Review of The Thin Blue Line (1988) by Max E — 07 Mar 2012
Annoyingly, I saw this mistaking it for the comedy of the same name, and not being a fan of documentaries, I didn't have high hopes.
This is one of the most confusing docos I've seen, and for two thirds of the film I just couldn't care less about those involved. As things became clearer, it became more interesting, but its lack of clarity wasn't the only downfall. This film hasn't aged well at all, and though obviously not intentionally, it reinforces some of the stereotypes I have of southern Americans (perhaps that's my own fault, I'll concede that much). The music and sound effects were very tacky, as were the style of the reconstructions. If anything, it reminded me of the intro to Captain Scarlet.
That said, I've had worse experiences, and ultimately the film can't be blamed for the style of its time. If they'd included names on the screen, it might have helped things, but most people should be able to work out who's who easily enough, and things improve towards the end.
This review of The Thin Blue Line (1988) was written by Max E on 07 Mar 2012.
The Thin Blue Line has generally received very positive reviews.
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