Review of The Big Easy (1986) by Bill S — 04 Mar 2015

Detective Lieutenant Remy McSwain (Dennis Quaid) of the New Orleans police department investigates the murder of a local mobster. His investigation leads him to suspect that fellow members of the police force may be involved. Anne Osborne (Ellen Barkin), a state district attorney, is sent to investigate alleged police corruption. After seeing firsthand some unorthodox practices by Remy, Anne accuses him of being on the take. He argues that she does not have an understanding of how the system works in New Orleans for police. Despite Osborne's suspicious and apprehensive feelings towards him, they form a relationship. McSwain is caught accepting payoffs in an Internal Affairs sting, and Osborne has the burden of prosecuting him. With the assistance of fellow officers within the police force, the evidence is suppressed. McSwain is cleared of the charges, at which point Anne, becoming aware of such, is faced with the conflict of her personal feelings for Remy and her duty to uphold the law...

Jim McBride´s "The Big Easy" has been on my list for quite some time and I must say that I was disappointed on the film after my view. In contrast to the late and great Roger Ebert who said "The Big Easy is one of the richest American films of the year. It also happens to be a great thriller. I say 'happens,' because I believe the plot of this movie is only an excuse for its real strength: the creation of a group of characters so interesting, so complicated and so original they make a lot of other movie people look like paint-by-number characters." I experienced an amateurish and flat thriller with solid names such as Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin, Ned Beatty and John Goodman being completely out of shape and performance. Quaid's Cajun accent is ridiculous and forced, Barkin´s angriness fools no one and Ned Beatty´s corrupt police captain is hardly believable. McBride has tried to handle this neo-noir thriller with a comic hint and it doesn't work at all. Most actors are balancing on the verge of comedy all the time and there´s no sexual spark between Quaid and Barkin. I have no idea how "The Big Easy" has ended up being praised. If you want a gritty, sexy and violent New Orleans crime thriller see Walter Hill´s magnificent "Johnny Handsome" instead in which Ellen Barkin shows her true acting talent.