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Traces of Red (1992)

Rate: 4
Viewed: 5/26

TracesRed
5/26: I won't be surprised if James Belushi was asked about Traces of Red and said, "Ah, that...it just didn't work."

Don't be mislead by the movie poster like I was because there's hardly any sex or steam for that matter. Sure, it opens well by paying a homage to Sunset Boulevard and seems to go smoothly for a while, thanks to James Belushi's everyman persona in spite of his amateurish acting in spots, especially when he throws a hissy fit. The location shots of Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables, Gulf Stream, the Everglades, and the Keys are a huge plus that's reminiscent of The Mean Season.

But the longer the mystery goes on, the more mundane it becomes. When Lorraine Bracco starts to assert herself as a probable femme fatale by forcing sex, she comes off as flat and not all that. By the time the first of three twists is revealed, the believability factor drops like an anvil and will continue to no end, especially in the last fifteen minutes.

What I can't understand is the perspective not being told through Tony Goldwyn 100% of the time. If the goal is to make James Belushi the leading man, their characters should've been switched. Meanwhile, the wonky story needs more work. Although the picture looks nice, getting a different cinematographer to aim for a stronger dose of neo-noir in the spirit of Body Heat and Cat Chaser will help immensely.

All in all, Traces of Red is a rare '4' film that's worth watching due to the mix of merits and flaws.