It is a performances centric movie

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The plot may be standard issue and the characters might be more archetypes than actual people, but this movie is great to look at, with some fine editing, and an abundance of neon-drenched, rain soaked style. It's 80's neo-noir and works tremendously.

This is one of those films that lets you fill in the blanks and causes you to concentrate on each scene so as not to miss a nuance or clue. I found that the second viewing was more than twice as entertaining! I have now seen it four times; each time very enjoyable. Sean Bean was an unknown to me when I first saw the film, but has now become just about my favorite actorThe Polish element? Melanie's character is half Polish, and, as well, the band slated to play in Sting's club has an accident so the Cracow Jazz Ensemble (or some such), all Poles, steps in instead, among which is Andrej, a sympathetic band manager, the only one who speaks English. Andrej is destined to play a critical role in the film, but rather than provide a spoiler here, see the film to understand what this means. Violence plays a large part in the proceedings, as is obvious from the above description. This is a well-plotted film that put Mike Figgis on the map. Doesn't hurt that he not only wrote and directed it, but also composed the music for it, an effectively moody jazz score.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

First-time director Mike Figgis wrote the script and composed the score for this wonderfully atmospheric thriller that's set in his hometown of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The action takes place predominantly in the Quayside area where the large number of restaurants, bars and clubs ensure that the nightlife is always vibrant, even at a time when the northeast of England is experiencing a period of economic decline. The events that take place in this environment involve conflict, romance and violence and four diverse characters whose paths cross and lead to a series of surprising consequences.Newcastle's annual "America Week" is a colourful celebration of all things American (with flags, majorettes and a giant inflatable Pepsi bottle in the middle of one of the city's roundabouts) and also, significantly, it acts as a vehicle for attracting much-needed investment into the area. Brendan (Sean Bean) is a young jazz fan who's in need of a job and so, when he sees that there's a vacancy for a cleaner at a local jazz club, he applies immediately. Finney (Sting), who's the owner of "The Key Club" is surprised at Brendan's interest in the job and takes him on as a cleaner and driver.Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones) is a Texan businessman with big plans for redeveloping the Quayside and to this end, wants to persuade Finney to sell his club. The local council are keen to support the project and Cosmo has a track record of using whatever method of persuasion is most effective to achieve his aims. His relationship with Kate (Melanie Griffith) is based on her effectiveness in using her charms to win over the support of men in influential positions to ensure that when important decisions are made, they go Cosmo's way.Brendan and Kate accidentally walk into each other in a shopping mall and by coincidence, meet again in Weegee's Café where Kate works as a waitress. When Brendan's eating his meal, he overhears two men at a nearby table discussing their plan to visit Finney to threaten him or even possibly kill him. Brendan arranges to meet Kate after she finishes work and they go to Hopper's Bar together. Brendan tells Finney what he overheard at Weegee's and so, when two vicious thugs visit the club owner and begin to threaten him, the way that he deals with the situation comes as a major surprise to them and also acts as a form of education for the naïve Brendan. Brendan and Kate fall in love and find themselves caught up in the middle of the struggle between Cosmo and Finney which inevitably ends in further violence and tragedy.The exquisite visual style of this movie with its noirish lighting etc contributes significantly to its mood which is often melancholic, unsettling and haunting and many of the shots are beautifully set up. One such example is the view through the window of Hopper's Bar at about closing time which is strongly evocative of Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks" (1942). The presence of a café that's decorated with pictures by tabloid photographer Arthur "Weegee" Fellig is also inspired as it adds character to the place and acknowledges the talent of the man who provided the inspiration for Joe Pesci's character in "The Public Eye" (1992).Some fine performances ensure that all four of the main characters in "Stormy Monday" make a strong impression. Cosmo is actually a gangster involved in a money-laundering exercise and Tommy Lee Jones is convincingly ruthless as the forceful criminal who totally underestimates Finney. Sting is suitably low-key in his portrayal of the laconic club owner and Sean Bean makes the unassuming Brendan a likable person with a lot to learn. Kate is deeply troubled, doesn't sleep well and wants to get away from her past. Melanie Griffith does extraordinarily well in this role projecting Kate's unusual mixture of toughness and vulnerability in a way that's both powerful and sympathetic.Bizarrely, for reasons explained in the story, an avant-garde group of Polish musicians called "The Krakow Jazz Ensemble" find themselves featured in the America Week celebrations. They provide some of the film's most humorous moments which ironically add to the poignancy of what happens in the movie's climax. More predictably though, the Otis Redding and B.B.King tracks featured are sensational and a perfect fit for this immensely enjoyable romantic thriller.

This is one of those sleeper films, a good one that is not very well- known.....but should be. I really liked this modern-day film noir when I first saw it over a decade ago and the three additional times since.The movie has all the features of a good noir, most of all a feeling of impending doom throughout, which a good noir exhibits. You know some bad things are going to happen, but you just don't know what and when. That uneasy mood runs throughout the film.Add some tough characters, great cinematography (nice colors, too, in this case) and even a good blues music score and you have an interesting film. The story here revolves around a ruthless American businessman trying to buy up an entire block of the businesses in one area in Britain. There's humor in here too with a goofy Polish jazz band, which looked and sounded just awful, and just enough action throughout to keep from getting too talky. Tommy Lee Jones, Melanie Griffith, Sting and Sean Bean star and all are fascinating to watch.