Sunday, June 28, 2009

Miami Vice: Michael Mann's Misunderstood Masterpiece


This review was inspired by J.D. who is hosting the Michael Mann blog-a-thon over at his blog, the always brilliant and fun to read Radiator Heaven. It's going on all week, so head on over and take a look at all of the great entries as we head into the release of Mann's newest film Public Enemies.


There’s nothing more cliché than an action film about two cops who go undercover and infiltrate a drug cartel; and while undercover, one of the cops will no doubt get in too deep while the other cop can only question his partners commitment to the case. Such clichés are evident in almost all of Michael Mann’s films; however, he always sidesteps the banal inevitability of said clichés by taking a fresh look at the men who lead such lives through an introspective and microscopic lens. 2006 brought Miami Vice, a film popping with beautifully filmed colors, meticulously framed skylines, and, most importantly, the type of scrupulous itemization Mann loves to perform with his crimes films (just watch the way his characters create sing-songy dialogue with insider jargon). For Mann, it isn’t so much about the action, but about the “why” that these people are driven by and how they function in the world they live in. A lot of people find Mann’s brand of “action” films boring – too much exposition and long, lingering takes on unnecessary long shots – with not enough shoot ‘em up; I find them misunderstood, refreshing takes on tired genre tropes, and Miami Vice is one of the most misunderstood of all Mann’s films.


The film’s story seems like something off of the old TV show that the film shares its namesake with; however, that’s the only thing they share as Mann is doggedly determined to make this film a straight crime drama, not the campy TV-to-film adaptations that were all over the multiplexes in the mid-2000’s (Charlie’s Angels, Starsky and Hutch, Dukes of Hazard). I think that’s what fans wanted: a popcorn summer film, and Miami Vice, released in the heart of the summer blockbuster months (much like this years Public Enemies), was anything but what the fans were clamoring for (the film had a strong opening weekend, being the first film to unseat the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean which has been atop the box office list for a month) wasn’t exactly what the masses were asking for: a talky, heavy-on-drama crime film with a middle 45 minutes that is trying.

The film was, however, a fine look at some of the boring old tropes found in these undercover cop thrillers. Collin Ferrell and Jaime Foxx do a great job of making these characters into fleshed out entities rather than 80’s pop caricatures, and Mann’s camera always finds something easy-on-the-eyes to settle on. Like most of Mann’s films it’s a test of one’s will power whether they can muster up the empathy for such morose, one-line spouting characters. Mann’s male characters are never that interesting when they’re speaking (exception: Al Pacino from Heat, but that’s because Pacino can’t play subtle the way Mann likes it), but what Mann does so well is let his camera linger on their weary eyes or he stays on two-shot just long enough for the audience to get a sense of what the characters are feeling; simply put: his characters are always interesting in the things they do. Think about James Caan’s thief (Thief), or Pacino’s television producer (The Insider), Cruise’s hitman (Collateral), or DeNiro’s criminal who falls in love and breaks his own rule about women mixing with “the job” (Heat) – they’re all interesting because they love what they do and they do it with an unremitting passion (Pacino’s cop from Heat is another example).

Mann’s men are also always conflicted. Often times they let themselves forget what they’re intent is, or they don’t realize how their passion to see something through will hurt those they love; and sometimes they’re so passionate about those they love, they don’t care about their job. That is the case with Foxx’s Rico, the more level-headed cop (Ferrell’s Sonny is more of the “act first” kind of guy) who is troubled by their latest covert operation. His girlfriend Trudy (another cop on the force played by Naomi Harris) is being watched by those they plan to do business with, and even though Rico convinces her that if they trace their names all they’re going to get is their fake histories, she doesn’t seem at ease. And this small scene, with Rico and Trudy talking in a diner, is one of the great moments of Miami Vice. It shows Mann’s interest in talking about the things that these people would talk about. Rico says to Trudy that “even if they find something, they’ll just find more layers of out fabricated lives.”

Mann broaches the idea that these men, who have real relationships, can never lead real lives, therefore ruining all of their very real relationships and hurting the ones they love. Rico and Sonny will never have a normal life – once you’re undercover and creating these fabrications it would seem impossible to be able to emerge “normal” out of a career being someone else – but they try during their brief run to take down a major Colombian drug czar. By the end of the film while Trudy sits in a hospital bed, Rico turns more sour on his vocation, proclaiming that he doesn’t care if Trudy dies for the “cause”, the cause is “bullshit” as Rico says, and even though Sonny tries to ease his mind by countering with “is that what Trudy would say?” Rico shoots him down: “No, that’s what I say.” Things have become all-too-real for Rico, and it has all happened while leading this fabricated life; playing pretend as it were.

