Stormy Monday (1988) User Reviews

jazzy Brit noir

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 6 September 2016]

Brendan (Sean Bean) gets a job at a jazz club working for Finney (Sting) in England. Corrupt Texan businessman Francis Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones) recruits escort Kate (Melanie Griffith) for a mysterious job. He arrives in town trying to buy up the area including the club. Brendan starts going out with Kate who is a waitress at a restaurant. Finney turns out to have a darker side with a criminal past.

The first half is a bit of a muddle keeping some central mysteries. It does go down some good dark noir alleys. There is plenty of jazzy brass music. It's rainy and moody. I guess the plot can be seen as a bit jazzy. These are interesting characters. I would like the story to be clearer.

Sting, Sean, and Tommy Lee In Newcastle for Profit

[AZINDN · 7/10 · 12 December 2005]

Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones) is an American businessman with lots of connections, most under the table, who arrives in Newcastle on Tyne to seal deals. The celebration of "America Week" in England announces the malling of Great Britain as American monies of dubious sources invaded while the Thatcher government turned its head. Into this cesspool, Kate (Melanie Griffith) a local waitress and formerly an "escort" for Cosmo is recruited to play nice to business associates he sends her way. Rolling over the small business owners like Finney (Sting) a jazz club owner, Cosmo has no qualms about getting what he wants whether by legit or illegitimate means.

A sub-storyline to the economic takeover by Cosmo is the love story between Kate and Brendan (Sean Bean), an Irish laborer who cleans toilets in Finney's club, but over hears the plans of two London seedy types who discuss how to make sure Finney sells the Kit Kat Klub to Cosmo. After informing Finney of their intentions, Brendan's loyalty is rewarded by his elevation to a go-for babysitting a progressive jazz band, the Krakow Jazz Ensemble who need to be picked up at the airport for a weekend gig. While Brendan carts the band around town, he falls in love with Kate. During their time together, Kate and Brendan are jumped and beaten by the roughs who surround Cosmo. The drama is predictable until a surprise twist and unexpected negotiation change the dynamic, and saves the film.

The story line entwine to provide worthwhile entertainment for an hour and forty minutes, and the actors all provide solid performances. The soundtrack is a nice mix of 80s Brit sounds and cerebral jazz tunes with Sting doing a solo bass bit mid-film although he does not sing. Tommy Lee Jones is wonderful with an evil yet subtle humor to his business dealings and the sight of a young, buff and naked Sean Bean is delightful.

A good afternoon film for a rainy day, if only for the performances by actors not usually cast together, and for director, Mike Figgis, an underrated early film worth checking out.

tempests & teapots

[gurghi-2 · 5/10 · 24 July 2008]

The mist, the neon, the reflections- Roger Deakins could make snot shine. What a great looking movie.

And that's it. There's almost nothing else to distinguish Stormy Monday, which marches to its inexorable conclusion with measured indifference. Coincidences rule the day, while little things like character and consistency are passed over in favor of atmosphere and (perfunctory) symbolism.

Figgis can maintain a tone, but style alone just leaves me detached. The script is so tight, the story seems artificial; it succeeds mainly in assuring that none of the characters are worth giving a damn about. It's all breath, no blood.

In art, such aloofness has probably always been fashionable. It's also terribly juvenile, like a teenager who thinks that cigarette smoking makes him look grown-up. Stormy Monday is a poster child for going through the motions.

An atmospheric film noir with engaging characters

[t-h-fields · 23 September 2002]

Stormy Monday has a fairly routine plot, with a few odd twists to it. What makes it special? Three things.

The atmosphere of the movie makes you feel as if you're having a nice evening out on the town, making your way from pub to pub. You can almost taste the beer, and smell the smoke. Most of the story is shot on location in the old Newcastle city center. If you're in the right mood for something like this, then it's perfect.

Secondly, the characters are interesting and engaging, yet enigmatic. You want to know more about them. None fit the typical Hollywood stereotype. Sting, Sean Bean, Melanie Griffith, and Tommy Lee Jones (a relatively obscure actor then) are all in top form.

