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Storyville (1992)

Rate: 4
Viewed: 9/21

9/21: Storyville used to be a red light district in New Orleans for two decades during the early 20th century and was later the home of jazz musicians, but now, everything associated with it is virtually gone.

Sadly, the movie has nothing to do with either. In a way, it's a Chinatown clone but not a rip-off. Rather, the story is mundane that's a combination of politics, prostitution, and murder with a bit of New Orleans taste.

I only picked up Storyville because of James Spader. He's all right with some uncharacteristically bad acting at the beginning and gets to do some pointless sex scenes as usual. The second half is when he gives a strong performance yet looks pristine for somebody who's been beaten up. Unfortunately, it's too late because the story never grabs my attention at any point.

By the time the mystery is cleared up, it doesn't matter. I am surprised that, for somebody running for a senate seat, he decides to take a murder case during the middle of his campaign. So...the trial happened a week thereafter or what? At one point, he illegally produces a murder weapon. Oddly, nobody in the media ever follows him.

A detective starts shooting in the middle of the courtroom and the two cops behind him don't do enough, but the judge finally pulls out a gun to stop it. Huh? A Briton with some Chilean and Iraqi blood, Charlotte Lewis is passed off for a Vietnamese. Um, right...take a good look at her eyes and then the rest of her face.

All in all, for a James Spader picture that's supposed to be a neo-noir thriller set in New Orleans, Storyville never takes off.

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