Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Talented actors give slow-burning murder mystery gravitas.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
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Out of Blue
What's the Story?
OUT OF BLUE stars Patricia Clarkson as Mike Hoolihan, an unconventional yet brilliant detective who meets her match when astrophysics professor Jennifer Rockwell (Mamie Gummer) is found dead in the observatory where she works. Putting together the puzzle pieces leads Hoolihan in strange directions and toward strange people, since Rockwell's wealthy mover-and-shaker dad, Colonel Tom Rockwell (James Caan); her unstable mother, Miriam (Jacki Weaver); and her duplicitous boss (Toby Jones) are all suspects, among many others. But as Hoolihan uncovers more of Jennifer's secrets, the detective begins to wonder whether her death was caused by darkness in the human heart -- or in the stars.
Is It Any Good?
Mystical and atmospheric, this film casts a spell, but ultimately it's too long and too slow-burning to really enchant. Carol Morley's murder mystery -- which was based on the novel by Martin Amis -- clearly wants viewers to draw parallels between Jennifer Rockwell's snuffed-out life and the dying stars she studied. The film stops dead in its tracks several times to allow the scientist to intone portentous statements like "There is much we can't see, detect, or comprehend, yet we spend our lives trying to get to the heart of this dark energy, this dark matter." All righty, then. What really lends this film the gravitas it has are the talented actors in the cast, not the labored connection between consciousness and cosmology that never quite gels.
Instead, what we have here is a procedural, albeit a very languid one. Clarkson, always a delight to watch, ratchets up her emotional involvement as she makes the rounds of Rockwell's loved ones over and over, poking into the dead woman's life even as her own buttoned-down existence starts to fray at the edges. The plotline has the same beats as a Law & Order episode -- but with sterling talent in front of the camera and big ideas at work (even if they're half-baked), this drama is more special, if somewhat frustrating for the impatient and/or the thrill-seeking.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why dramas about murder and crime are so popular. What movies can you think of that are similar to Out of Blue? Why is the idea of people with secrets such a compelling one for viewers?
Many of the scenes in this movie are literally dark: The light is so low that it's hard to make out what's happening. Why do you think filmmakers would make their visuals too dark to clearly see? What message is being communicated?
How do the characters in Out of Blue demonstrate perseverance and courage? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 22, 2019
- On DVD or streaming : September 2, 2019
- Cast : Patricia Clarkson , Mamie Gummer , James Caan , Jacki Weaver
- Director : Carol Morley
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : IFC
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance
- Run time : 109 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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