133. Out Of The Blue; movie review

OUT OF BLUE
Cert 15
110 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody images

Is it possible that movie oddities are more likely to find their way to the cinema while more conventional films are becoming the province of Netflix?
At the same time as the likes of Rebel Wilson and Ben Affleck are starring pictures which have gone straight to the streaming giant, the ever-impressive Patricia Clarkson is a damaged detective in Carol Morley's strange Out Of Blue.
This is a surreal story which somehow combines the mystery of the black holes in space with the mysterious death of a scientist (Mamie Gummer) under a giant telescope.
Clarkson's battle-weary cop begins a murder inquiry which points at the victim's boss (Toby Jones) and her lover (Jonathan Majors).
And then there is the scientist's dysfunctional family headed by James Caan and Jacqui Weaver).
Clarkson's character lumbers from one theory to another about both the death and the victim's nearest and dearest.

Meanwhile, the film literally slides off into outer space and back again.
This was particularly problematic for Mrs W who felt that these unfathomable tangents made the film unintelligible and, consequently, boring.
Sure, Clarkson, Caan, Jones etc do good turns but we would expect that.
However, despite decent production values, Out Of Blue's storytelling is all over the place, lurching from one suspect to another while throwing in shoals of red herrings.
It tested my powers of concentration to their limit and Mrs W struggled to stay awake.

Reasons to watch: Patricia Clarkson gives it her all
Reasons to avoid: Will be too strange for many

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? An erroneous measurement of V4641 Sagitarii led reports that the nearest black hole to Earth was just 1,600 light-years away. Further research, however, shows that the black hole is likely yielded a result of more than 20,000 light years.

The final word. Carol Morley: “I read the book twice, and I was very particular in how I read it the second time. I was underlining, I was researching, I was very assiduous. Then I let it go and did what I always do; I began to get into the film through character. I began to do back stories for all of the characters, and particularly for Mike (Clarkson's). I invent the childhood, I invent the nicknames, I did massive amounts of research into their lives and, with this film, also into science and homicide.” BFI

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