Customer Reviews

After Dark My Sweet [VHS]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It was easy not to notice this in theaters a decade ago, but time has been exceedingly kind to AFTER DARK & likely will continue to be. Already it stands as one of the 90s best films.
Though its Southwestern locations (Indio, California was used) are both a bit too sparse and modern, in every other way this captures the ineffable aura of Jim Thompson's prose (and anyone who's actually READ "The Getaway" knows how utterly impossible a task translating his best effects to film really is). Director Foley has done a splendid job in setting a tone of dreamlike, sunburned melancholy and maintaining it throughout, aided immeasurably by fine performances by Rachel Ward & Bruce Dern and an absolutely riveting one by Jason Patric. I had faint hopes for this film before seeing it, due mostly to Patric in the lead; I was floored watching it, and all DUE to Patric's performance. Though a little young for the part, he captures perfectly the likable ambivalence and roiling inner pathology of the Jim Thompson Hero: you never stop feeling for the guy even as you know he will inevitably be compelled by his inner torments to do monstrous things before the story ends. Patric's complete immersion into "Kid Collins" steals a little thunder from one of Bruce Dern's most chillingly indelible portrayals of slime personified, "Uncle Bud". (Fans of Dennis Hopper's "Frank Booth" from BLUE VELVET would take to Uncle Bud immediately, I think.)
More than any other film adaptation of Thompson, AFTER DARK -even more than THE GRIFTERS - embodies that peculiar cowtown existentialism of his that tells us we're each of us alone in a world where things start bad and only get worse, pretending we're sane the way kids pretend there's a Santa Claus. A film without an audience in 1990, but little by little, year by year, a growing and appreciative audience is building. See this movie.

Film noir focuses on desperate people doing desperate things. And that is exactly what this movie entails.
Others have gone over the plot here so I will not do that. I will say that all actors did exceedingly well in what can be very difficult roles to play. They all acted off each other in a believable manner.
Bruce Dern was never seedier than he is with this character. Jason Patric and Rachel Ward also excel at thier characters.
What is decieving here is the setting....somewhere in the southwest, desert area. Film noir is typically dark and shadowy but here there is lots of sunlight. It takes the focus off the setting and puts it on the plot, which I found to be an interesting twist and quite effective.
In the heat, the emotions bubble over. Lust, greed, deception, lies, mistrust and paranoia all play out in layer upon layer and is accented by Jason Patric's character very effectively.
For those who like film noir with a twist you will certainly like this little known gem. It is immediately captivating and magnetic. I don't know how I missed it on it's original release but certainly glad I caught up to it. Take a chance folks... you won't be disappointed.

Very nice piece of work with strong casting. How can you do better than have Bruce Dern play an ex-cop sleazeball? Or Rachel Ward as a dangerous femme fatale? Or Jason Patric as a semi-addled former boxer with smoldering sexuality?

Answer: you CAN'T. Yep, we're in Jim Thompson land--aka Desperation City, and each one of these three characters has some kind of desperation going on, as do just about all of Thompson's characters. This is neo-noir at its best; you reduce the story down to fundamental elements and have James Foley directing--a rock solid director--and you got yourself one humdinger of a flick.

So yeah, there's sex and violence and yeah, they both come out of Desperation. Oh yeah. The flashbacks of Patric (as Kevin Collins), a former boxer, when he was in the ring, add just the right element for cementing the story and its Thompsonesque flavor. So there's a planned heist and stuff, but the formula isn't important. What's important is the atmosphere, the acting, the emotional punch on display. And it's definitely here.

Great piece of work. Go for it.

This is a great adaptation of my favorite Jim Thompson novel.

Jason Patric is excellent; he projects the raw physicality of a young Brando with just the right amount of modern psychotic edge. Rachel Ward is certainly beautiful enough to inspire many a man to do something dangerous and/or stupid( the sound of her husky voice alone would bring me to my knees!) Bruce Dern, after too many yrs in semi-retirement, acts with such sleazy charm that i almost wished it were the 1970's again and he were in his full-on psycho mode.

This has to be the brightest noir ever filmed and the washed out desert locations help tremendously when it comes to building an alternative atmosphere to the old school "city noirs".

Of all the adaptations of Jim Thompsons work so far, this one is my favorite.

Intense actors like Bruce Dern, Jason Patrick and Rachel Ward combine to make this modern-day film noir a winner. Of the three, I don't know who was most interesting as all offer good performances and intriguing characters.

