Too much of everything

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Chief Xavier Quinn is in charge of policing on a relaxed, unnamed Caribbean island. He doesn't expect too much trouble but that changes when a body is found in a Jacuzzi. The victim has had his throat cut so it is clearly murder. Plenty of people are keen to point the finger of blame at Maubee, a local ne'er-do-well who was also a childhood friend of Quinn. There is also an unseemly desire to wrap the case up as quickly as possible; the owner of the hotel complex where the man was killed doesn't want his other guests upset and the island's governor doesn't want the tourist industry damaged. Quinn however is determined to properly investigate the case properly and as he does so he crosses paths with a Central American hit-man, a dodgy CIA operative and a case full of US $10,000 bills.If you are looking for a gritty cop drama then this isn't the film for you; however if you want a fun, fairly light mystery then you could do a lot worse. The film nicely captures the feel of island life; all the locals appear to know each other, the pace of life is more relaxed, the scenery looks great and the sea inviting. The central mystery is interesting and while somethings can be guessed others are not too obvious. Denzel Washington does a solid job as Quinn, any time his accent slips slightly can be explained since we are told he spent three years in the US military and a year studying at Quantico. Also notable are James Fox, who plays the obnoxious hotel owner; Mimi Rogers who plays his wife; M. Emmet Walsh, who plays the dodgy CIA man and Norman Beaton, who plays the governor. Robert Townsend is also great as the elusive Maubee, he steals every scene he is in as this larger than life character. The film has a good soundtrack that adds to the Caribbean feel and some solid if mostly unspectacular action… not that it is the sort of film that demands lots of action. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody wanting an undemanding mystery set in a scenic location.

As the title of my review states, I am Caucasian and rarely watch African-American flicks (most are comedies these days, and I am more of a drama and suspense fan).I am also not a huge fan of Denzel Washington - however, what I do love, is the country of Jamaica!! I have been visiting the island every year since I was 18, and was even married there. I now take my two young daughters there for summer vacations. So needless to say, I know quite a bit about the country and love immersing myself in their culture. The Jamaican people are so very different than the African American's that I know here in the US. With that said, the accents in this movie left something to be desired. (In fact, there were some "accents" that weren't even close to sounding Jamaican).But alas, I still enjoyed this movie. I was surprised to see that it was made in 1989 - for the longest time, I thought it was newer, perhaps 1995 or 1996. The clothing and hair "styles" in Jamaica are very far behind the US, so perhaps that is why I didn't immediately guess the movie was as old as it was. It isn't uncommon to still see a lot of island residents wearing clothes from the 80's and 90's. The cars/trucks are always quite old, as are the buildings (minus the new resorts that pop up).As many other reviewers have pointed out, the island feel in this movie is great. I am a huge fan of reggae - and although I dislike musicals, they blended the music with the scenes very nicely.The obvious tropical backdrop, combined with the small beach shacks, the colorful residents and the busy little towns with dirt roads winding around the countryside is a great setting for a mystery. All in all, I feel that the main character of this movie is the island itself. Without the setting, this movie would not have worked whatsoever. This is a great movie to watch on a cold winter day - it's a bit of an escape, and always has me counting down the days until my next visit to Jamaica.5/10

Smooth and charming Police Chief Xavier Quinn (a fine and likable performance by Denzel Washington) has to search his Jamaican island beat for lovable local rascal and old childhood pal Maubee (a wonderfully engaging portrayal by Robert Townsend) in order to clear Maubee's name after he's accused of murder. Capably directed with considerable flashy panache by Carl Schenkel, with a pleasantly casual pace, and a colorful and absorbing script by Hampton Fancher, further buoyed by an extremely catchy'n'bouncy reggae soundtrack, nice touches of wry humor, and a flavorsome Caribbean tropical setting, this film possesses a certain affable laid-back appeal that's impossible to either dislike or resist. The strong cast helps a lot: Washington and especially Townsend excel in the lead roles, with fine support from James Fox as jerky rich resort owner Thomas Elgin, the lovely Mimi Rogers as Thomas' neglected and enticing wife Hadley, the always great M. Emmet Walsh as hearty, yet vicious hired killer Fred Miller, Esther Rolle as fearsome witch Ubu Pearl, Art Evans as irritable Sergeant Jump Jones, Sheryl Lee Ralph as Xavier's fiery and sultry wife Lola, Norman Beaton as the meddlesome Governor Chalk, and Key Luke as the helpful Dr. Raj. Washington easily carries this picture with his supremely amiable and charismatic presence. Jacques Steyn's bright cinematography gives this movie an attractive sunny look while Anne Dudley's frothy score keeps things bubbling along. A winningly breezy and carefree romp.

Always enjoy the great acting of Denzel Washington, who plays the role as Xavier Quinn, police chief in the Jamaican community and is very serious trying to uphold the law and order. However, he encounters a homicide and intends to deal with this case strictly by the book and has great problems with all the local politicians and his friends. Robert Townsend,(Maubee) plays the role of a carefree individual who does just what he pleases and mostly the wrong side of the law and is constantly laughing at strait laced Xavier Quinn. James Fox, (Thomas Elgin) and Mimi Rogers, (Hadley Elgin) give great supporting roles. This is not exactly the greatest film but with the great talents of Robert Townsend and Denzel Washington it is a worthwhile film to view and enjoy.