Third, if you enjoy jazz, then this is a must-see. In that regard, it is comparable to The Cotton Club, Round Midnight, or Bird. The visiting Polish jazz band reminds me of the struggling young musicians in Leningrad Cowboys Go America. This was clearly made by someone who appreciates good music.

This movie, released in the late 1980s, may be hard to find. But it's worth it.

narcissistic neo-noir

[mjneu59 · 6/10 · 5 January 2011]

These days a romantic thriller usually means sex, violence, and lots of neon lights, but underneath the typically sultry mood of this latter-day film noir there's a cool intelligence at work. Writer director Mike Figgis combines several strands of plot which otherwise have little in common, involving a moody nightclub owner, a dangerous American entrepreneur, his part-time mistress, and her new, younger boyfriend, all of them in an industrial British seaport dressed up for a hands-across-the-water civic promotion. A movie so self-absorbed with mood and imagery shouldn't work as well as this, but what sets the film apart from other neo-noir facsimiles is the unusual trans-Atlantic blend of talent and the emphasis on cross-cultural confusion, best expressed by a free-jazz rendition (by the Krakow Jazz Ensemble) of the Star Spangled Banner. The atmospheric visual style isn't enough to camouflage the shortcomings of the script, but Figgis maintains the drama at an admirably low-key level, and the location photography in the city of Newcastle takes excellent advantage of an appropriately gritty urban environment.

A Forgotten Film

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 17 July 2017]

A crooked American businessman tries to push the shady influential owner of a nightclub in Newcastle, England to sell him the club. The club's new employee and the American's ex-lover (Melanie Griffith) fall in love and inadvertently stir the pot.

The production was initially a low-budget project funded by Channel 4 and British Screen. When the film attracted American financing, it was suggested that the film be recast with American actors. Both Melanie Griffith's and Tommy Lee Jones' careers were in a dip at the time, and they agreed to take parts at a lower fee. Griffith never fully recovered, though Jones still had bright years ahead of him. Interestingly, some people who auditioned but failed to make the cut were Tim Roth and Kyle MacLachlan. Ultimately, the film was financed for less than $2 million by Atlantic Entertainment Group, perhaps best known for "Valley Girl" or "Night of the Comet". This would be one of their final films.

The DP is the legendary Roger Deakins, who had worked with Figgis on his prior made-for-TV film "The House" (1984). Aside from the bigger names in the cast, it is Deakins who elevates the film from a low-budget independent to the big-looking film it is. The use of neon lighting and visual references to the classic paintings of Edward Hopper are evident. Allegedly, the Coen Brothers made Deakins their regular DP after seeing his work on "Stormy Monday". (As of 2017, Deakins has been nominated for 13 Oscars but has not yet won.)

Figgis is a musician, which explains his inclusion of so many musical situations. A jazz club is central to the plot, but it not just exists in the background... the music is very much an important part of the film, almost a character in itself. The soundtrack is some of the finest jazz and blues, and even the film's title is taken from a T-Bone Walker song, "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)", which plays over the credits.

Writer-director Mike Figgis continued to make films, though other than "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995) and possibly "Internal Affairs" (1990) he has never really been seen as an A-list director. Is it time for critics to start looking at his career again? With this release, cinephiles can get a better handle on a less-celebrated director.

The Arrow Video Blu-ray is not packed, but is comfortably filled with some bonus material. We have a very informative audio commentary with Mike Figgis, moderated by critic Damon Wise. The commentary humorously mentions how Christopher Walken was in the running for the Jones role, but he was too terrifying. There is a new video appreciation by critic Neil Young, including a "then and now" tour of the film's Newcastle locations (33 minutes). This is a must-see, putting the film in the proper context of the geography, time period (including the 1970 corruption trial of mayor T. Dan Smith) and its relation to the Mike Hodges' film "Get Carter" (1971).

