Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- sardonic
- volatile
- late night movie
- crime double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the performances and inventive hard-boiled black comedy, while finding the film's tonal balance uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Frenger steals the identity of Sergeant Hoke Moseley while the real investigation closes in on him.
Miami's tourist-facing urban spaces contrast with Frenger's violent crime wave and Hoke's increasingly chaotic police work.
The film combines hard-boiled thrills and violence with absurd, scene-stealing criminal episodes.
Hoke Moseley is described as getting old for the job while 1980s Miami policing grows increasingly bizarre.
Films like Miami Blues, and why
After Hours
off-kilter crime caper, hard-boiled thrills, and pitch-black comedy
The King of New York
eccentric criminal protagonists, abrasive humor, and morally skewed crime storytelling
Blood Simple
stylized crime narrative balancing violence, comic absurdity, and flawed law enforcement
One False Move
sunny urban setting contrasted with darkly comic criminal behavior and noir tension
Movie Details
- Director
- George Armitage
- Release Date
- 1990-04-20
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (232)
Cast
- Fred Ward
- Alec Baldwin
- Jennifer Jason Leigh
- Nora Dunn
- Charles Napier
- Shirley Stoler
- Bobo Lewis
- Obba Babatundé
- José Pérez
- Paul Gleason
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Miami Blues about?
- An aging Miami detective hunts a charismatic ex-con whose violent crime spree turns the city into a darkly comic hall of mirrors.
- What is Miami Blues like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Miami Blues as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Miami Blues violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Miami Blues as moderate.
- What did critics think of Miami Blues?
- Critics broadly praised the performances and inventive hard-boiled black comedy, while finding the film's tonal balance uneven.
- Which films are like Miami Blues?
- Films with a similar feel include After Hours, The King of New York, Blood Simple, and One False Move.
- How long is Miami Blues?
- Miami Blues runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Miami Blues?
- In United States, Miami Blues streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
