Dark Streets
Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: December 12, 2008 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
38
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
0
Mixed:
10
Negative:
3
Watch Now
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
58
Entertainment WeeklyClark Collis
Alas, 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. Read full review
50
Film ThreatDon R. Lewis
The type of film I would call eternally frustrating. Boasting a solid cast and an amazing look, the film is a mishmash of film noir, mystery and bluesy big band song and dance numbers that on a surface level play brilliantly. Read full review
50
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The kind of film you can appreciate as an object, but not as a story. 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, or a hero who seems as compelling as some of the supporting characters. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesSam Adams
The movie, drawn from Wallace King's adaptation of Glenn Stewart's play, drips with style, but it's all flourish and no reveal. Read full review
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
I love musicals, but I'd be hard-pressed to recommend this curiosity, sort of a shoestring version of Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club." Read full review
42
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
The main pitfall of modern noirs is that filmmakers get so caught up in the chiaroscuro lighting schemes and florid twists of dialogue and voiceover that they forget noir was about expressing more than just attitude and style. Read full review
42
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
The script is just all kinds of terrible. The characters are hollow mannequins telling a thin, depressing story that's less of a noir and more of a simple-minded bummer full of barely connected scenes and stunningly empty dialogue. Read full review
40
Village VoiceTim Grierson
The film has its shallow pleasures, but once it becomes obvious that that's all Dark Streets has going for it, the affected performances and forced tough-guy speak stop feeling playful and start to become oppressive. Read full review
40
VarietyRob Nelson
As a dancing chanteuse, Bijou Phillips gives it her all, which isn't enough, and a wooden Mann doesn't help, although Izabella Miko brings a modicum of unaffected charm to her role as the Other Woman. Read full review
40
The New York TimesNathan Lee
Diverting enough as a series of music videos, Dark Streets strikes postures in place of drama. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleJosh Rosenblatt
Let no one ever say that Dark Streets doesn't have the perfect title. It may not be much more than a stylized regurgitation of creaky film-noir clichés and crime-fiction conventions … but its streets are undeniably dark. Read full review
25
Seattle Post-IntelligencerTravis Nichols
Pretentious mess of a movie. Read full review
25
Chicago TribuneChristopher Borrelli
Dark Streets lost me early, real early, like still-adjusting-my-eyes-in-a-dark-theater early. Read full review
More From This Movie

38 Critic Reviews

6.0 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL