Devil in a Blue Dress (Carl Franklin)

Rating: 3.0

Nothing much to shout about, but still a fine and entertaining murder 
mystery featuring terrific performances from Denzel Washington, Tom 
Sizemore, and (especially) Don Cheadle as Mouse.  A lot of critics seem 
to be excited by the film's racial subtext, but I thought the film paid 
too little attention to such details throughout most of its running time, 
and then too much (and too blatant) attention in the final reel.  
(Contrast the way that CHINATOWN, to which DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS is 
indebted in several respects, incorporates its themes from the get-go.) 
Tak Fujimoto's cinematography is stunning, as ever.