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Out of Blue
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Out of Blue
Directed byCarol Morley
Screenplay byCarol Morley
Based onNight Train
by Martin Amis
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyConrad W. Hall
Edited byAlex Mackie
Music byClint Mansell
Production
companies
Distributed byIFC Films (United States)
Picturehouse Entertainment (United Kingdom)[1]
Release dates
Running time
109 minutes
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$242,847[1][2]

Out of Blue is a 2018 crime drama film, written and directed by Carol Morley, and stars Patricia Clarkson, Mamie Gummer, James Caan, Toby Jones, and Jacki Weaver. It is based on Martin Amis' 1997 novel Night Train.[3]

Plot

[edit]

Detective Mike Hoolihan (Patricia Clarkson) is investigating the murder of Jennifer Rockwell (Mamie Gummer), an astrophysicist at an observatory in New Orleans. She had presented a talk on black holes in the evening but was found dead in the morning by the manager of the observatory (Toby Jones). She had been shot in the face, but there was no weapon. A sock and a jar of moisturizing cream were found at the scene.

The manager claims that he was out all night with an associate. The sock is traced to Jennifer's boyfriend, who claims he left hurriedly to work on a new theory. Jennifer's home is full of tchotchkes and other old knick-knacks. Mike passes out when she picks up a Florida snow globe, and imagines unique blue marbles similar to one that is on a string around her neck. When she comes to, she talks about the marble, and how she does not remember where it came from. She was an orphan, and has always had it.

Her co-investigator and supervisor suggest that this looks like "The .38 Caliber Killer", who killed young women, but had not struck in many years. The murderer always exchanged knick-knacks with his victims. While doing a more detailed search of the area, Mike finds a gun in a case, and a red scarf she had been having dreams about. The gun, a .38 revolver, is traced to the observatory manager, who admits he found it, and tried to dispose of it so he would not be a suspect. Working out from where the gun originally lay, Mike concludes that Jennifer had shot herself. The investigators agree.

In photos of the crime scene, Mike realizes that there are no photos of the jar of moisturizing cream that she noted. When she buys a jar of the cream, she reacts as if memories come flooding back. A video made during Jennifer's presentation on black holes shows some of the people who attended. There is a shadow of a man with a hat - very much like Jennifer's father's. Mike checks the family home and Jennifer's two brothers. She finds an old brooch that Jennifer had been wearing, but was missing from the murder scene.

As she speaks with the family members, it becomes clear that Jennifer's father (James Caan) is an intimidating figure, and other family members are afraid of saying much around him. Mike notices that an object from one of the .38 Caliber Killings is in a picture of the family. A witness from one of the old murders recounts hearing the suspect walking as if he had a cane, just like Jennifer's father. In photos of the father, he seems to switch the cane from his right to his left hand, using it inconsistently.

It appears that the father had been killing young women who looked like his mother, but the killing had stopped when his daughter (Jennifer) was born. Mike goes to a gun shop and buys a .38 revolver. She confronts Jennifer's father, but he grabs the gun from her and talks her out of her suspicions. She returns to the observatory, and considers suicide, but instead checks out an old, boarded up house.

In the house she relives the murder of her mother. She was hiding in a closet when the .38 Caliber Killer shot her. Young Mike came out of the closet and rubbed the moisturizing cream on her dead mother's hands, asking her to wake up. Blue marbles had spilled all over the floor, and young Mike carries one out as she leaves with a police officer. The killer had taken the Florida snow globe.

Mike gets into her car and drives away, knowing that she has solved the mystery of Jennifer's death, the .38 Caliber Killer and her own demons.

