The Singing Detective Movie Review 2003

Dan Dark (Downey) is a pulp crime novelist who suffers from a painful debilitating disease that leaves him confined to a hospital bed. As Dark drifts in and out of reality, his imagination fuses episodes from his novels with memories of his childhood. In his fantasies, Dark imagines himself as a detective of a '50s film noir. Real personas in his life begin to play characters in his fantasy and his delusions begin to bleed into his real life. Adding to the surreality is the slew of '50s pop songs that the characters sing at the slightest provocation. Visually stunning, and a bit convoluted. Downey delivers a solid performance, as do the supporting cast, including an almost unrecognizable Mel Gibson. Based on the BBC mini-series of the same name.

Distribution

Not Yet Released

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 109 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Private Eyes, Musical Fantasy, Adapted from Television, L.A., Hospitals & Medicine, Writers, Period Piece: 1950s, Doctors & Nurses, Hallucinations/Illusions

Screenplay

Dennis Potter

Cast

Robert Downey, Robin Wright Penn, Mel Gibson, Jeremy Northam, Katie Holmes, Adrien Brody, Jon Polito, Carla Gugino, Saul Rubinek, Alfre Woodard

Cinematography

Tom Richmond

Director

Keith Gordon

Other

John Nutt, Ken Weiss, Jeff Wishengrad, Patricia Norris, Patricia Norris

Producer

Mel Gibson, Steven Haft, Bruce Davey, Icon Productions, Haft Enterprises, Paramount Classics