Review of The Hot Spot (1990) by Orlando D — 18 Dec 2012
A 90's version of pulp 40's film noir that Warner Brothers used to make but without the sex and language, mind you. The Hot Spot is a Southern fried sex romp with lurid characters and and over the top performances and dialogue that makes this film work.
A perfectly cast Don Johnson stars a drifter who you know he's up to no good. He winds up in a small Texas town and gets a job selling used cars. He is attracted to two very different women: a young, sweet girl who works at the dealership as an accountant(Jennifer Connelly) who has a dark secret, and the uninhibited, sultry Dolly(a perfect Virginia Madsen.
)her husband owns the dealership, Johnson has a sexual relationship with Madsen yet his relationship with Connelly is more romantic. The jist of the film contains blackmail, robbery and murder. It's all put together wonderfully by actor/director Dennis Hopper who also gives the film a great soundtrack and camera work.
What I enjoyed was the performances by William Sadler, as a slimy blackmailing but more for Connelly and especially Madsen. These two actresses made a lot of forgettable films in their early careers but thankfully received the recognition later on(Connelly for her Oscar win in A Beautiful Mind and Madsen for a nomination for Sideways.
) this is a good film noir which seems to be lacking in film's lately.
This review of The Hot Spot (1990) was written by Orlando D on 18 Dec 2012.
The Hot Spot has generally received mixed reviews.
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