Miami Vice
A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.
What critics thought
Miami Vice split critics sharply on release — praised by major outlets for its radical digital cinematography and immersive atmosphere, but knocked by others for thin characterization and a plot that felt underdeveloped compared to Mann's best work. Over time the film has developed a cult following, with younger critics reframing its subordination of story to mood as a deliberate artistic choice rather than a failure, making the gap between its initial reception and its current reputation the most interesting thing about it.
“a radical work that does not give up its author's formal and stylistic ambitions”
Jean-Baptiste Thoret·Senses of Cinema
“The hi-def videography gives a tactile, scorching sense of the characters' surroundings, and Colin Farrell and Gong Li's doomed love affair bears the full tragic brunt of Mann's mesmerizing on-the-fly narrative.”
Time Out New York
“one of the most expensive art films ever made”
Steven Hyden·Uproxx
Genres
Action, Crime, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Michael MannDirector
Colin FarrellDet. James 'Sonny' Crockett
Jamie FoxxDet. Ricardo 'Rico' Tubbs
Naomie HarrisDet. Trudy Joplin
Gong LiIsabella
John OrtizJosé Yero
Ciarán HindsFBI Agent John Fujima
Justin TherouxDet. Larry Zito
Barry Shabaka HenleyLt. Martin Castillo
Elizabeth RodriguezDet. Gina Calabrese
John HawkesAlonzo Stevens
Eddie MarsanNicholas
Luis TosarArcángel de Jesús Montoya
John MurphyComposer
Dion BeebeCinematographyMiami Vice
A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.
What critics thought
Miami Vice split critics sharply on release — praised by major outlets for its radical digital cinematography and immersive atmosphere, but knocked by others for thin characterization and a plot that felt underdeveloped compared to Mann's best work. Over time the film has developed a cult following, with younger critics reframing its subordination of story to mood as a deliberate artistic choice rather than a failure, making the gap between its initial reception and its current reputation the most interesting thing about it.
“a radical work that does not give up its author's formal and stylistic ambitions”
Jean-Baptiste Thoret·Senses of Cinema
“The hi-def videography gives a tactile, scorching sense of the characters' surroundings, and Colin Farrell and Gong Li's doomed love affair bears the full tragic brunt of Mann's mesmerizing on-the-fly narrative.”
Time Out New York
“one of the most expensive art films ever made”
Steven Hyden·Uproxx
Genres
Action, Crime, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Michael MannDirectorColin FarrellDet. James 'Sonny' CrockettJamie FoxxDet. Ricardo 'Rico' TubbsNaomie HarrisDet. Trudy JoplinGong LiIsabellaJohn OrtizJosé YeroCiarán HindsFBI Agent John FujimaJustin TherouxDet. Larry ZitoBarry Shabaka HenleyLt. Martin CastilloElizabeth RodriguezDet. Gina CalabreseJohn HawkesAlonzo StevensEddie MarsanNicholasLuis TosarArcángel de Jesús MontoyaJohn MurphyComposerDion BeebeCinematography