One of Denzel Washington’s Most Underrated Movies Is Back on Streaming

Every now and again, there comes a movie that is critically acclaimed and features a heck of a starring cast, but general audiences simply don’t seem interested in checking it out. When it comes to legendary actor Denzel Washington, it’s rare that his movies stumble terribly at the box office, as he has proven himself a notable actor throughout his long-running career in Hollywood. However, one of his most underrated movies that features a cast that includes Don Cheadle and Jennifer Beals has now found a second life on streaming thanks to Hulu and fans can check out a movie that deserved better upon its initial release.

The movie in question is none other than the crime drama/thriller, Devil in a Blue Dress. Directed by Carl Franklin, who also adapted the screenplay from the book of the same name by Walter Mosley, Devil in a Blue Dress tells the tale of a war hero is hired to find a mysterious woman, and unfortunately ends up getting mixed up in a murderous political scandal in 1948 Los Angeles. Denzel Washington stars in the movie as Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins, a Black World War II vet. He’s joined in the movie by Don Cheadle who stars as Mouse Alexander and Jennifer Beals who stars as Daphne Monet.

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The movie adaptation of Devil in a Blue Dress was first released by Sony Pictures on September 29, 1995. The R-rated movie was well-received among critics, and currently has a Fresh rating of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, but has a lower Popcornmeter score of 71% from audiences. The movie was nominated for an impressive thirteen awards after its release, including Actor nominations for both Washington and Cheadle by the Chicago Films Critics Association Awards in 1996, an acting award for Cheadle by the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 1996, and acting awards for both Cheadle and Beals by the Image Awards (NAACP) in 1996. It went on to win three awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Cheadle at the 1995 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards and the 1996 National Society of Film Critics Award, as well as Best Cinematography for Tak Fujimoto at the 1996 National Society of Film Critics Award.

The movie, produced for a reported budget of $27 million, only earned $16.1 million worldwide, including the $5.4 million the movie made during its opening. While the movie wasn’t a huge box office success, it’s still considered one of Washington’s most underrated films and can now be viewed from the comfort of home thanks to many streaming services. Prior to its addition to Hulu, the movie was also made available on the streaming services Xumo Play, Philo, and Fubo TV.

Devil in a Blue Dress is now available to also stream on Hulu and Disney+. If you haven’t read the novel by Walter Mosley, you can currently purchase the novel anywhere books are sold. It’s available as an eBook, paperback novel, and an audiobook. It’s the first of seventeen books featuring Washington’s character from the movie, and is a quick and worthwhile read before checking out the classic thriller.