Cast

[edit]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

Out of Blue grossed $18,779 in North America and $224,068 in other territories, for a worldwide total of $242,847.[1][2]

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 37% based on 67 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Out of Blue smolders without ever really sparking to life - which, considering the source material and talent assembled, can only be considered a disappointment."[4] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 49 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[5]

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote: "A flawed film, but a valuable one."[6] Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote: "This New Orleans-set detective thriller from Carol Morley pulls off an undesirable yet weirdly impressive coup: the twist ending to its murder mystery is somehow simultaneously preposterous and obvious, like a clown car parping and swerving its way towards you from the far end of an airstrip."[7] Sophie Monks Kaufman of Sight and Sound wrote: "Out of Blue is incoherent, which isn't to say it's bad. Carol Morley's murder mystery is a mood piece that alternates between naffness and transcendence."[8]

Accolades

[edit]

The film competed for the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival.[9]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Out of Blue

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Out of Blue is a British-American drama film written and directed by . It is an of Martin Amis's 1997 Night Train, reimagining the story with elements of cosmic mystery and psychological depth. The film stars as Detective Mike Hoolihan, an unconventional New Orleans police officer investigating the murder of Jennifer Rockwell (), a renowned astrophysicist specializing in black holes whose death in her observatory raises suspicions of foul play. Supporting roles include as Hoolihan's father, as a colleague, and as Rockwell's mother, with the narrative blending noir detective tropes with explorations of grief, quantum physics, and the nature of reality. Premiering at the in September before a limited U.S. release on March 22, 2019, the film received mixed reviews for its atmospheric style and philosophical undertones, earning a 37% approval rating on based on 67 critics. Morley's direction emphasizes visual motifs of darkness and light, drawing parallels between the detective's personal turmoil and the vast, unknowable universe depicted through Rockwell's research.

Plot and themes

Plot summary

The story begins with the discovery of the body of Jennifer Rockwell, a renowned astrophysicist specializing in black holes, who has been shot to death at an observatory in New Orleans. The crime scene features peculiar details, including a single sock left beside the body and an open jar of face cream, with the murder weapon identified as a .38 revolver. The killing bears the signature of the .38 Caliber Killer, a serial murderer active in the 1950s who targeted blonde women by shooting them in the face and leaving a sock at the scene, a method that also claimed the life of Detective Mike Hoolihan's mother when Hoolihan was a child. Hoolihan, a recovering alcoholic detective with a troubled past and no clear memories of her early life, takes charge of the investigation despite pressure from her superiors to close the case quickly as a suicide or random act. She starts by examining Rockwell's personal and professional life, beginning with an of her father, Tom Rockwell, a decorated war hero and wealthy entrepreneur who was a and shows during questioning. Hoolihan then questions Rockwell's ex-husband, probing their strained marriage and possible motives stemming from their . Next, she interviews Rockwell's colleagues at the , including her boyfriend and fellow astrophysicist Duncan Reynolds, who expresses grief but little surprise at her death, and professor Ian Strammi, who was supposedly stargazing elsewhere at the time of the and reacts oddly by questioning "why" she died rather than "how." As the probe deepens, Hoolihan uncovers connections between Rockwell's research on black holes—where she lectures that the death of a star enables new cosmic life—and the case's enigmatic nature, while mementos from the killings begin appearing in her path. Hoolihan suffers from recurring visions, blackouts, and disorienting episodes of dizziness that blur her sense of time and reality, leading her to doubt her own identity and wonder if her life truly began only upon joining force. These personal disturbances intensify as she revisits the crime scene and confronts suspects again, revealing that Rockwell had been experiencing similar existential crises tied to her quantum physics work on parallel universes and infinite possibilities. In a key twist, Hoolihan discovers a blue-and-gold at the scene matching one from her own , suggesting a deeper, personal link to Rockwell that transcends the investigation. Her investigation culminates in the revelation that Colonel Tom Rockwell is the .38 Caliber Killer, responsible for Jennifer's as well as the past serial killings, including Hoolihan's mother's death—a truth confronted through her fragmented visions and recovered memories. This resolution intertwines Hoolihan's personal trauma with the case, echoing Rockwell's theories on black holes and , where personal and cosmic mysteries converge without fully dispelling the existential "whys."

