It's like a high school play version of noir with musical numbers written by the drama teacher. In the end, these streets aren't nearly dark enough.
Dark Streets (2008)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:34
Fresh:5
Rotten:29
Average Rating:3.8/10
Consensus: Dark Streets is a film noir musical that's too gimmicky for its own good.
Runtime: 84 mins
Genre: Musical & Performing Arts
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis:
An atmospheric film noir musical fantasy, Dark Streets tells the story of Chaz Davenport (Gabriel Mann), a dashing bachelor who owns what promises to become the hottest new nightclub in town—if...
An atmospheric film noir musical fantasy, Dark Streets tells the story of Chaz Davenport (Gabriel Mann), a dashing bachelor who owns what promises to become the hottest new nightclub in town—if only the lights would stay on. Surrounded by the sumptuous blues music he adores, and with his pick of the gorgeous women who perform their sensual dance numbers onstage every night, Chaz is the envy of every man.
But with the city thrown into darkness by frequent blackouts and a menacing loan shark closing in, Chaz is in danger of losing the club—and far more. At the same time, he finds himself embroiled in a love triangle with the club’s alluring star singer, Crystal (Bijou Phillips), and a new arrival at the club—the mysterious and seductive chanteuse Madelaine (Izabella Miko).
When people close to Chaz begin turning up dead, he doesn’t know where to turn or whom to trust. And the harder he tries to uncover the truth, the further he’s drawn into the darkness of lies and betrayal—a darkness as black as the city’s streets during yet another power outage. Welcome to the Blues.
Directed by Rachel Samuels (The Suicide Club) from a screenplay by Wallace King, the film stars Gabriel Mann (The Bourne Supremacy), Bijou Phillips (Choke), Izabella Miko (Coyote Ugly), Elias Koteas (The Thin Red Line), Michael Fairman (Thirteen Days) and Toledo (Don’s Plum). The film is produced by Andrea Balen, Claus Clausen, Corina Danckwerts and Glenn M. Stewart; and executive produced
2
by Steffen Aumueller. The film’s rich blues score is composed by George Acogny (Blood Diamond), featuring BB King.
Dark Streets features 12 original songs written by James Compton, Tim Brown Tony DeMeur and Bijou Phillips. The film’s stylish and sultry dance numbers are choreographed by Keith Young (Rent) and performed by sensational underground performer Toledo and a stage full of L.A.’s most talented dancers. The Dark Streets soundtrack will be released by Atlantic Records in November 2008.
Starring: Gabriel Mann, Bijou Phillips, Izabella Miko, Elias Koteas
Starring: Gabriel Mann, Bijou Phillips, Izabella Miko, Elias Koteas
Director: Rachel Samuels
Director: Rachel Samuels
Screenwriter: Wallace King
Producer: Glenn M. Stewart, Claus Clausen, Andrea Balen, Corina Dankwerts, Steffen Aumuller
Composer: George Acogny
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Reviews for Dark Streets
...an interesting and ambitious movie that succeeds in a small way as spectacle but fails as drama
Even though it isn't necessarily a "good" film by most conventional critical standards, I have to admit that the sheer strangeness of the entire enterprise kept me reasonably compelled from beginning to end
Rachel Samuels' thin, affected jazz-age noir Dark Streets is worse than most, grafting an indifferent series of twists and double-crosses onto a blues-nightclub backdrop that overwhelms the foreground.
It's a lovingly souped-up incarnation of the film-noir look, contains well-staged and performed musical numbers, and has a lot of cigarettes, tough tootsies, bad guys and shadows. What it doesn't have is a story that pulls us along.
This charmless fantasy tries to recapture the mix of hot jazz and cold cynicism that lit up Chicago, adding a dash of punk for good measure
Feebly mixing film noir and the old-time nightclub musical, Dark Streets could do with illumination in more ways than one.
This misbegotten musical noir homage could have been written for Garrison Keillor’s Guy Noir sketch, and it mistakes shooting out of focus for stylishness.
The flimsy plot -- less a whodunit than an isn't-it-screamingly-obvious-that-that-guy-done-it! -- will have thriller fans singing the blues.
Less unusual than simply nutty...while it's kind of intriguing, it comes nowhere near to being satisfying.
Dark Streets may only be a quasi-noir and quasi-musical, but that doesn't stop it from being a wholesale slog.
Latest News for Dark Streets
November 03, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review ![]()
More...
More Movies
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 75% 75% | Sherlock Holmes | 26/12 |
| 38% 38% | The Lovely Bones | 26/12 |
| 100% 100% | The French Kissers | 26/12 |
| 84% 84% | Bright Star | 26/12 |
| 83% 83% | Nowhere Boy | 26/12 |
| | Alvin and the Chipmunk… | 26/12 |
| 00% 00% | Did You Hear About the… | 26/12 |
| 05% 05% | Old Dogs | 26/12 |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Dark Streets at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Movieline gets bravely swept away with the recycled refuse of the 2000s.

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.
Competitions

We're giving away a bunch of stuff from the upcoming Squeakquel.

We're giving away five copies of Tarantino's hit, with thanks to Universal. That's a bingo.



Top Critic