A tale of two Figgi

[stills-6 · 6/10 · 29 January 2000]

I'm not sure if the screenwriter Figgis and the director Figgis ever met or were even in the same room together for any length of time for this movie. The script, scene-by-scene, is no great effort and does not deserve the intense and captivating directing job given to it.

I enjoyed the romance story - Melanie Griffith is not my favorite actress, but she didn't annoy me which is, I guess, saying something. Sean Bean is really good playing an understated "cleaning" guy, he works well with Sting's Sociopath-with-a-Heart.

The movie loses me with all the gangster stuff. There are major holes in the plot and character inconsistencies that we are supposed to believe are rich thug eccentricities, but it just doesn't fly. I enjoyed the America in England bit - a little depressing to see the kind of malling that has paved over large parts of the U.S. already. But the best scenes have to do with the Polish jazz band, a great bunch of guys whose artistic potential in this movie was never realized.

I just wish a lot more importance could have been given to character development, so that once the scene between Griffith and Bean on the roof comes along we can appreciate it more.

Okay, but nothing really to write home about

[smatysia · 5/10 · 29 December 2012]

Not much to say that wasn't said below, but I guess I need ten lines. Kudos to the cinematographer photographing the setting, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This film was near the height of Melanie Griffith's career, and I have to say that the short, reddish, hairstyle is not particularly flattering to her. But it is always nice to hear her soft dulcet voice, musically feminine, even when she's being tough. Sting's acting was just fine, which makes me think that it isn't that hard, since so many non-actors are able to do decent work at it. I am unfamiliar with Sean Bean, who seemed to be the main character. I found this film to be okay, but nothing really to write home about.

A movie in the best film noir tradition...

[GirlwonderReturns · 8/10 · 24 January 2002]

I really enjoyed this movie. I'm a big fan of film, but more than that, I'm a fan of actors. Strong acting, as far as I'm concerned, can redeem even the worst of movies (under the right circumstances) - and it's wonderful when the film itself is already good.

Such is the case with Stormy Monday, the directorial debut of Mike Figgis (who would later have great success with Leaving Las Vegas). The casting seems somewhat unusual, but in the end is quite effective. I have never been a big fan of either Melanie Griffith or Sting, and by contrast, have always enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones and Sean Bean, so I was unsure of what to expect. But all four impressed me greatly with their performances. This is a film which requires the use of one's senses - we see the hopeful expressions on Griffith's and Bean's faces when they meet for the first time; we hear the frustration in the voice of Jones' crooked businessman when he can't seem to get his way, and the resolve in the voice of Sting's jazz club owner when he refuses to give in to Jones.

The cinematography (by the excellent Roger Deakins) is classic film noir, and when combined with the wonderful jazz soundtrack, creates a moody atmosphere not often seen in 80's cinema. Overall, this is a success - dark, atmospheric, and absorbing, an actor's showcase and a film enthusiast's smorgasbord. There should be more like this one!

An atmospheric mix of urban grit and northern noir in the directorial debut of Mike Figgis

[mwilson1976 · 6/10 · 6 May 2020]

The directorial debut of former jazz musician Mike Figgis (who also wrote the script and composed the score), is a flashy crime thriller with romantic overtones that mixes American gangsters, molls, and majorettes with Polish avant-garde jazz musicians against the urban grit of Newcastle Upon Tyne. The setting is a stylish homage to 'Get Carter' (1971) with its setting, and the title refers to blues artist T Bone Walkers signature song 'Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad.' Channel 4 and British Screen part funded this offbeat curiosity piece which stars Sean Bean and Sting, but when it also secured American financing it was suggested that the film bring in some American actors. Hence the presence of Melanie Griffith and Tommy Lee Jones' whose careers were in a dip at the time, agreeing to take parts for a lower fee.

Starts off fabulously, but then stops dead in it tracks.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 12 August 2021]

There's a lot of intrigue in this later film noir that really grabs you but half an hour in, like many modern film noir, becomes a convoluted mess that takes quite a while to get back on track. Melanie Griffith is an actress who can either make me root for her ("Working Girl") or annoy me, but here, her character goes through far too many transitions and twists that you never really get the full idea of she's your typical femme fatale, a dangerous psychopath or an abused woman who has just had enough. She's surrounded by a decent male cast, most notably Sean Bean as the sap taken in by her...or is it vice versa? Tommy Lee Jones and Sting represent the other men, and as good as they are, it's only Bean who comes off as completely unscathed.