Themes

Out of Blue employs motifs from and to metaphorically explore personal devastation and cosmic indifference. Black holes represent the inescapable void of and loss, drawing characters toward an unknowable darkness that mirrors the emotional turmoil following tragedy. , particularly through references to , symbolizes the superposition of and , underscoring the uncertainty inherent in and identity. emerges as a motif for the inexorable disorder infiltrating personal life, amplifying the detective's unraveling amid chaos and decay. Drawing from the source novel Night Train by , the film delves into existential themes of and the human confrontation with meaninglessness. The detective's psychological disintegration reflects a profound grappling with and despair, as personal intersects with the investigation's philosophical undercurrents. Blurred boundaries between and intensify this exploration, portraying the mind's fragile navigation of truth amid overwhelming sorrow and existential void. Stylistic choices, including non-linear and dreamlike sequences, deepen these thematic layers by evoking a of disorientation akin to quantum uncertainty and entropic breakdown. Influenced by noir traditions and directors like and , the film's fragmented narrative structure enhances the motifs of loss and the unknown, immersing viewers in the characters' perceptual haze.

Cast and characters

Principal cast

Patricia Clarkson stars as Detective Mike Hoolihan, a hard-bitten and unconventional New Orleans homicide detective who investigates the shooting death of astrophysicist Jennifer Rockwell, grappling with personal demons including and repressed trauma that blur the lines between her professional duties and visionary insights into the case. Mamie Gummer plays Jennifer Rockwell, a renowned astrophysicist specializing in research, whose complex family dynamics with her domineering father and fragile mother, as well as her professional and romantic ties to colleagues, unravel during the investigation into her at an . James Caan portrays Colonel Tom Rockwell, Jennifer's irate and untrustworthy father, a retired veteran and wealthy businessman whose fraught relationship with his daughter positions him as a potential suspect in the homicide probe. Toby Jones appears as Professor Ian Strammi, Jennifer's shifty and nervous academic superior at the university, whose intellectual debates on and apparent discomfort under scrutiny make him another key figure in Hoolihan's .

Supporting cast

Jacki Weaver portrays Miriam Rockwell, the mother of astrophysicist Jennifer Rockwell, whose interactions reveal emotional layers of family history and , adding depth to the narrative's personal stakes. Yolonda Ross appears as Janey McBride, a colleague of Jennifer's in the academic world, contributing to group discussions that illuminate professional relationships and the observatory's collaborative dynamics. rounds out key supporting roles as Tony Silvero, enhancing ensemble interactions across social and investigative sequences.

Production

Development

Out of Blue is a loose adaptation of Martin Amis's 1997 novel Night Train, which centers on a detective investigating an apparent suicide. Carol Morley, who wrote and directed the film, significantly reimagined the source material, relocating the setting from the novel's unnamed American city to New Orleans and emphasizing themes of cosmology, gender, and subjectivity over a traditional whodunit structure. The project originated from a conversation between Morley and producer Luc Roeg, who had collaborated with her on the 2014 film The Falling; Roeg suggested adapting Night Train after his father, the late director Nicolas Roeg, had expressed interest in the novel but could not proceed due to his passing. Morley drew on her background in investigative documentaries, such as Dreams of a Life (2011), to craft a narrative exploring the female perspective in a police procedural framework. To integrate scientific elements into the story, Morley conducted research into astrophysics, grappling with complex concepts to blend them with the crime drama. The film was announced in May 2017, with financing secured by producers Cairo Cannon, Luc Roeg, and Maggie Monteith, enabling to commence in autumn 2017.

