Mo' Better Blues (1990)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This was a frustrating movie for me because it was at times brilliant, yet there are a few things that could have been done better.Spike Lee shows why he is revered as a writer director, with beautiful dynamic shots, intercut with smooth jazz. It is a charming presentation. Also the dialogue is interesting and feels natural and spontaneous. The combination of strong writing and acting makes for interesting conversations.The things I found frustrating was the lack of a focused or interesting story. Also Spike Lee's performance was very weak compared to Denzel's and he should have stayed out of the movie. He actually took a lot of the attention from the other characters and tried to make the movie about himself.

Focus, my man, focus. Your world is about to come tumbling down around you. While you are playing that trumpet, your sax player (Wesley Snipes) is scheming about his own band, the two lovers (Joie Lee & Cynda Williams) that you are torn between are tired of being ignored, and your manager (Spike Lee) is so deep into the bookie that he will never get out and drag you down with him.Work and love. How many of us have been torn between the two. We focus on one and the other slides. Denzell Washington (Traing Day, Glory) is Bleek Gilliam, the leader of a jazz quintet who is so focused on his music that he ignored all that is going on around him until it is too late. What do you do the day after your world comes crashing down? Where do you go when facing the brick wall? Bleek has to face these questions, as we all do at one time or another.Sure there is great music to listen to in this film, but there is so much more to ponder while listening.

Even thought you can definitely tell this is a Spike Lee movie and is definitely worth a watch, to me being Spike fan this did not really appeal to me as much as i thought it would of.It being a Lee film you thought it would of had a bit more power and satire humour to it and having two of the biggest names ever (Denzel Washington and Wesly Snipes) it is no more than simple little love triangle between the two.Blues is something that they just play at a club but the film dos not really resolve around any of tat specific subject. I always thought That Lee had never made a bad film but this just did not really do it for me.Although i did like the acting and the photography was excellent. I suppose Lee just fancied something different.6 out of 10

Crikey, lads, it's worth seeing for sure, but there's no plot and very few characters to care about. Scenes drag on past their logical end, and Mr. Spikey makes his points with the subtlety of a flyin' mallet. Kinda like Purple Rain in that if you could only remove the dialogue and leave the music, you'd have you one heckuva ham sandwich. Denzel delights, as he always do. And does anyone believe that slapdash ending? Nope.