The Mighty Quinn

One of the hippest, freshest pictures to come along in a while. Denzel Washington is the Police Chief on a fictional Caribbean island, and half the charm of the picture is the portrait it paints of life on the island, including the bemused attitude most of the people have for the Chief (they often serenade him by singing the title song). There is a darker side however, and that's the disdain that white tourists and natives have for the Black population. Washington is forced to eat crow much of the time. Then a rich, white tourist is murdered, and Quinn resolves to solve the case, despite warnings to the contrary. His boyhood friend (played by Robert Townsend), now a sort-of criminal held in awe by the natives for his reputedly supernatural abilities, is a prime suspect in the case, and how these conflicts are resolved makes up the bulk of the story. Wonderful performances and great photography stand out, along with a great soundtrack (I actually went out and bought the record). The plot falters a little here and there, but the energy and offbeat charm are more than enough to compensate.