Review of Angel Heart (1987) by Kai82 — 25 Apr 2020

A somehow overlooked detective story with occult elements set in the fifties in New York. The private investigator Harry Angel is hired by the mysterious businessman Louis Cyphre to find the formerly famous musician Johnny Favourite who disappeared at the end of World War II.

As he digs deeper he is draw into the occult, voodoo and supernatural looking elements. The main story is excellent but in a way you only fully comprehend it when the final twist is revealed. Like with every good detective story there are some hints that point in this direction and of cause there is far more than meets the eye.

This is also the reason why I must stop here because spoilers will ruin the movie. There is an excellent cast of main actors with Mickey Rouge, Robert deNiro and Lisa Bonet. All made an excellent performance that helped to deliver the characters and story.

Special warning: If you know Lisa Bonet only from the Cosby Show than you can be shocked by her role. The style, visuals and soundtrack increase the immersion and create a good atmosphere. I just realised that I cant write anything more because of spoilers.

Overall this is an overlooked movie with a story you can discuss for hours with friends. Bonus knowledge: It is based on the book of the same name and is one of the few book adaptations that is equal good as the source material.