Angel Heart (1987)

Directed by: Alan Parker
Starring: Mickey Rourke

**1/2

There is nothing overly special about Angel Heart but the fact that I think Alan Parker either knew that or simply played to its strengths helped the movie along. Its a movie that could have very easily gotten way too busy and confusing but it maintained a relatively level plotline despite going deeper and deeper into Harry Angel's (Rourke) investigation.

Harry Angel is a private detective not all that unlike a Philip Marlowe. He's a pretty easy-going conservative from Brooklyn who despite his line of work comes no closer to death than watching a funeral procession drive by. For this reason, he's hesitant to take a job from a mysterious client named Louis Cypher (Robert DeNiro). Every man has his price though and for $5,000, he sets off to look for Johnny Favorite.

Harry's hunt leads him to Louisiana where he encounters all sorts of strange voodoo. As the body count increases and Harry gets closer and closer to finding Favorite, the plot inevitably thickens. There are points within his Lousiana trip where I began to think the movie was taking a rediculous and unneccessary turn for the worse. With a twist ending obviously around the corner I attempted to give the movie the benefit of the doubt and assume it was all relevant.

Well, the turns were indeed relevant, unfortunately they were too in depth and graphic. As I mentioned, the movie did maintain a level plotline but by doing so, it hadn't earned a crazy graphic sex scene with the rain leaking through the roof turning into blood. It hadn't earned the graphic images of death and nudity. Up until a certain point, the film was gritty, real and authentic. Its focus on voodoo cultures was acceptable but it was like watching another movie all of a sudden. I guess, in short, it lacked consistency.

I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that with the exception of The Wrestler, Angel Heart is my first look at Mickey Rourke. I was not disappointed. He is as natural an actor as I've seen and really plays Harry Angel to a tee. Even the sweat consistently pouring down his brown (whether it was intentional or not didn't matter) added to his character. DeNiro was of course very good. Evidently, the director was so freaked out by his performance he didn't want to direct him... he just left him direct himself. While I don't really by that, nor was I that freaked out by DeNiro... he was freaky. The pacing and delivery of his lines was almost musical and as it turned out... very appropriate.

The end of the movie I think would hurt a lot of other movies as far as a twist goes. I think it helped Angel Heart. It ended a bit abrubtly but it worked. Would I have done the same thing... I doubt it but that is neither here nor there. What's important is that when all was said and done, Angel Heart was a pretty average movie that was saved by its ending and its performances.