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Devil in a Blue Dress

Private detective Easy Rawlins has been caught on the wrong side of the most dangerous secret in town.

1995 · 1h 42m · R Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Directed by Carl Franklin

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Overview

In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright, a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet, who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
91%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Entering the main flow of the story relatively late, Don Cheadle steals all his scenes as a live-wire, trigger-happy old buddy of Easy's from Texas, while Sizemore and Mel Winkler, as colorful underworld figures, make strong impressions.

Todd McCarthy, Variety
Fresh

Sheer pleasure.

Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Fresh

The role of Easy looks as tailor-made for Mr. Washington as his suit, and it shows off the full effect of this actor's movie-star dazzle.

Janet Maslin, New York Times
Fresh

A fluid, persuasive piece of movie-making graced with the considerable visual sophistication.

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Fresh

The film also does a convincing job of re-creating Los Angeles of 1948 with both specificity and poetry.

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

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