Sonny is quite different from Rico – he always seems to be teetering between “knowing what he’s doing” and “getting in too deep”. His relationship with Isabel (Gong Li) is a perfect example of the high wire act these undercover agents play out on a daily basis. What I liked about their relationship is that you’re never quite sure who is playing whom and after a while you being to believe that they really love each other, and, in the ultimate bit of irony and pathos, you realize they would have been happy in another life. And that “other” life is always prevalent in Mann’s film – it’s always the carrot that dangles in front of the protagonist, and it’s one of the subjects Mann likes to explore in great depth, making his films always seem more interesting than the others that tackle the same material.

Like Mann’s previous film Collateral, Miami Vice was primarily shot using the Thompson Viper Filmstream camera which creates amazingly beautiful nightscapes that pop (especially on Blu-Ray) and the scenes’ beauty are captured in a way that film just can’t compare. The rest of the film was shot on 35mm, but it’s the digital moments that make this movie’s aesthetic something to behold. Digital gives you a sense of urgency -- something palpable. It's also just really damn nice to look at. Mann's films always have a sexy swagger about them, and Miami Vice is teeming with style; but, unlike the films of say Tony Scott (whose films also have a visual swagger about them), there's a lot of substance buried beneath a Mann film. He always knows where to frame the camera, and like the aforementioned Collateral and The Insider, he uses snap zooms and shaky-cam to great, emotional effect. This film is always jaw-droppingly beautiful, and even in the soggy middle, still just a joy and a feast for the eyes. There's also two great action scenes towards the end of the film. They're unconventional in their execution because Mann opts to go for the more realistic approach, the action is quick, over in an instant because that's they way it would be with professionals doing the job. There's also a shoot-out at the very end that rivals the one from Heat (in quality not in quantity), it's perfectly blocked and the sound is just fantastic throughout the scene, placing the viewer in the moment. It's really an inspired shoot-out scene, and it's what Mann does best: arty action.

I think Miami Vice is one of Mann’s most misunderstood and underappreciated films. It has a rich aesthetic with beautiful, bright colors that are always interesting to look at, but also serve a purpose in foreshadowing the narrative and speaking for the characters. Much like another American masters, visual poet Terrance Malick, Mann is a master at letting the visuals act as the poetics; he allows them to evoke the themes, emotions, and feelings, an onus that usually falls on the actors, but with Mann’s films he almost always wants his main characters to be enigmas, people who say little and speak with their actions. At the end of Miami Vice before the big bust Rico asks Sonny if he is prepared for what’s going to happen (the bust signifies the end of Sonny’s “playtime” with Isabel) and wonders if his partner’s head is in it. Sonny replies with brutal honesty: “I am most certainly not ready.” A line that means he is indeed going to go through with it all and that his partner can trust him to do the right thing.

Most action films don’t stop for these moments of dialogue, but this little exchange at the end of the film says a lot about the characters and they kinds of films Mann is interested in making. Mann reminds me a lot of French New Wave master Jean-Pierre Melville, another director who loved the crime genre, but rarely was interested in the crime itself. Like Melville, Mann loves to create action scenes that are more about the nuances instead of trumped up action clichés. Mann's films have an uncanny ability to be simultaneously grounded in realism (the action scenes in this film), scenes that are palpable in their intimacy (look at the scenes quieter scenes between Sonny and Isabel, especially their "courting" process and specifically their scenes in Havana), but are also poetically striking; ethereal moments that leave you in awe of their visual splendor all while watching something that seems so capital r Real.

Miami Vice may have just been released at the wrong time of the year. Mass audiences wanted something more along the lines of Lethal Weapon or Bad Boys mixed with the campy, faux-serious nature of the original television show. They wanted to see the neon blazers, 80’s hair, and flamingos; but instead, Mann delivers one of his best films, and had the film been entitled something different, the populace might agree. It’s not as taut or interesting as The Insider, or as crisp and exhilarating as Collateral, but it certainly ranks as one of his deepest, and most existential looks into the subject he loves to delve into, and it stands as my favorite crime film Mann has made (yes, better than Heat).

