Movie Review: Stormy Monday (1988)

Synopsis:

The Key Note is a jazz club owned by Finney (Sting) where Brendan (Sean Bean) gains employment as a cleaner and gofer. Ownership of the club is sought after via strong arm tactics by American businessman Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones) to complete a rebuilding project in the area. However, Brendan has overheard the henchmen’s conversation and helps Finney get the drop on them. Meanwhile, local waitress Kate (Melanie Griffith) has a contract with Cosmo to help procure deals as well, shall we say using her feminine charms. She meets Brendan and they fall in love.

Review:

This was Mike Figgis’ directorial debut. The music is absolutely fantastic. The plot is concise and the action tight and suspenseful. Sting, Tommy Lee Jones and Sean Bean did great jobs with their acting and were entirely believable. But Melanie Griffith was a bit weak. When there is such a small cast like this with such strong actors, they all have to be up to par.

On the bright side, you do get to see a lot of Sean Bean naked. Here are some photos:

I enjoyed seeing Sean in the good guy role and having consensual sex (my, my I thought I would never see the day!) in a movie. But all in all, I felt the role was not that challenging for him. But then again, he was only in his late twenties when this movie was made. He was so adorable back then. Wasn’t he?

I posted a clip at the end that shows the end of the film, but has some of the action scenes and nude scenes from the film and a wonderful recording of “The Thrill is Gone”. All in all I give the movie

**** of five stars.