There are certainly challenges in adapting a 50's pulp novel and bringing it up to date, but James Foley handled it well. The key is to simply ignore all of the things that have changed, except for the things that are too glaring to be ignored. Luckily the basic themes of Thompsons stories are timeless. Greed, lust, and deception don't change much over the years. I particularly appreciate that they left Collins' character alone, because his simple mindedness is what made the character great. The only real problems with the film come with the low budget. Cheesy music and empty boxing arenas are a dead giveaway, but the low budget also helped. The movie feels stark, barren, empty, just like the characters. I really enjoyed it.
Review of After Dark, My Sweet
