Rating: 
Summary: "I found my level and I'm living it."
Review: Drifter Harry Maddux (Don Johnson) arrives in town and takes a job as a salesman at a used car lot. The boss, Mr. Hawshaw, isn't sure quite what to make of Harry. Harry aggressively tells another salesman: "in this life, you've got to take what you want," but he privately admits that his past is "a series of jams over floozies." Hawshaw has a nubile, seductive young wife, Dolly (Virginia Madsen), who quickly targets Harry as her next prey. Harry lacks the willpower to resist her rather obvious charms, but at the same time, he is also attracted to Gloria (Jennifer Connelly), Hawshaw's young female employee."The Hot Spot" --a Neo Noir film--is directed by Dennis Hopper, and it's an excellent entry in the genre--complete with a sleazy blackmailer, crimes, and a wicked femme fatale. I am not a Don Johnson fan, but he did a credible job in this film. He was suitably sweaty and stressed at the appropriate moments. But the film really belonged to Virginia Madsen. She drives a vintage, pink Cadillac, and her tackily decorated mansion resembles a bordello--complete with a stuffed Polar bear. Madsen writhes, coils and slithers her way from scene to scene, and she holds Maddux in a state of horrified fascination--what a performance. There are several scenes with strippers swinging around poles, etc, and one topless scene with Connelly. Obviously not for the kiddies--displacedhuman
Rating: 
Summary: "There's only two things to do in this town. You got a TV?"
Review: I admit The Hot Spot (1990) popped up on my radar solely due to the fact Jennifer Connelly appears topless in one scene (How many people went to see the 2001 film Swordfish based solely on Halle Berry appearing topless?). I really didn't have much confidence in the film itself, as it stars Don Johnson, and while he may have been the flavor of the month in the 80's with his Miami Vice show, he really drove me away with his subsequent, and short lived, singing career (anyone remember the song Heartbeat? It was picked as one of the 50 worst songs ever by VH1). Also, the film was directed by 60's leftover Dennis Hopper, whom I like as an actor, but was unsure of his directing talents...let's look at his directing endeavors (the one's I've seen, at least)...there's the quintessential 60's counterculture film Easy Rider, the 1988 film Colors, which focused on the ever rising gangster/criminal mentality prevalent in LA at the time (still is, as far as I know) which was, and is, really good, and then there's the 1994 film Chasers...that last one is worth about two bad films it was so awful...so two great films, and one really bad film...alright, I'll swing with it...show me what you got...
Along with Don `Sonny Crockett' Johnson, the film also stars Jennifer Connelly (I know, I already mentioned her, but she's so nice, I had to do it twice), and Virginia Madsen, an actress known for her ability to adapt to just about any role she takes. Also appearing is Charles Martin Smith, a talented and prolific character actor most people would probably recognize as the nebbish/ nerdy character Terry `The Toad' Fields from George Lucas' American Graffiti (1973), and another popular character actor William Sadler, who has also appeared in films like The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Demon Knight (1995), and The Green Mile (1999), to name a few.
The film (`noir for the 90's', the trailer says) begins with a man, who name we learn later as Harry Madox (Johnson) drifting into a small Texas town much like a predator stalking a young, innocent, and unwary prey. He insinuates himself into a position of the local used car dealership, owned by George Harshaw, an older man, with a sexy young wife, Dolly (Madsen), and a heart condition (that seems like a bad combination). Also working at the lot are fellow salesman Lon (Smith), and Gloria Harper (Connelly), as a bookkeeper. It seems Harry's got more on his mind than selling used cars, as he begins formulating plans to rob the local bank, which would be no great task as the security is lax to the point of being a non-existent, virtually begging Harry to come and take its' goodies. To complicate matters, he engages in an affair with Dolly (well, more like she chooses to have relations with him, as I didn't feel Harry had much choice in the matter, as Dolly `always gets what she wants'). And on top of that, he quickly develops an interest in sweet, young, and seemingly innocent Gloria, to which she seems responsive to Harry's attentions. And don't forget the town sleaze ball Frank Sutton (Sadler), who seems to be into everyone's business (especially with his camera with the monster telephoto lens), choosing blackmail as his trade of choice. The robbery goes off as planned with little problems, but even the best laid plans can suffer complications, and that's the case here as Harry, who the police see as the number one suspect, finds that Dolly has provided him an alibi, but for a price (it ain't money, Bubba). Things really get messy as the plot thickens, as others become involved.
I'd have to say Madsen was probably the best element in this entire movie. She's very easy on the eyes, and creates a very sexy, manipulative, vindictive, self-centered character people love to hate. When we first meet her, she seems like your classic gold-digging character interested in a dalliance (or two, or three) due to her much older husband's inability to perform certain martial responsibilities, but we learn she has plans and ambitions, much like Harry, for more than what she currently has...Madsen also appears to have the most nekkid time, flashing the audience a great number of times, completely within character, of course. Johnson did well, better than I would have thought, as the predator who soon finds himself prey, and realizing it much too late to effectively defend himself. I did feel his character, who I felt was supposed to be savvy and streetwise, fell into some easily avoidable and obvious traps, traps his character should have seen and been able to side-step, but whatever...oh yeah, for all you ladies out there, never fear, as Donnie has a few non-clothed scenes (mostly tushie shots), coming in a distant second in on screen nekkid time, far behind Madsen. Connelly's role as the sweet, young, and innocent Gloria was the weakest, presented as juxtaposition to Madsen's polar opposite characterization of Dolly. Connelly comes in third place in the nekkid on-screen challenge, but sometime a little is a lot...I thought Hopper did a great job with his direction providing the proper atmosphere and setting, and all the plot twists kept me in the dark about who was pulling who's strings. My only real problem with the film was it was just too damn long, with a running time of 2 hours and 10 minutes. I think Hopper could have lopped 20 or 30 minutes off and still had a great film, but I think he deliberately kept the pacing as slow as it was to really allow for all of the elements to come together and also opportunity for the audience to take it all in...