So what you don't get from the main characters you do get from some of the sleazier supporting characters, which ultimately means that nobody is worth trusting. The Newcastle England setting is gorgeous with its bridges and waterways, and the jazzy music score is a character all it's own. Technically, this is a 10/10, but to be a genuinely good film, you need a script that doesn't require a road map and if the leads are amoral, the desire to see them pay for their sins yet be intrigued to see how far they'll go. The atmosphere of jazz clubs and the avant garde way it is presented helped raise the rating for me because I found it fascinating, and had l not known better, I'd think this was in New Orleans or Paris because on that aspect, this is le jazz hot.

A 'Sleeper' Of A Modern-Day Noir

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 16 December 2005]

This is one of those sleeper films, a good one that is not very well- known.....but should be. I really liked this modern-day film noir when I first saw it over a decade ago and the three additional times since.

The movie has all the features of a good noir, most of all a feeling of impending doom throughout, which a good noir exhibits. You know some bad things are going to happen, but you just don't know what and when. That uneasy mood runs throughout the film.

Add some tough characters, great cinematography (nice colors, too, in this case) and even a good blues music score and you have an interesting film. The story here revolves around a ruthless American businessman trying to buy up an entire block of the businesses in one area in Britain.

There's humor in here too with a goofy Polish jazz band, which looked and sounded just awful, and just enough action throughout to keep from getting too talky. Tommy Lee Jones, Melanie Griffith, Sting and Sean Bean star and all are fascinating to watch.

Bizarre film

[djpeekay25 · 6/10 · 1 February 2021]

I know it was American week in this film, but it is more like Newcastle has been colonised by the US. In one part of the film, every car parked up or driving is American. Even the patrons of the bars are masquerading as Americans. I thought this would be more like the Young Americans. I can see why this wasn't a popular film in the late 80s.

What a letdown.

[benkarkis · 1/10 · 15 February 2021]

Saw it back in 1988 with very high expectations, Melanie Griffith at her peak, Sting, Tommy Lee Jones, England, etc. Tried watching it again, today, to see if it was any better.

The answer, NOPE!

What you get is a movie that turns out to be soundtrack posing as a movie. Very, very, very slow. Sort of the Miami Vice vibe TV show set in Newcastle. It doesn't work. Any of it. You keep waiting for something to happen. Nope, more soundtrack and more bands.

In the end, the ugly Americans and Reagan/Thatcher lose out to the Brits and the expatriate Polish Community.

Chilly and Atmospheric

[Bishonen · 23 October 1998]

A beautifully shot film noir with natural, affecting performances and interesting characters who don't reveal everything in the first half hour. The great strength of the film is that it takes its time to slowly unravel, creating a mood of unrest and doom. The love story works but doesn't overpower the rest of the narrative. An enjoyable and sadly overlooked late-80s gem...maybe Figgis's recent success with "Leaving Las Vegas" will bring some attention to this earlier work.

Noir Styled Manchester

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 7/10 · 10 August 2017]

I can remember when STORMY Monday was released. To my knowledge it never played in local theaters near where I lived. My first exposure to it was in video form. With Melanie Griffith, Sting and Tommy Lee Jones being popular at the time it was one I ordered for my shelves. Even there it didn't fare that well. It is another of those movies tossed out with no fanfare that is interesting but never found its audience. That may change with it being released on blu-ray.

The movie has several intersecting stories that culminate into one as it moves forward. The first involves Kate (Griffith) as a waitress and possibly part time mistress for a high roller. Unhappy with her life he calls to have her go buy a new outfit and join him that night. The second is a young man named Brendan (Sean Bean in his second major film role) who bumps into Kate knocking her over at the mall while reading the want ads. He in turn applies for a job at a local jazz club owned by Finney (Sting). Hired he's sent to pick up a visiting jazz band coming in from Poland. He takes them to a hotel for their visit…where Kate shows to meet up with her part time boyfriend Cosmo (Jones).

To tie it altogether it turns out that Cosmo is in town to help celebrate America Days, a business effort with the city of Manchester. His plans are to revitalize the area, tearing down current buildings and creating new jobs and opportunities. His major problem at the moment is that the owner of a jazz club, Finney, refuses to sell. Brendan meets Kate once more when he stops into the restaurant she works in to eat. While there he overhears the plans of a couple of thugs to rob the jazz club and "convince" the owner to sell. The rest of the story unfolds from there.

So a lot of the story here seems to be one piece of the puzzle conveniently fitting into the next over and over again. I found that to be a bit distracting while watching this movie. The fact that each of these characters run into one another in a city the size of Manchester, that the interest of all involved all revolves around one small club, just feels too contrived to be believable. Yes, I know it's a movie but still with this many items one after the other (including the remains of a car wreck entering the city later referenced which places the Polish jazz band working for both Como and Finney) tying into one another it pushes it a bit far.

The film is incredibly easy to watch though. The cinematography is wonderful with plenty of stylized lighting and sets combining to make it appear to be a location that's seen better days yet has several areas of interest anyway. This is in part due to the fact that it was shot by Roger Deakins who had shot SID AND NANCY the year prior and went on to shoot THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, FARGO, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, SKYFALL and more. Director Mike Figgis also went on to bigger things including directing LEAVING LAS VEGAS. For some reason his star never rose much higher than that film though.

Arrow Video is releasing this and they remain one of a handful of companies whose releases should be met with enthusiasm and excitement. The prints they off are always the highest quality and this one is no exception with a beautiful hi def edition of this movie. The extras here are limited but make the movie itself more interesting. They include an audio commentary track with director Figgis moderated by critic Damon Wise, a video appreciation by critic Neil Young discussing the city of Newcastle and how it relates to film especially this one, the theatrical trailer, a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacey and for the first pressing only a booklet written by critic Mark Cunliffe.

Fans of mysteries, film noir and British crime films will find this a must have for their collections. Movie fans will find enough to enjoy in the film itself. And if you love all things Arrow Video like I do, it is one more movie to add to the shelf.

Atmosphere alone gives this movie a good score

[movieholik · 7/10 · 22 January 2016]

I enjoyed this 90-minute movie. Although its plot was pretty basic and the acting not the best, I really loved the setting and imagery of a late 80s northern English seaport. You feel the decay of English manufacturing and a sense of being adrift and lonely; the American/English angle was well-done and fits the Reagan-Thatcher years. The soundtrack also matches the mood, at first being smooth, then irritated, and then chaotic. The couple were easy to root for, especially Sean Bean - who I'd like to have a little more backstory for.

Normally, a movie like this would get 5 or 6 out of 10, but that well- done atmosphere makes this good.

Interesting but flawed.

[JoeytheBrit · 7/10 · 24 September 2007]

This is quite an atmospheric noir-thriller that moves at its own sedate pace, telling a story that could probably be told in a fraction of the time it takes here. That isn't intended as a criticism: it's a shame more films don't take time to take a look around and soak up the atmosphere a little instead of dashing toward its conclusion.

An incredibly skinny Sean Bean plays Brendan, an unemployed youngster who finds employment at a jazz club run by Finney (Sting). Finney is being pressured by thugs in the employ of American businessman Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones) into selling his clubs so that the properties can be redeveloped. Getting this redevelopment accomplished requires the greasing of a few palms – and other bodily parts – which is where American waitress (and part-time hooker) Kate (Melanie Griffiths) enters the story. The lives of all four characters converge over a short period of time as the two businessmen clash and Brendan and Kate strike up a relationship.

Perhaps the film's main drawback is the way in which it relies too heavily on coincidence to get things moving: Brendan repeatedly running into Kate,for example, then sitting at the next table to a couple of heavies planning to 'hit' his new boss, Finney, etc. As we all know life doesn't work like that – and, when it does occur so smoothly in a film, it tends to jar.

