Farewell, My Lovely - 2/5

This movie is mostly fine; not great, but fine. The noir elements come through strongly with the palpable setting and Robert Mitchum’s voiceover. Unfortunately most of the actors are phoning in their lines and the scenes all play out like everyone just wants to be done for the day. The plot is more of a procedural than a mystery, and the protagonist never adapts to the same thing happening to him over and again. Even if you like gritty noir, you can do much better than this.

Content warning: female nudity

Closest comparison: It’s like The Long Goodbye (1973) by way of The Big Sleep (1978).

Setting: Crime
Plot: Detective
Tone: Noir

Dead Man - 3/5

This is a somber, slow western that’s more wistful than it is profound. It’s strange and episodic, winding its narrative lazily along until it peters out unceremoniously. For all of its problems, however, it’s curiously fascinating and hard to look away from the bizarre journey.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by way of Meek’s Cutoff.

Setting: Western
Plot: Chase
Tone: Stoner

Out of the Past (1947) - 4/5

This movie is the epitome of film noir, with a classic detective narrative, revelations of a sordid past, and slowburn tension in a sleazy-yet-sophisticated setting. Unfortunately there is no depth beyond the face-value narrative. Still, this is a must-see for fans of the genre.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Maltese Falcon by way of Detour.

Setting: Noir
Plot: Noir
Tone: Noir

The Night of the Hunter (1955) - 4/5

This movie’s insidious antagonist is so iconic he’s been mimicked in everything from Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing to The Punisher (Netflix, Season 2). It’s tense and terrifying, and elicits a palpable sense of Hitchcockian suspense. At times it seems to buck the three act narrative structure which lends it a sense of fear of the unknown, keeping the audience in the dark about where the story is going. For those who enjoy the existential dread of dark secrets in members of their community, this is a must-watch.

Content warning: marital abuse

Closest comparison: It’s like Parasite (2019) by way of Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

Setting: Western Drama
Plot: Thriller Noir
Tone: Family In Peril