The Robert Downey Jr Film Guide
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The Robert Downey Jr Film Guide |
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The Singing Detective (2003) |
Summary |
A mystery writer hallucinates while recovering from a horribly disfiguring skin disease. |
Direction |
Keith Gordon |
Downey Factor |
High. He appears in most scenes. |
Character |
Dan Dark, a feverish mystery writer who fantasizes about being a nightclub singer and a private detective. |
Looks |
Starts out very grotesque, but gets better as the film goes on. Very cute at the end and in the fantasies. |
Performance |
This is a good one. Very engaging as the Singing Detective. |
Sings |
In My Dreams during the credits, lip synchs to several songs during the film. |
Love & Sex |
Robin Wright Penn is the wife by his side, while Katie Holmes and Carla Gugino appear in racy fantasies. |
Dies, Gay or Villain |
None of the above |
Other Actors |
Mel Gibson, Jeremy Northam, Robin Wright Penn, Carla Gugino, Katie Holmes, Alfre Woodard, Adrien Brody |
Connection |
Alfre Woodard in Heart and Souls. Mel Gibson in Air America. Keith Gordon in Back to School. Katie Holmes in Wonder Boys. |
RDJ Says |
We met with Keith [Gordon] early on and I just felt like he was qualified and hungry which is an unusual combination nowadays ... [my character is] just this miserable, syphilitic cretin ... Mel came over to the pad and in addition to making me some kind of green avocado bioflavonoid shake, he said, "Yeah, man, I just got the rights to this. You want to have a look at it?" I was like, alright, I need something to do this weekend ... I'm thinking 'Why's he handing me this British tripe. This guy's nuts, I mean he gives a good [spinal] adjustment, but besides that he's a crackpot.' ... I love working with Mel. He's my buddy. His idea, his company, his show, his world ... I was really worried about [the style] because when we started I was watching all these guys from the noir movies and they were so cool ... I think it's what it's supposed to be ... I like doing hard stuff. I'm good at the high degree of difficulty, it's the simple stuff that baffles me. I don't know why, I just know that to be true since I started. I can do the hard stuff, and this is really hard ... The good thing about The Singing Detective was that I didn't have time to ponder it, or become precious about it. All of a sudden I had to go into this world. "You have three things. You have to be very still, very cool, and you have to be a man's man. I was like, I have nothing to hold onto. I've done that tragic thing, the gifted comedy thing, you know, I've done a lot of different things, but this was all new territory ... I was a mess while making the movie. You're kind of like Bobby Darren and nobody's kind of like Bobby Darren because he was way, way out there, you know? But when I saw it, when we were sitting there watching it, you know, all of our bitching, lamenting and character assassination was really for nothing. It turned out all right ... Most of the time I was kind of in and out of awareness or consciousness ... They did stuff that was never done before with make-up effects, because I told them I'd flip out if they didn't, and they believed me |
Release |
October 24, 2003 |
Availability |
Available on video and DVD in Region 1, 2, and 4. |
Foreign Titles |
Spain: El Detective Cantante (The Singing Detective) |
Rotten Tomatoes |
42% Fresh | 102 Reviews |
Critical View |
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: There are only two reasons to see the film, and the main one is Robert Downey Jr. As a bitter, hallucinating pulp mystery writer afflicted with a horrific case of psoriasis (as Potter himself was), the beleaguered actor is working at full steam for the first time in years, and his despair and the film's hospital setting reference Downey's real-life demons in ways both compelling and creepy. |
2 Reasons to See It |
1. Good lessons about how not to make a big comeback. 2. Downey as an old-fashioned detective. |
Overall |
Though there are a few unexpected laughs, it's kind of weird and occasionally unpleasant to watch. This is not one to see until after you've gotten through the best pretentious ones and some of the 80s/90s fluff. |
If You Like It |
You might also like Greaser's Palace (1972), Fur (2006) |
Photos |
Video |