Actually, I'm wrong – that's not the main drawback at all. The film's biggest flaw comes in a couple of the performances. Jones is as good as he always is, and Griffiths is passable, if nothing special, but the other two – Bean and Sting - are pretty woeful. I've never been a fan of Bean, although I can't really pinpoint why. His performances are always workmanlike and uninspiring, but there are worse actors around who don't irritate me the way Bean does. It would be interesting to see how I felt about him if he ever delivered a performance worth writing positively about – but then, that's probably not something I have to worry about. As for Sting, if his singing was as bad as his acting he'd still be playing the Geordie pub scene. I mean, I love the guy's music, but he's a Geordie who can't do the accent. It's no wonder his acting career stalled so long ago

Mediocre music and story.

[sgcim · 4/10 · 1 February 2012]

I always make it a point to see every movie involving jazz, mainly to see how they mess it up, and to see if there's some good music in the thing. This movie starred a man whom I consider to be worst jazz singer in the history of the world, Sting, and thank God he doesn't sing a note in the whole flick. He does try to make some noise on the acoustic bass, and shows that he should stick to electric bass and rock music. There's a horrible English band with one of the worst tenor sax players I've ever heard, honking away at both the club and the "American Week" party. It sounded like they were trying to sound bad on purpose, and the Maitre'D is shown in one scene trying to tell them to quiet down! The Polish Jazz Band sounded better, with an excellent sax player, but they played some terrible "free jazz" piece in the last scene that made me want to vomit. The whole Polish angle of the story seemed out of place, and the look of the movie was too glitzy to qualify it as film noir. Sting acted okay, but looks too scrawny to be a tough, English club owner.

Coolest Brit film of the decade.

[MMike · 9/10 · 30 August 1999]

I have seen this film a few times since it came out more than ten years ago. I think it is seriously underrated. It has a great Jazz soundtrack written by Mike Figgis, the director (who went on to make Leaving Las Vegas). A brilliant cast: Sean Bean, Melanie Griffith, Tommy Lee Jones and Sting. It has a film noir feel throughout that fits the post-industrial Newcastle setting very well (lots of great location shots BTW). Last of all, the beautifully paced editing, which is just icing on the cake.

I can't help but notice that this film is not polling too well at the moment (averaging 6.5 out of 10.0), perhaps it's the slightly anti-American subtext?

While I didn't notice any direct references to this film in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (apart from Sting doing an above average acting job in both of them). I think they would make a great double feature.

Worth it for the soundtrack alone : 9/10.

OK but not GREAT

[yourstruly2010 · 6/10 · 4 December 2010]

A better than average film noir set in Newcastle england which gives a fairly inaccurate portrayal of organised crime and the club scene in Newcastle (although i did read a statistic that there were over 400 firearms incidents in Newcastle in 1992 which is staggering considering the whole of england could fit into Texas Newcastle itself is probably the size of a tiny new york suburb and england has extremely tough gun licencing laws) the rain soaked streets and neon lights look fantastic the plot is somewhat of a no brainer the ending left me scratching my head a bit fantastic cast it has to be said but i think the over done the the American influence its like the whole film is a big party celebrating tommy lee Jones presence which is kind of unfair given his performance here pretty much stinks. sting is a fantastic actor and obviously Sean bean i a fantastic actor both from Newcastle however both speak with a fairly none descript northern accent there are no geordie accents (Newcastle accents that people from Newcastle are famous for) in the film which left me feeling a bit short changed to be honest.

on an interesting side note there was a 6 part British TV series which kind of a sequel to stormy Monday called FINNEY (1994) which had none of the original cast but was actually really quite good somewhat of a pre SOPRANOS TV crime saga about organised crime and Newcastle's club scene featuring David morrisey (from TV's ONE SUMMER) taking the role of FINNEY (played in stormy Monday by sting).

The music nuances are overused way too often which overshaodows the set up.

