Review of Miami Vice (2006) by Al P — 16 Jan 2010

'Miami Vice' doesn't have vice and barely has Miami.

Back a few summers ago when this came out, I was very much anticipating the release of the remake of the 80's show. It seemed like it would be good considered Michael Mann was directing and Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell leading the way as the vice cops. The essence of the show was cool. But the movies feels like the loser who sits in the lunchroom alone.

Jamie Foxx's performance as Ricardo Tubbs is good, but Colin Farrell as Sonny Crockett is unconvincing (as is almost all hismovies). Their chemistry though is awful. The two never laugh, hardly smile, and don't appear wanting to talk to each other. We don't know the group's past in the movie as if Mann thinks everyone knew what they did.

The film is beautifully shot and features some nice actions scenes, but there's too many on-going conversations rather than bang-bang action.

The show had comical relief, joy, beaches, and sports cars. The movie however is just trailer trash and urban decay. Mann has made great crime dramas from 'Heat' and 'Collateral'. But this time around, Mann's reinvention of the show to the screen might have been better left alone.