The Big Picture
Before
Out of Time,
Denzel Washington collaborated with Carl Frankin in
Devil in a Blue Dress
.
Out of Time
explores a corrupt world and a detective’s moral dilemma, showing a different side of Washington’s acting.
Washington shines in
Out of Time
, balancing charm with vulnerability in a genre film that benefits from his star power.
The noir genre first grew to prominence in the 1950s, with stars like Humphrey Bogart and Orson Welles epitomizing the morally ambiguous protagonists that were essential to these early mystery films. It became interesting to see how the genre evolved and modernized within the subsequent years, but Carl Franklin’s 1995 masterpiece Devil in a Blue Dress felt like a deliberate throwback. With its classical mystery case, ’40s setting, and charismatic performance by Denzel Washington, Devil in a Blue Dress felt like a refreshing example of old school filmmaking done right. Washington and Franklin then worked together again for the 2003 neo-noir thriller Out of Time.
While it may be easy to draw comparisons based on the principles involved, Out of Time is a very different film than Devil in a Blue Dress. While Devil in a Blue Dress is a fairly straightforward whodunit (albeit one with a significant amount of twists and turners), Out of Time is a morally ambiguous examination of the inherently corruptive nature of capitalism. Franklin’s slick direction doesn’t detract from the gritty, cruel world that the film takes place in. However, Washington’s charismatic performance in Out of Time is among his most vulnerable and sexiest.
Out of Time
A Florida police chief must solve a vicious double homicide before he himself falls under suspicion.
Run Time 1 hr 45 min
Director Carl Franklin
Release Date October 3, 2003
Actors Denzel Washington, Eva Mendes, Sanaa Lathan, Dean Cain
Studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Original Film
What Is ‘Out of Time’ About?
Set in the small town of Florida Keys, Out of Time examines a seasoned detective’s crisis of confidence upon a reunion with his high school flame. Matt Lee Whitlock (Washington) is a prominent and highly respected member of the community, and is going through a divorce with his wife Alex Diaz (Eva Mendes), a homicide detective in her own right. While Matt tries to keep his personal and professional obligations distinct, he finds himself drawn to his old lover Ann Merai-Harrison (Sanaa Lathan), who is in the midst of an abusive relationship with her partner Chris (Dean Cain). Matt takes it upon himself to provide for Ann when her husband won’t, and learns that she is suffering from the debilitating effects of cancer. Knowing that Ann is ill-equipped to take on the expensive medical procedures costs, Matt decides to steal $485,000 out of an evidence locker from a drug bust in order to pay for treatment.
As any seasoned crime movie buff would expect, Matt’s act of seeming kindness has dramatic repercussions, as he realizes that the stolen cash is wrapped up in a drug deal gone wrong. Matt ends up exposing a deeper conspiracy that ties corrupt cops to a local ring of dealers. Out of Time draws from the influence of Alfred Hitchcock in showing a good man caught in over his head, which certainly makes Matt a more vulnerable character. While his years of police work and strong social skills make him more skeptical than an average cop, Matt is still not ready to deal with an illicit scandal in which he could be implicated for his involvement. It’s an interesting inversion of the noir narrative, as the audience already knows that Matt is dealing with a guilty conscience. The only question is what level of danger his misdeeds have gotten him into.
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Franklin does a great job at breaking down the minutiae of the criminal conspiracy, but Out of Time perfectly escalates the sexual tension as the story continues, and Matt’s plight grows more intense. Although Ann is seemingly a victim in the situation, she also fulfills the “femme fatale” role, as she inspires Matt to take uncharacteristically drastic actions in order to save her. Similarly, Diaz’s attempts to dig into Matt’s story to find the truth are loaded with sexual tension. It’s evident that beyond her inherent suspicions of Matt’s story about the money “disappearing,” she’s also motivated by lingering arguments from their previous relationship.
‘Out of Time’ Shows the Charisma and Confidence of Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington is certainly one of the greatest actors of all-time, and has made a career out of playing strong and contemplative figures of authority. However, Out of Time offered Washington a more dynamic opportunity to showcase his charisma. Within the story, Matt has to maintain his outwardly endearing persona while interacting with the public and his fellow officers; he isn’t allowed to show any signs of weakness, as it could provoke suspicion about his involvement with the case. Washington does a great job at showing the burden it takes to exude this confidence. It’s a more sensitive depiction of masculinity than he is generally given the chance to display.
Although it’s a fairly straightforward and serious film, Out of Time gives Washington the chance to show his playful side. Whether its in a steamy scene with Lathan, bickering with Mendes’ Alex, or sharing a drink with John Billingsley’s Chae, Washington expertly balances a charming, teasing depth with the gravitas that audiences have come to expect from him. Outside of his scene-stealing performance in Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of the William Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing, Washington has rarely been allowed to be playful on screen. In Out of Time, Matt is forced to constantly acknowledge how inherently convoluted his plight is, reminding the moviegoers that what they’re watching is superficial.
How Does ‘Out of Time’ Compare to Washington’s Other Genre Movies?
Although prestigious award season contenders like Malcolm X and Training Day are among his best known work, Washington has a history of working on crowd pleasing genre movies. Films like The Equalizer and Man on Fire don’t require the same emotional heavy lifting that The Hurricane or The Tragedy of Macbeth would, but they certainly benefit from the gravitas that Washington brings to the material. Out of Time is yet another example of a solid, if familiar genre thriller that benefits from Washington’s extraordinary star power.
The success of The Equalizer 3 indicated he may not be slowing down just yet, but it would be nice to see Washington return to the noir genre in the next stage of his career. It’s a genre that could seriously use some great new entries, and Washington has proven that he’s the actor capable of revitalizing it.
Out of Time is currently streaming on Max in the U.S.
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