Well, after seeing Superman Returns the other week, I wasn’t all too excited to see Miami Vice. I mean, how many tv shows can we turn into movies? Between Charlies Angels, Dukes of Hazzard, Mission Impossible, Starsky & Hutch… I mean the list just never ends.
Miami Vice wasn’t just a television show– it was a cultural icon. Going to High School in South Florida in the late 80’s, you could easily tell the influence it had on all of us kids growing up. From everyone wearing boat shoes (something I still love) to losing socks, adding pastels to your shirt collection to using a “Miami” roll on your sleeves, we dressed the part. The 80’s wasn’t the high point of American fashion, but dammit, we thought we looked goooooood.
So my buddy calls me today and says we’re seeing Crockett and Tubbs in an hour and a half. I knew I had to go… it must be done. The whole time I’m on my way to the theater I’m remembering all of my favorite Vice moments… Bruce Willis and domestic violence watched from the hull of a sailboat… Ted Nugent destroying beautiful cars… Castillo going commando… Zito’s body being held by Switek… the Spyder… the Testarosa… Phil Collins… Shelia Easton… Glenn Frey… Stiltsville… and then I start smiling… and then I get excited… and now I’m driving to the theater singing In the Air Tonight and I’m ready for some Miami Vice.
Well, I wasn’t let down. At first, I didn’t think that I would love the new, updated Sonny… after all, Don Johnson is a freaking legend. That’s right I said it. Don Johnson made Miami Vice. Tubbs? Fuck Tubbs. Tubbs in my mind was always a supporting player. And there were times where if I heard Pillip Michael Thomas do one more Jamaican accent I would have just had a siezure. So my expectations for Jamie Foxx were low… not because of Jamie Foxx, but mostly because of Tubbs.
Well within 10 minutes, Sonny was Sonny and Tubbs now rocked. This is the new Tubbs… the Tubbs that you knew Tubbs could be.
I loved this movie. Kicked Superman’s ass. Kicked Superman’s ass so hard that– insert some phrase here. Granted, I don’t think this is a movie you can see over and over and over… but it was a great movie and I’m ready for the sequel.