standpoint. Only, it hardly seems appropriate to call 'Black day blue night' a crime thriller. Except at the climax, the course of events progresses with a sedate ease that never really gets the blood flowing. There's nothing inherently wrong with this; it's an approach that has worked well elsewhere, intended to let the narrative speak for itself without major embellishments. However, for whatever strength there is in the plot, the story simply isn't so inherently captivating as to provide that engagement and invigoration all by itself. Why, where flashbacks figure into the plot development, they are inserted with such detachment, and lack of utmost clarity, that I'm not sure I even caught the absolute entirety of what the plot is.

Unfortunately, within a few sentences, the problems of this feature are laid bare. If there is a definitive story to be conveyed through the medium, then even if the narrative is pointedly fractured and disjointed or told in a novel way, it must attain a distinct level of clarity - 'Black day blue night' does not. Clarity isn't recalled for all films, though, because some titles are more about fundamental presentation and art than storytelling. With that said - no matter what the genre, a picture needs to emphatically pique the interest of its viewers, whether that mean thrills, a visceral reaction, emotional investment, or provoking deep thought. Again, 'Black day blue night' does not. It doesn't perfectly communicate its story, and it is almost entirely unable to meaningfully capture one's imagination. If a film can do neither of these things, what good is it?

I don't dislike this, and for all that's done well, it's still suitably satisfying to warrant a very soft, "lazy day" recommendation. I just wish more mindfulness were applied to the storytelling, and passion to the film-making, because had they been, I'd be speaking from a place of much greater enthusiasm. As it is, 'Black day blue night' is an okay watch if you come across it, and it's most recommended for fans of the cast. Don't rush to go out of your way for it, though, because it sadly doesn't go out of its way to entertain.

Pretty good and involving, but the ending almost ruins everything

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 6/10 · 29 September 2022]

"Black Day Blue Night" is one of those special neo-noir thrillers from the 1990's with the usual elements of murder, danger, complicated plots, seductive women and dangerous characters. It goes almost on the same vein as "Red Rock West" (which includes J. T. Walsh delivering again a masterful performance as two-faced character) but the comparison stops right here since that movie is very suspenseful and intelligent, and this one here makes some erratic choices that almost ruin the experience for complete.

Two women (Michelle Forbes and Mia Sara) united by the forces of circumstances (one was the wife and other was the lover of same man, a complete jerk) who embark on a trip to nowhere, leaving their problems behind until they meet a hitchhiker (Gil Bellows) and offer him a ride. It's all fun and games with the trio, one of the ladies falls for him but the mystery man's intention goes to the other woman so...things happen. And parallel to that, we already know that people died on a car crash and millions of dollar were part spread on the desert highway and another part was taken away by someone who might have survived this crash and that's where Walsh character appears to investigate the whole affair, and I guess you probably wonder if the mystery man has something to do with the stolen money.

I can forgive the B-movie quality in some parts, and even the script inclusion of some personal character's story that feels forced in some parts (although the dialogues are quite good), I cannot forgive totally its ending, of which I won't reveal because I like to give some chance for future viewers to see this movie, which is quite enjoyable with some good humor, thrills and twists. But I can totally understand why some reviewers and audiences sometimes can feel completely frustrated by the final minutes of a movie and say that it ruined the whole experience, or that it didn't make any sense or that it was simply terrible. All I can say is that too many random and unexplained things happen, no good reason given for some actions and reactions, which can make audiences feel the overall movie was a waste. It wasn't, but I felt cheated with a cheap ending that failed to have a decent and understandable conclusion.

Whatever the case, I liked the story, it's bits of humor and danger, the acting (the always effective Walsh steals the show), and the entire atmosphere of the film, your typical small town where nothing happens until some crime comes along. Even there were dozens of erratic moments and all, I wasn't bored by the picture and at times I could accept those erratic moments because the characters (some of them) are quite dumb and act by impulse rather than sheer logic. As the noir genre tends to go, there is something to be learned here, and as a tip for you to get involved in the story, always remember that people aren't always what they appear. 6/10.

Plot, setting, reminiscent of Red Rock West

[ctune · 18 April 2000]

I saw this movie on video recently, and was often reminded of Red Rock West. Most notably J.T. Walsh as the sheriff, and many of the desert settings recalled the earlier movie. I will not give any spoilers, but will say the movie has enough differences to make it worth seeing.

Below par "on the run" road movie

[bob the moo · 11 January 2002]

This is another road-movie style thriller. The story is not exactly gripping as it slowly moves through the desert. J.T. Walsh 's investigation into the robbery is good but the body of the film is dull. The twists at the end are quite good but the conclusion lacks a punch due to poor character development.

Gil Bellows is OK in the lead but is too laid back for a role in a thriller like this - he doesn't have any mystery around him. Forbes and Sara are both quite dull and could have been played by anyone. Walsh adds undeserved class to the film but he really isn't good as he has nothing to do here.

Overall, a disappointing road movie come thriller that moves slowly along before ending in a good, if unmoving, conclusion.

The ending made no sense, but apart from that it was okay.

[modius · 11 February 2003]

* 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