‎The Hot Spot (1990) directed by Dennis Hopper • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

The Hot Spot

1990 Directed by Dennis Hopper

A loner moves in to a small Texas town, finds himself a job, and sets about plotting to rob the local bank.

Don Johnson Virginia Madsen Jennifer Connelly Charles Martin Smith William Sadler Jerry Hardin Barry Corbin Leon Rippy Jack Nance Virgil Frye John Hawker Margaret Bowman Debra Cole Karen Culley Cody Haynes

130 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Christian Doig ★★★★

I remember watching a bit of this before and already being impressed by its overt sensuality, raw violence and ethics, and cynical tone. A down-on-his-luck mysterious stranger (Don Johnson) arrives in a small Texas town only to get caught in a feverish web of sex and crime. Of course, at the centre of it all lays the local femme fatale (Virginia Madsen), but also the town's seemingly innocent ingenue (Jennifer Connelly), as the tough guy indulges his carnal appetites with one --and who can blame him, it's Virginia Madsen we are talking about-- while keeping a far more romantic and tender affair with the other. That's a healthy sex drive.

The problem is, Madsen is the (obviously) slutty wife of…
Review by Steve G ★★★½

The 80s and 90s Neo-Noir Project

A bit of an old favourite from my younger days, but I think mostly due to the HUUUUGE crush I had on Jennifer Connelly there for about 2 years.

Pretty much anything she was in that I saw around that time became a favourite of some description, even Inventing The Abbotts, which was a boring load of old crap. Mind you, that had the added bonus of having Liv Tyler in it as she became my next huge crush over the next 2 years. It was a passing of the torch, if you will.

Of course, Connelly is still absolutely stunning both in The Hot Spot and in the present day, but this rewatch…
Review by Kyle ★★★ 3

The Hot Spot is a film in which the phrase "I am fucking you to death" is spoken entirely unironically, during a scene in which said act is physically taking place.

Could've used more Jack Nance. Three stars, two of which are for each of Jennifer Connelly's eyebrows.
Review by Joe ★★★½

Eyebrows after my own heart.
Review by John Bayer ★★★ 3

Entertaining sultry neo-noir directed by Dennis Hopper. Don Johnson is a loner who moves to a small Texas town, gets a job selling cars, romances sweet young Jennifer Connolly, bangs his boss's scheming sex crazed wife (Virginia Madsen), and attempts to make a score so he can get outta town. It's not the most original story but held my interest with the eye candy of Madsen & Connolly, a twisty plot (seduction, blackmail, a heist, & murder), a cool blues soundtrack, and an ever so cool performance by Don Johnson.

Gramps and I agree on a ☆☆☆ rating
Review by P U R D I E ★★★★

Viewed as part of Xanax & Strippers: The Todd Gaines Challenge
10. A 90's Neo Noir

Now this right here is a fun little movie from Dennis Hopper.
The pacing is probably going to be too slow for most folks but if, like me, you love Film Noir, desert flicks, atmosphere, 80's character actors and beautiful woman then this movie is for you.
The Hot Spot is one of those thrillers that don't get made much anymore. It's in no rush to tell it's story and there's hardly an action scene in sight; it's all about characters and this movie is full of them.

In a nutshell, Don Johnson is an untrustworthy guy who comes to town, scores a job right…

Recent reviews

Review by jamesrobdouglas

No way this should be a 130 minute movie, but the lackadaisical pace ends up being fine -- mostly.

Don't really know what names to drop, but Hopper's familiarity with fine art seems particularly evident -- the film has a photographic charge superior to most. I'd like to see it stripped down to a book of stills. Redundant to claim that any movie could be designed working back from a Cindy Sherman-esque Untitled Film Still series, but it's enjoyably true here.
Review by AndrewFM1987 ★★★★

Great sweltering neo-noir from Dennis Hopper. Probably Don Johnson's best performance, at least until Cold in July. Love the soundtrack, especially during the bank robbery. It's fun to see Hopper cast the old Texan who played the shopkeeper who sold him chainsaws in Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 in a bit part as a bible-reading man in the boarding house Johnson stays at. Also, Jennifer Connelly is naked in one scene so that's an extra star from me.
Review by Robert Hardy ★½

Killer soundtrack by Jack Nitzsche and Don has a cool car but Dennis Hopper's film sucks ass.
Review by Vinson Gabato ★★★

Noirish themes were put in good use but editing could have been used to lessen the running time to make it less plodding. Virginia Madsen is underrated in this.
Review by Winonarideme ★½

Boo, women! They're either evil and manipulative or timid and sad.

Great music.

Some pretty bits.

Main guy is a sleazy douche being portrayed as this cool suave Bond-type. Hate Bond too though.
Review by Christian Doig ★★★★

I remember watching a bit of this before and already being impressed by its overt sensuality, raw violence and ethics, and cynical tone. A down-on-his-luck mysterious stranger (Don Johnson) arrives in a small Texas town only to get caught in a feverish web of sex and crime. Of course, at the centre of it all lays the local femme fatale (Virginia Madsen), but also the town's seemingly innocent ingenue (Jennifer Connelly), as the tough guy indulges his carnal appetites with one --and who can blame him, it's Virginia Madsen we are talking about-- while keeping a far more romantic and tender affair with the other. That's a healthy sex drive.

The problem is, Madsen is the (obviously) slutty wife of…
Review by Matthew O'Donnell ★★★

Solid, sweaty noir with Don Johnson being cool as hell.

It's nothing that new, but it plays on everything you expect - drifter in a small town where everyone has a secret - and it's just a lot of fun to watch everything unfold.

Or more fitting, undress.

The cast is pretty great. Currently in the middle of watching Miami Vice - Don Johnson was made for this role - Jennifer Connelly, Virginia Madsen and even Jack Nance provide solid support.

I would argue that it seems to all kick off in the last half hour, almost as if it's a completely different film...which is a bit of a tonal shift.

It works well enough, with most of the film…
Review by Wilson ★★★

Dennis Hopper directs this neo-noir where Don Johnson, looking like a sleazy Kevin Costner, has to decide between the delights of Jennifer Connolly or Virginia Madsen, while committing some criminal activity and generally knocking about the Deep South. It is way too long at over two hours, however it is not all bad and kind of enjoyable in sleazy, lots of nudity, kind of way.
Review by Heath Rhoads ★★★

This was a pretty fun little Southern Fried Neo-Noir and I really wish that I had Don Johnson's problems of having to choose between Virginia Madsen and Jennifer Connelly in this film. Sounds like a win, win to me!