Detour

Detour (1945) - 3/5

This is a solid, small-scale film noir with real stakes to make the best use of its low budget. The slippery slope story is a bit too ‘couldn’t he just’ to truly sell its tension, though, and if it weren’t for a great ending this film would have been lost to time. As it is, it’s a solid entry in the film noir genre and an interesting 68 minute diversion.

Closest comparison: It’s like a cross between The Petrified Forest (1936) and The Woman in the Window (1944).

Setting: Drama
Plot: Man on the Run
Tone: Noir