17 comments

  1. Kevin, great post. I agree, this is among Mann's most misunderstood (maybe his most misunderstood) and among the most misunderstood films of modern times. I agree with you 100 percent--- the use of digital is revolutionary and it makes Mann's imagery incredibly romantic. It's among the best uses of the format yet.

    I really, really hope that, like Miami Vice, Public Enemies is being misrepresented by the advertising. I've never disliked a Mann before (except Last of the Mohicans... sorry, I know it's something of a sacred cow) so I'm not really worried, just a little...

    Again, great piece.

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  2. Kevin: Nice piece. I'm about to go on a Mann binge in the coming weeks, and that will allow me to get my second look at Miami Vice, a film that kind of confused me the first time around -- I honestly wasn't sure if I liked it or was trying to like it.

    I think the comparison to Malick is a good one. Mann is inspired by nighttime cityscapes the way Malick is moved by the natural landscape. Both are filmmakers who don't point the camera at something simply to establish the physical geography of a scene. Their cityscape/landscape shots are embedded with emotion.

    I watched Heat over the weekend, and I have a hard time thinking that Miami Vice will rival its depth, but maybe. Admittedly, it took me two viewings of Heat to see its depth.

    Anyway, I'll come back and read this again after I get to Miami Vice.

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  3. The movie was an excellent update of the TV show; we didn't need an '80s nostalgia wankfest. The film is beautiful and brutal and never glamorizes the "life," as the luxury comes at too dear a price. My favorite scene (SPOILER) is when they catch an informant in a high-speed run in the Ferrari F430, blue flames sputtering from the exhaust and catch him on the freeway. When he learns that his family has been murdered, he walks into the path of a semi trailer. The rich life bought with illicit gains matters little when the real treasures, the loved ones that Sonny can never have, can be taken away in a heartbeat.
    I won't go so far as to say it's his best- my favorite is still Thief- but Miami Vice is terribly underrated. It does need a bit more action in the middle, but I've watched it a few times in HD and despite the grain in the night scenes the digital format gives it the perfect feel.

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  4. Nice to see love for this film as it seemed to get trashed quite a bit when it first came out. I really like it a lot too. I think prefer the theatrical cut that just drops us right into the action even if the director's cut is more consistent with the way Mann films usually begin.

    You write:

    "There's also a shoot-out at the very end that rivals the one from Heat (in quality not in quantity), it's perfectly blocked and the sound is just fantastic throughout the scene, placing the viewer in the moment. It's really an inspired shoot-out scene, and it's what Mann does best: arty action."

    Well said! Arty action, indeed. I like that you always know what's going in a Mann action sequence. None of this cut-with-a-blender kamikaze editing that guys like Michael Bay and McG seem to favor.

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  5. Ryan:

    Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you love this film, too. I've found that the more and more I look around the blogosphere the more I am finding people who absolutely love this under- appreciated modern classic. You're right-on about the digital photography, it's really what makes this movie stand out in a lot of ways.

    And as far as The Last of the Mohicans goes...well I think it's beautiful to look at...but not much else. I think I might do a post on it for J.D.'s blog-a-thon and just put images up, because the story is pretty thin for me as I was never able to invest fully in the narrative. But, that films has some of Mann's best "music video" moments (he loves long takes with music accompanying the scene instead of dialogue).

    Thanks again for stopping by.

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  6. Jason:

    Thanks for the kind words. It's always great to see you here adding depth to the conversation. For me, there's just something about Miami Vice that trumps everything in Heat. It was a film I was obsessed with. I saw it three times in the theater and have watched it numerous times at home on HD (my first time on Blu-Ray last week).

    I too had to take a couple stabs at Heat before falling in love with it, and just like that film, Miami Vice suffers from a bit of a lull in the middle of the movie, but there's always something hypnotic and poetic about the way Mann is filming his movie...and that keeps you interested despite the lagging middle. These two films also take time in getting under your skin, and like you said that it took you a second viewing to see Heat's depth, the same was true for me with Miami Vice. I knew something was there, so I keep going back to it again and again, and I found myself not being able to stop thinking about the films buried themes...much like what you're saying with Heat

    And I'm glad you liked my comparison to Malick. I've found that some don't like it when I make that comparison because Malick is too much of a god for them...which I totally understand, but it is eerie how two of our best and most controlling (and detailed-obsessed) American directors are so similar. Say what you want about the quality of a Mann film compared to a Malick film, but I don't think they're that far off. I'm glad you agree :)

    I hope you come back and post some thoughts about your second viewing.