MGM provides a really nice, clean looking widescreen transfer here, and included is the original theatrical trailer. All in all, a good nod to noir films of the past, updated for the present.
Cookieman108
Rating:
Summary: The Hot Spot is scorching HOT
Review: I am a big Jennifer Connelly fan so this film is very close it my heart and I recomend it because not only do we get to see Jennifer topless on a beach but the film is pretty good. Don Johnson does an admiral job in the film and I was impressed with the director Dennis Hopper a very nice film that wasn't expected to do anything when it was released in 1991. A worthy addition to your DVD collection or the guilty pleasure that is my collection
Rating: 
Summary: Eh . . .
Review: I bought it for Jennifer Connelly's chest, I got that and quite an eyeful of Virginia Madsen, and what this all boils down to is that Dennis Hopper directed this movie. Seeing as how he did so many drugs in his time, that would explain why this movie makes woefully little sense. But hey, I got what I paid for. It's not like I was expecting an Oscar-winning effort here. But, oh, did my head hurt.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely a "Hot Spot"!
Review: I certainly do not understand all the bad reviews for this movie. It definitely generated a lot of heat and the leads were perfectly cast. Jennifer Connelly plays a virginal office worker and Virginia Madsen is her polar opposite! Steamy, sexy, enticing. Don Johnson as drifter and ne'er do well Harry Maddox smolders when necessary. I'm surprised the TV screen didn't steam up from all the hot bodies and the steamy weather. Or was the weather steamy from the hot bodies? Great entertainment with an ending you will really not expect. Definitely worth the watch. Excellent music and excellent performances. Slow and deliberate movie making, not slam bam knock them in the face movie making, maybe that's why it got bad reviews, unintelligent folks can't understand it unless it is thrown in their face. No one does smoldering sexy better than Don Johnson and matched with Virginia Madsen, woo hoo!
Rating:
Summary: Good homage to film noir
Review: I first saw this eleven years ago at an art house cinema, it seemingly having been denied general theatrical release. I was only familiar with Don Johnson as the T-shirt and blazer narc in the now campy Miami Vice, but I was impressed with his performance in this movie.
Johnson is a drifting con man looking for an opportunity, and he finds one in the sultry and scheming Virginia Madsen, who becomes his partner in crime. He is genuinely attracted to the sweet and beautiful Jennifer Connelly, however, who has certainly grown up since her role in the appealing Labyrinth. We are privileged to see Connelly in flashback, in a nude moment of sapphic tension. She has those magnetic blue eyes matched only by one other actress, Joan Severance.
Madsen's character wants Johnson all to herself and manipulates him into murder and cover-up. It's all been done before, but it's well presented in this modern film noir set in smalltown Texas.
Rating:
Summary: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A USED CAR SALESMAN
Review: I like this movie because I have been in auto sales/management since 1988. Don Johnson gives a fairly true meaning to what it's like in the lives of alot of us in the car business. Lots of putting people together and lots of sex! (good salesman can talk there way into and out of alot of circumstances!)
Rating:
Summary: EUROPEAN VHS FORMAT TO BUY PLEASE,
Review: I live in Europe and can not view most of US movies since they are in "VHS Features:NTSC format (US and Canada only. This VHS will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about VHS formats.)" IS IT POSSIBLE TO BUY THESE MOVIES IN EUROPEAN VHS FORMAT? THANKS
Rating:
Summary: Just under-rating Texas (except for Jennifer Connelly)
Review: I live in Texas for 15 years and this is my home. The movie is empty, meaninless and just a waste of time. Jennifer Connelly is an exception, as her play (an in many other films) indicates an actress in a growing process towards the Oscar she won, well deserved at least, with a Beautiful Mind in 2002. Would you wish to see Connelly mastering? Please watch Waking the Dead. It is so much deeper, meaninful, no comparison at all. Texas is an wonderful place. Its traditions, its way of thinking, has nothing to do with this movie. And yes... Jeniffer... You deserve so much better.
Rating:
Summary: Great if you like Blues.....
Review: I loved Miami Vice for its great music, and would have to say I loved this film for the same reason, but definitely nothing more! I read somewhere that Don Johnson went back to acting school after this film. I think this is an over-reaction: the film isn't that bad. At no point was I bored. The plot has one or two nice twists, and apart from the shot of Don Johnson's naked butt (yuk!) I thought the film was OK. But nothing more than OK. So why the 4 stars? Because if you like blues, the soundtrack to this movie is great! I play the CD a lot, and have sat through the video of the film several (3, I think) times, to get into the atmosphere associated with this music.
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