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The Singing Detective Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 3 Reviews)

Never bows to the common place!!
We should all be grateful to Dennis Potter, Mel Gibson, Keith Gordon and Robert Downey Jr for giving filmgoers the opportunity to see that films can be cutting-edge innovative and that they don't have to fit a formula mold. The Singing Detective probably breaks every rule critics and audiences may have in their minds about the way a film should be, but I for one didn't care - it was a stimulating and drew me into its web right from the start.

Dennis Potter wrote a rich multilayered screen play that challenges and bedevils - watching it was work and fun and joy and emotive and playful.

Mel Gibson had the smarts to know how this film should be made and chose just the right people to pull it off, including himself as Dr. Gibbon. People have commented over and over about how different Mel looks in this role, but I think Dr. Gibbon tells us a lot about who Mel Gibson actually is.

Keith Gordon worked his Fellini-like magic on the screen play and with the actors and never bowed to the common-place. If you've ever seen "Waking the Dead", his touch in TSD is so present in the nuances of the dialogue and the darkness which he imbeds into the white-bright hospital scenes. I had wondered how he would accomplish jumping back and forth from the various 'Dark' worlds, but then I noticed the small repetitions, played out verbally and visually over the course of the film.

Robert Downey Jr came roaring onto the screen creating every aspect of Dan Dark with perfection - I saw no flaws. What I did see was his uncanny ability to hold Dan Dark's lightness just deep enough under the surface for us to wonder at first whether there was hope for him. Donwey's skill with the physicality of a role was also very evident, especially during the first stages of Dan's illness and in the scene where in a scene with his mother.

The dialogue is witty but sometimes Dan is hard to understand because of his infirmity - the DVD has English subtitles if that's a problem. Although I must say that as the film progressed, I realized it didn't seem to matter that I was missing a little dialogue here and there - the physical story telling took center stage a lot and as I said before themes were revisited to draw the collage together. In the end I knew exactly what had been said intuitively.

A big plus is Keith Gordon's commentary. One disappointment - I wanted Dan Dark to sing and dance more, but I know that wasn't the way to go.

I'm very clear that this rare breed of film should be revisited to get the full impact of its message of suffering, healing, love and redemption, so for me, buying it was a must. You have to be willing to jump into the film - get in the middle it. Besides wrongly holding TSD up against the mini-series, perhaps some of the harsher reviews are coming from those who subconsciously refused to take the plunge into Dan's world. It's a pretty organic piece that deserves full tilt participation, if you want to experience its complete message - if you want to find more than clues.

See The Singing Detective with no preconceived notions and the desire to evolve your thinking about the anatomy of a film and you will have a jolly good time and maybe learn something about yourself too.

Fabulous! Am I right or am I right?!
Next to "Chaplin", this is Robert Downey, Jr.'s finest performance ever! He shines in this role! I love everything about The Singing Detective!! It has everything: comedy, drama, song and dance numbers. I have seen this film 8 times (four times in the theatre, twice in Chicago where I saw Robert receive a career achievement award from the film festival there) and get something different from it each time. The rest of the cast is brilliant and they all add their own little flair to this clever film. Adrian Brody and Jeremy Northam are particular stand-outs for me. I love to watch Downey's interaction with his hallucinations and co-stars. Too say that this movie is a trip is a compliment. It is A TRIP!!!!! I never once thought "Are we there yet?" and when we were there I didn't want to leave the car. I was like a little kid in a candy store with this film, and there was plenty of candy.

A delightful film noir, detective story, musical, comedy,
I have been following this film since prior to the shooting of the film. I am a faithful Downey fan and when I heard he would have the leading role in the movie version of Dennis Potter's mini-series I rented the mini-series to become familiar with the story.
It was a difficult story to follow and not too well received when it first was shown. It later became highly acclaimed. Ten years later, Dennis Potter wrote a film script, shortened it to a little under 2 hours (from the 6+ hours of the mini-series) and changed the venue from England to the United States, actually the Chicago area; the time period from the 40's to the 50's. The tone of the story line changed somewhat also as basically it is actually about Dennis Potter.....and in his final years, he bacame less cynical and less angry than the original Phillip Marlow (Potter)...he mellowed somewhat. Consequently, the film has a different feel as was Potter's intent. The script was not changed; only the location was changed to Los Angeles.

Robert Downey Jr. was brilliant....changing pace so smoothly from the psoriasis-ridden, hallucinating Dan Dark to the Private Detective who lip-syncs to the songs of the original artists of the 50's. It is a complicated story line, not a senseless blockbuster type with little substance, not meant for the non-thinking viewer. It was cast so well, Mel Gibson is fantastic as the psychiatrist, Dr Gibbon, Robyn Wright Penn, Carla Gugino and Katie Holmes were perfect in their roles. Katie Holmes part was small but with a huge impact...and she did it so well, as did the rest of the cast.

Keith Gordon's directing was masterful, the timing with the musical numbers, the settings going from brilliant, stark white in the hospital, to dark streets and interiors with bright red accents....fast paced humor.
The closing scenes were perfect, then a rare treat.....Mr Downey singing "In My Dreams", a 50's song written by Gene Vincent, during the closing credits. He has a wonderful voice...we need to hear more of him singing.

I have to give The Singing Detective 5 stars.....it was wonderful. I have seen it 3 times, the second time in Chicago along with the Carrier Achievement Award presentation to Robert Downey Jr. prior to the screening. That was a thrill!! I will see it again Fri. Nov. 7.

Anyone trying to compare this with the orginal mini-series will miss the whole point of the story....Potter did not intend it to be a condensed version, rather a new aspect of the story. Also, an interesting fact....after seeing Downey in "Chaplin", Potter said he felt Downey would be the one to portray the character of Dan Dark.

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