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  7. Tommy:

    Thanks for the great comment. I love the word "wankfest"! Haha. You're so right, we didn't need that I'm so glad that Mann decided to make this movie, because that assured that it would be taken seriously (some claim too seriously, but what Mann film isn't "too serious"). People forget that Mann never wrote or directed one bit of the TV show, so it was presumptuous from the onset to think that this film would be a campy redo.

    I love the scene you're talking about. It also shows how Mann knows just where to point the camera. It also shows how well edited his films are. That's a great scene.

    I glad you're such a fan of the movie. It's been great to see that I'm not alone in the championing of this film.

    Thanks again for the great comment.

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  8. J.D.:

    Thanks again for hosting this thing, and thanks for stopping by and commenting. Coming from a Mann expert like yourself your kind words are high praise, indeed. I'm glad you liked my "arty action" line. It's something I always think about in his films. Any action film that get you thinking about what the characters are feeling during a shootout is rare. The Last of the Mohicans is almost all arty action as there is essentially no dialogue to evoke how the characters feel (except the now oft-parodied "Now matter what occurs I will find you!").

    I love the way Mann uses the muffle effect on the guns at the end of Miami Vice in that great shoot out scene. It adds an even more realistic quality that makes the viewer feel like they're spying on a real to life shoot out.

    I love that you point out the logistics of Mann's action scenes as being the antithesis of the "cut-with-a-blender kamikaze editing" found in most action movies today. It's so rare to find a director wanting to place us in the moment without doing the herky-jerky camera thing.

    One question for you since you are the Mann expert and know a ton about the production of movies: I did notice a lot during this movie that the audio is kind of all over the place. I wonder if that is Mann trying to make it like the viewer is a fly on the wall trying to make sense of what the characters are saying...I don't know, though, the audio would be muffled at times then it would be really refined then muffled again...it made for an odd experience, and it's been that way every time I watch the film. Any insights on whether or not this was intentional (you almost have to believe it was with a film of this caliber)?

    Anyway, thanks for stopping by J.D. and thanks again for hosting such a fun blog-a-thon. I can't wait for the 3rd!

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  9. Well, I'm really thankful you decided to contribute. It would have been really strange to organize a blogathon and not have anyone show up! But it does demonstrate that there is a lot of love for Mann's films, which is always a good thing!


    "Any action film that get you thinking about what the characters are feeling during a shootout is rare. The Last of the Mohicans is almost all arty action as there is essentially no dialogue to evoke how the characters feel (except the now oft-parodied "Now matter what occurs I will find you!")."

    Heh! Yeah, I really do dig MOHICANS on a purely visual level. In fact, I'm sure you could probably watch it with the sound off and be able to follow it because it is pure visual storytelling.


    "I love the way Mann uses the muffle effect on the guns at the end of Miami Vice in that great shoot out scene. It adds an even more realistic quality that makes the viewer feel like they're spying on a real to life shoot out."

    It sure does. Mann is all about realism and esp. so in his shoot-outs. I can still recall seeing HEAT in theaters and how shocking it was to hear realistic gunshots in the famous bank heist sequence. I believe he also did that in COLLATERAL and MIAMI VICE. It is quite jarring because we are so used to hearing "movie" gun shots in action films and the real deal sounds so much different and louder!


    "One question for you since you are the Mann expert and know a ton about the production of movies: I did notice a lot during this movie that the audio is kind of all over the place. I wonder if that is Mann trying to make it like the viewer is a fly on the wall trying to make sense of what the characters are saying...I don't know, though, the audio would be muffled at times then it would be really refined then muffled again...it made for an odd experience, and it's been that way every time I watch the film. Any insights on whether or not this was intentional (you almost have to believe it was with a film of this caliber)?"

    Hmm... You know, this is the first time I've heard this mentioned. I'll have to go back and check out the film again. It may have been because he shot it all on location and so he also employed on location audio for added realism? As you say, for a perfectionist like Mann, it would be really strange for that not to be done on purpose. I'll have to take a look at that.

