Angel Heart

A mysterious figure hires a 1950s private investigator to find a missing man.

Angel Heart is one of those rare movies that actually surprises you with how good it is. Sure, when you see Robert De Niro in the cast and the movie’s credibility is instantly bumped up a notch, but here he’s barely a supporting actor and the movie is still excellent.

The script by director Alan Parker is unusually clever, and never tries to cater to the lowest common denominator. The dialog has a ring of authenticity, and the plotting is near perfect.

As a director, Parker manages to effectively build tension and atmosphere throughout the movie, and does an excellent job of creating a period film that never feels like a period film. His only misstep is the inclusion of some weak special effects in the finale. They’re unnecessary and Angel Heart would be stronger without them.

De Niro, as expected, shines in his limited screen time, but Angel Heart is Mickey Rourke’s movie and he carries it easily. Watching this movie it’s amazing he didn’t go on to become a bigger star. Lisa Bonet does a fine job with her supporting role, although she really doesn’t have much to do except look pretty and somewhat coy.