Patric does the narration in this noir, playing an ex-boxer and mental patient. Wow, that alone makes for an interesting guy! He looks dumb, but he isn't. Ward is the slinky, attractive, cynical, intelligent and compassionate co- conspirator of a kidnapping plan that goes bad. Bruce Dern also is in the mix and Dern never fails to fascinate in about any film.

The movie could be considered kind of downer to the average viewer, but I found it fascinating....and I don't like depressing movies normally. What I found was a kind of quirky crime film. Take a look and see if you agree. This is pretty unknown film that shouldn't have that status because it's simply a good story and well-done.

Jim Thompson is one of the great pulp crime novelists of our time, and the film adaptations of his works are usually, but not always, quite splendid. This film, starring Jason Patric, Rachel Ward and Bruce Dern, is an underrated gem that's worth a look. The look and feel of this movie is slightly like a David Lynch flick, in that it's a modern update of Thompson's work, most of which was written in the 40s and 50s, but it has a timeless retro feel, with certain elements that span so many different eras that you can't quite place what year the film takes place. This flick stars Jason Patric as 'Kid' Collins, a former boxer who kills a guy in the ring and goes on the lam between periodic stays at mental institutions. He ends up meeting Fay (Ward), a widow who takes a liking to him, and Uncle Buck (Dern) a sleazy con man with various crooked connections in many low places. Patric is particularly outstanding. He plays a scruffy, down on his luck drifter who's lost all hope and hardly even cares about much more than finding a place to sleep and eat for the night. The Southwestern U.S. desert landscape lends itself well to films that convey a sense of isolation and loneliness and Patric embodies it here perfectly. The guy is really good at playing dark troubled characters. And Bruce Dern is right up there with Dennis Hopper when it comes to playing sleazeballs. Uncle Buck hatches a scheme to kidnap a rich kid and tries to use Patric to help unfurl the scheme. If I told you anymore, it would ruin all the twists and turns that this film takes. The movie stays pretty faithful to Thompson's novel, which is a good thing beacuse whenever a director strays from Thompson's original work (like Peckinpah in 'The Getaway' or the film version of 'The Killer Inside Me' starring Stacy Keach) they usually miss the mark, Thompson is so good at developing character that there's no real need to tamper with it. There's so many great little scenarios in the movie and they all contribute to to the story's grittiness. It's actually quite a quiet film, with a number of scenes played out in muted tones or silence, suggesting a disconnection from the outside world. The film would probably be best described as melancholic, especially whne Patric starts to fall for the film's femme fatale, because you just KNOW that it's doomed before it's even began. You try and stay unmoved when Patric breaks down and cries during the scene when he realizes Fay has left him. Unfortunately, it's tough to talk about this film without giving too much away. If you're a fan of understated, intelligent, well-paced little films, then this should be right up your alley.

This is one of the better mysteries/thrillers out there. Perfectly executed through and through. Great direction (probably the best James Foley has ever done). Great cast (likewise,probably the best Jason Patric has ever done). Great script. Should be held in high regard with all movie lovers.

Excellent and entertaining movie with fine acting by J. Patrick, R. Ward, and B. Dern. The widescreen DVD has very good picture and sound.

Jason Patric is memorable as a drifting, washed up boxer who gets caught up as the patsy in a disasterous kidnapping scheme. Patric's only fault could be that he's a bit too pretty as he's a good actor and like others have said below it's a shame that he hasn't been seen in more films. Rachel Ward makes a believable alcoholic femme fatale but I couldn't help but think of Jessica Lange playing the part as the role seems tailor-made for her.

Over-all this was a great little film, very film-noir, so much so that it almost seemed strange to be watching it in color, so it didn't surprise me at all to learn from the other reviews that the story was actually from a 50's pulp novel of the same name. I can't speak for the novel but in the films case this title doesn't fit at all but it's good to see that it's not being forgotten.

When a moody, wandering Ex-Boxer (Jason Partic) who may or may not be as punch drunk as he seems. When he meets a beguiling widow (Rachel Ward) and ex-detective turned Con Man (Bruce Dern) and then they get mixed-up in a Kidnap-Ransom scheme that turns soon into a living hell.

Directed by James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross) has made a stylish thriller with atmosphere dominate this gritty adaptation of Jim Thompson`s hardboiled novel. Jason Partic gives a terrific outstanding performance in this one. Fine Performances by Ward and Dern. Super 35. Grade:A-.