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  10. J.D.:

    Thanks for coming back and replying to my question. I'll be interested in knowing if you find anything. You're right, Mann is a perfectionist, and the on-location shooting equaling fly-on-the-wall realism in regards to the sound is what I was thinking, too.

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  11. "...Much like another American masters, visual poet Terrance Malick, Mann is a master at letting the visuals act as the poetics... Mann reminds me a lot of French New Wave master Jean-Pierre Melville, another director who loved the crime genre, but rarely was interested in the crime itself..."

    Exactly. When I hear people slam Mann the way they have been over in the comments section at Some Came Running I think they just don't get him.

    You've put it into terms that support my thoughts on a fine director.

    BTW, the first image you used in this article perfectly captures what is so special about this film's look, and as a former Miamian I can assert it truly captures the look of the city at night.

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  12. Tony:

    Thank you for stopping by and for the kind words. I have read the thread therer at Some Came Running and I agree that it seems like a lot of people don't get his style, but will praise someone like Malick who is essentially doing the same things (Malick is classical music where Mann is pop music, I suppose) as Mann.

    I'm glad we both think of a Mann as someone who stands along side the giants of cinema (Malick, Melville). That first image I put up is one of my favorites from the movie, and I couldn't help but think that a perfectionist like Mann was creating hellish shooting schedules for his actors and crew in order to get these perfect shots. I love the on-location shooting and the way Mann mutes certain sounds to make it feel like we are in-the-moment. I also love the use of digital -- a lot of people complain that it makes the night scenes look murky and dark and altogether unpleasant -- however, I think (especially on Blu-Ray) that the scene pop with a vibrancy not found in many films using the digital format. It's another way Mann gets the viewer to feel like he's there with the characters. I personally love the digital, and I'm glad to hear that someone from Miami (you) confirms its authenticity.

    Thanks again Tony for stopping by and choosing to follow what goes on here at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies.

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  13. Tremendous piece, Kevin. Thank you for pointing me to this.

    What's funny is I can't disagree with much of what you say at all. I still have some significant issues with the film, but I do agree with you that Mann's embrace of cliche--which he aims to transcend--is noteworthy. And his nighttime cityscapes are riveting in the way Malick's landscapes are. It's a highly fascinating comparison, as both are "mood" filmmakers who look at very different forms of people in very different places... Thank you again!

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  14. No...Thank you, Alexander! You're praise is too much! Hehe. I love this movie and loved writing about it. I'm glad you gave it another shot, and even though you still have some problems with the film, they are certainly understandable...I'm just glad you got to see the Director's Cut before you ever thought about not watching the movie again. There are some important additions to that version of the film that we've already talked about on your blog in the comments thread for amazing review for Public Enemies.

    Thanks for stopping by! It's nice to know there are people out there who don't think I'm too crazy for liking this movie so much, hehe!

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  15. If their going to do a reunion movie, they better do it within the next 5 years. I read the script and this script is very done professionally. The way the script is written, this script could make it work. The 2006 movie was alright. I was sort of disappointed by it though. Anyhow goodluck on trying to get the script thru. If a reunion movie is in the works, I will be watching it.

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  16. I really hope that Michael Mann reconsider and make the 2nd part. Is the best movie of its kind by far. I was (and still am) big fan of Miami Vice Tv series but this movie made it 2 steps further. Was great update to filmed according to modern situation. As it should! Was magnificent film, a real inspiration from M Mann since he combined all the ingredients to make a film with no James bond kind of stunts, bringing to the screen in a really great way the reality of a dark world that is unknown to the people. The cast was absolutely great. even Jose Yero and Montoya were absolutely fantastic on their roles.
    Is a film that I watched with pleasure many times without being bored of it. Was great to "catch" some details!
    My only dislike were the unreal flames on the Ferrari while trying to locate Alonso hehehe.
    I could continue writing how much I like it but I don't want to bore you.
    The music was fantastic, one of the best soundtracks to hear lately.
    Is really shame that the public didn't appreciated as much.
    I really hope that we can see part 2 at some point (Montoya is on the run anyway...!).
    Same cast and even a couple of more heavy names in order to attract more of the public's attention.
    I really really hope that Miami Vice part 2 and more should be made! I trust M Mann will impress us with his fantastic work!

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  17. TOTALLY AGREE!!!!
    here's a write-up i recently did for miami vice as well
    http://travissaves.blogspot.com/2011/03/miami-vice.html

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