Filming

Principal photography for Out of Blue began in October 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the production captured the city's distinctive atmosphere over several months, wrapping by early 2018. The shoot utilized a range of locations across New Orleans to depict the story's investigative narrative, including urban streets and neighborhoods for the homicide detective's fieldwork and interiors designed to represent a university observatory for the astrophysicist's black hole research scenes. These choices grounded the film's metaphysical elements in the humid, eclectic backdrop of the Crescent City, enhancing the sense of disorientation central to the plot. Cinematographer Conrad W. Hall crafted a visual style characterized by moody, shadowy compositions and cool, textured lighting that mirrored the enigmatic motifs, creating an otherworldly tension throughout the proceedings. This approach, with its bruised palette and flattened perspectives on the urban environment, underscored the protagonist's psychological unraveling while maintaining a noir-inspired aesthetic. During production, the cast developed strong on-set chemistry, particularly between lead and supporting players, contributing to the film's intimate character dynamics.

Release

Premiere

Out of Blue had its world premiere at the (TIFF) in the Platform section on , 2018. The film was selected for the Platform program, which highlights innovative and boundary-pushing international cinema. Following its TIFF debut, Out of Blue screened as a special presentation at the 62nd on October 16, 2018. It also appeared at the 2019 Glasgow in March, where it was presented as part of the festival's showcase of contemporary dramas. Additional screenings included the Dublin International in February 2019. At the TIFF premiere, early industry reactions praised Patricia Clarkson's lead performance as detective Mike Hoolihan, though some noted the film's unconventional narrative style as polarizing. Audience feedback from the festival highlighted the atmospheric tension and cosmic themes, with mixed sentiments on its deliberate pacing.

Distribution

In the United States, Out of Blue received a on March 22, 2019, distributed by IFC Films, which had acquired the rights following the film's premiere at the . The distributor opted for a selective rollout in major cities to target art-house audiences, with the film becoming available for streaming on platforms like shortly after, starting March 29, 2019. The saw a wider theatrical release on March 29, 2019, handled by Picturehouse Entertainment, which focused on independent cinemas across the country. This strategy emphasized the film's noir elements and strong to appeal to British viewers familiar with director Carol Morley's previous works. Internationally, the film was distributed in select European markets through sales agent , with theatrical and VOD releases in countries including (DVD premiere July 3, 2019) and during 2019. Home media availability expanded globally via DVD and streaming services in 2019-2020, including physical releases in the UK and digital options on platforms like Apple TV and Store.

Reception

Box office

Out of Blue earned $18,779 at the domestic box office in the United States and Canada. The film opened on March 22, 2019, in 35 theaters, generating $11,719 during its debut weekend. Worldwide, it grossed $242,847. Its limited theatrical rollout and appeal to arthouse audiences contributed to the restrained financial returns relative to broader commercial releases.

Critical response

Out of Blue received mixed reviews from critics, with praise centered on Patricia Clarkson's lead performance and Carol Morley's atmospheric direction, while drawing criticism for its slow pacing and loose adaptation of the source material. On , the film holds a 37% approval rating based on 67 reviews, with an average score of 5.3/10. The consensus describes it as "Out of Blue smolders without ever really sparking to life -- which, considering the source material and talent assembled, can only be considered a disappointment." assigns a score of 49 out of 100 from 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Critics frequently lauded Clarkson's portrayal of the haunted detective Mike Hoolihan, noting her ability to convey emotional depth amid the film's existential undertones. In The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw praised Clarkson for being "drawn into a black hole of murder, murk and existential angst," highlighting her commanding presence in the role. Similarly, Graham Williamson of Letterboxd described her as delivering a "hefty lead role" with spiky eccentricity, elevating the material. Morley's direction was commended for its uncanny noir atmosphere, blending quantum physics motifs with detective procedural elements. However, many reviewers faulted the film's pacing and fidelity to Martin Amis's 1997 novel Night Train. MaryAnn Johanson at FlickFilosopher echoed concerns about sluggish tempo, calling it a "limp noodle" that drains Clarkson's charisma and fails to deliver on its pseudoscientific intrigue.