[jordondave-28085 · 5/10 · 9 July 2023]

(1988) Stormy Monday CRIME DRAMA

Music, written and directed by Mike Figgis directing an almost plot less film noir, that involves a new hire Brendan (Sean Bean) who while eating at a pub happens to overhear about a couple of blokes planning a hit on his new boss regarding a selling of a jazzy nightclub owned by Finny played by musician/actor Sting! Melanie Griffith as Kate plays as a escort of some sort for the corrupt American businessman politician Cosmo played by Tommy Lee Jones as the person whose attempting to own Finny's pub for the purpose of exploiting the wealth England can offer! Without the pointless variety of musical scores and music including big band, jazz, blues and Polish folk music playing at the pub and so forth,it would have been reduced to a 45 minute stint. Instead, this film might've worked but because it had to be a film, the effectiveness of the crimes itself that occurred in the film almost appears as a backdrop to the actual set up, therefore the overall experience are almost non-existent.

New British Cinema at its best!

[Mikew3001 · 9/10 · 9 September 2002]

Like Mike Hodges' in his crime classic "Get Carter" (1971) starring Michael Caine, British director Mike Figgis takes another disturbing view on the dark city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in this modern British jazz and crime drama. In "Stormy Monday", pop singer Sting plays a jazz club owner who is threatened by American business man Tommy Lee Jones who wants to take his club with violent oppression. Unfortunately Sting's close friend Sean Bean falls in love with Jones' girlfriend Melanie Griffith...

Even if you know this kind of plot from many other crime thrillers and serie noire dramas, this movie is well-balanced, thrilling, fascinating and fast-pacing. The actors are great, the pictures of the city of Newcastle, though photographed in rather neon-like 1980's glamour style, nearly as dark and menacing as in "Get Carter", and the superb jazz sound track (mainly composed by Figgis himself) adds much atmosphere to the story - and even Sting plays a great double bass solo on stage! Watch this great modern crime movie, as it's a good example of the rise of modern British cinema in the 1980's. I wish they would make such movies here in Germany...

Cliched and naive, but Figgis has a canny, compelling visual style

[fredrikgunerius · 6/10 · 19 October 2023]

The story is fairly run-of-the-mill and very 1980s in essence, complete with a large-scale corporate villain and a romance as cliched and naive as the come. But when Stormy Monday still works as well as it does, it's because of first-time director Mike Figgis (later of the award-winning Leaving Las Vegas) and his canny, compelling visual style and eclectic use of music. His scenes come and go as if in a slumbering dream, and it's all soft and soothing - like a nice hot bath after coming in from the cold. Now, the characters are drawn up with large, crude crayons and there's not much to learn or ponder over, but since Figgis clearly doesn't seem to mind this, I was almost tempted into not doing so either. Mediocre acting from all three principal leads (with Sting as the refreshing exception) does little to improve the dramatic effect.

Sean Bean is the reason to see this movie -- he steals it outright.

[moviefarie · 8 August 2004]

Sean Bean continually proves he is the best thing in any movie he is in, period. As "Brendan," and the most unknown actor in this flick, he turns in the only "real" performance in the film. You believe ever nuance of his character, a jazz buff, who is just trying to establish himself in Newcastle, England. He is the love interest of Melanie Griffith, and her partner in this story of a corrupt businessman, Tommy Lee Jones, and a tough nightclub owner, Sting. BEAN IS THE ONLY ONE WORTH WATCHING. Oddly enough, he is the newcomer in this film, but when he is on screen you are there, every second. Griffith, had the good sense to request him to play opposite her in the film, but the story is odd at best, but the young and perfectly stunning Sean Bean make this film worth the viewing. If memory serves me correctly, there was an actor's strike in America, and that is why this film has two big name U.S. stars. But they do not shine at all in comparison to the scene stealer in it, Sean Bean. Sean takes the movie completely away from the major stars in it, not by overacting, but merely by acting brilliantly and subtly. The man can break your heart and does, and his stillness on screen speaks volumes louder than all the "characterizations," of the other actors.