The Singing Detective

Unwatchable rehash of the brilliant Michael Gambon tv series.

An entertaining update of the classic Dennis Potter series.

Robert Downey Jr. This was a mess of a movie.

Fade copy of the original tv serial. Not catchy at all. Sleepy. Picks up the high points of the serial, but goes nowhere.

even the dense population of big names couldnt push this movie into greatness. it combines noir, comedy, and musicals in a noncoherant way that benefits none of the facates in any way. the musicals while lip-synced provide watchable choreography and appealing music, but nothing that facilitates the movie as a whole. the noir is the only shining piece in this movie, but is fleeting and short. robert downey jr. and mel gibson do provide some great acting though.

Not to be confused with the superb mini-series.

Another wonderful film trashed by America's film makers who are sure you don't have an IQ over 10. See the BBC version.

Robert Downey Jr. is quite good, but still can't save this film from being brutally boring from start to finish.

Having never seen the Gambon mini, I'm not haunted by specters of what this material could be if put to better use. Perhaps it's for the best, as I was able to judge this movie on its own merits. It can be a bit of a mess at times, but Downey is simply amazing in the title role (and even more so as his real-world counterpart, Dan Dark). It's an incredible performance that propels the movie from start to finish. Without him this could be terrible, but he's here and it's absolutely worth the trip.

Watch the original BBC mini-series, pass on this unnecessary remake.

Great Downey, mediocre movie.

okay movie

Downey Jr. is the only watchable part of this movie, but even he can't save a sinking script.

Every single scene in this mess is painful to watch.

There might have been a way to translate the 6-hour original into a 2-hour movie, but this attempt doesn't manage, and furthermore it completely lacks the atmosphere of the original. Downey is fine, but he can't help being Downey. Whereas Gambon (from the original series) always seemed slightly pathetic & desperate even when he was verbally besting those around him, Downey & his snarky one-liners seem like they could have been pulled from the set some "two & a half men" - style sitcom.

Odd, but entertaining.