Accolades

Out of Blue received limited formal recognition following its release. The film was selected for the Platform section at the , competing for the Platform Prize awarded to emerging directors with distinctive visions; was nominated in this category, though the prize ultimately went to Wi Ding Ho's . Despite its premiere in a competitive program, Out of Blue garnered no nominations from major awards bodies such as the or the . It also did not receive nods at the , though its independent production style aligned with the spirit of such honors. The film's accolades were confined to festival selections rather than wins, reflecting its niche appeal in the genre.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6874254/
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/sep/08/out-of-blue-review-carol-morley
  3. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/out_of_blue
  4. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/mar/31/out-of-blue-review-carol-morley-patricia-clarkson-martin-amis
  5. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6874254/plotsummary/
  6. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/out-of-blue-2019
  7. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/movies/out-of-blue-review.html
  8. https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/out-of-blue-review-1202934249/
  9. https://martinamisweb.com/pre_2006/amis/ntarb.htm
  10. https://www.academia.edu/11325823/Killing_the_Crime_Novel_Martin_Amiss_Night_Train_Genre_and_Literary_Fiction
  11. https://nerdist.com/article/out-of-blue-review/
  12. https://letterboxd.com/film/out-of-blue/
  13. https://intheirownleague.com/2019/09/08/review-out-of-blue/
  14. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/477016-out-of-blue/cast
  15. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/out_of_blue/cast-and-crew
  16. https://theculturevulture.co.uk/cultures/carol-morley-out-of-blue-feminism-film-noir/
  17. https://www.anothergaze.com/out-of-the-blue-carol-morley-feminist-refractions-female-investigative-gaze/
  18. https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/out-of-blue-toronto-review/5132480.article
  19. https://www.watershed.co.uk/articles/looking-back-at-carol-morleys-out-of-blue
  20. https://www.ft.com/content/32008e0a-4406-11e9-b83b-0c525dad548f
  21. https://deadline.com/2017/12/out-of-blue-first-look-photo-patricia-clarkson-1202221851/
  22. https://www.campfilms.co.uk/out-of-blue/
  23. https://www.screendaily.com/news/picturehouse-pre-buys-carol-morleys-us-set-crime-drama-out-of-blue-exclusive/5122105.article
  24. https://deadline.com/2017/10/frank-grillo-jamie-bell-donnybrook-yolonda-ross-out-of-blue-1202190031/
  25. https://www.whereyat.com/louisianas-2018-19-film-forecast-many-are-gone
  26. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/movies_tv/patricia-clarksons-out-of-blue-prepping-to-shoot-in-new-orleans/article_060c51df-a86d-5721-bff7-531842a0ff42.html
  27. https://cine-vue.com/2018/09/toronto-2018-out-of-blue-review.html
  28. https://seventh-row.com/2018/10/16/interview-carol-morley-patricia-clarkson-out-of-blue/
  29. https://deadline.com/2018/09/out-of-blue-trailer-patricia-clarkson-1202457446/
  30. https://filmsandfestivals.britishcouncil.org/projects/out-of-blue1
  31. https://thepeoplesmovies.com/2019-glasgow-film-festival-review-out-of-blue-2019/
  32. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6874254/releaseinfo
  33. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/blue-review-1141626/
  34. https://thefilmstage.com/tiff-review-out-of-blue-is-an-off-putting-noir-full-of-red-herrings/
  35. https://deadline.com/2018/10/ifc-films-out-of-blue-movie-tiff-1202485372/
  36. https://m.filmdates.co.uk/films/1004298-out-of-blue/
  37. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/mar/26/uk-box-office-captain-marvel-us-fishermans-friends
  38. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1803406/news/
  39. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Blue-DVD-Patricia-Clarkson/dp/B07RZ7QM4M
  40. https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/out-of-blue
  41. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt6874254/
  42. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2019W12/
  43. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/out-of-blue/
  44. https://letterboxd.com/gdw/film/out-of-blue/
  45. https://www.flickfilosopher.com/2019/03/out-of-blue-movie-review-murder-most-muted.html
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