It seems that many people think it's easy to be(come) Alfred Hitchcock. Well, this movie really has something that might look like Hitch. In his (rare) bad moments.
First half of the movie is preparing us quite slowly, but not boring. In fact, it's almost astonishing how relations develop, and the changes of direction in the plot happen often (more surprising than confusing), so it reminds on 'Psycho'. Characters are like 'Strangers in the Train' - no one we could like. The actors don't try to convince we should like them either; this is a welfare for this part of the movie, because we still don't know what to expect, and distinguish good and bad guys. Quite soon, however, we understand Brooke Shields is the good one, and the others compete who is more evil. No one she and we can trust (like 'Rebecca'). In second half of the movie we understand almost everything, and the lack of surprises destroys all the suspense this movie could have been full of if made by Hitchcock. In fact, I presume the director is not the one to blame, he couldn't have put in movie something screenplay didn't contain (only thing he could have done to save it was to rewrite last 40 or 50 minutes). He keeps our attention successfully, leading us through the movie as if it is interesting, and we wait for something that never comes. When the movie turns to be a thriller, almost horror, we don't get a single twist in the plot any more, and also not a satisfying explanation about the motives of the (most) evil person. This movie deserves a new version that would keep only first half and change the rest completely.
And the last scene (less than a minute) is a change that finally completely ruins the construction. It is borrowed from modern horrors (Nightmare on Elm Street # 1 and his countless copies). You can't stick it to a Hitch-like movie. It looks as if 'Dial M for Murder' ends with someone looking for the key on the stairs (but after few years), or if in last scene of 'Frenzy' appears a hand holding a tie.
Not to avoid. Not to look for. Watch if there's nothing better to do, and if you don't admire Hitchcock too much so you would be insulted.
First half of the movie is preparing us quite slowly, but not boring. In fact, it's almost astonishing how relations develop, and the changes of direction in the plot happen often (more surprising than confusing), so it reminds on 'Psycho'. Characters are like 'Strangers in the Train' - no one we could like. The actors don't try to convince we should like them either; this is a welfare for this part of the movie, because we still don't know what to expect, and distinguish good and bad guys. Quite soon, however, we understand Brooke Shields is the good one, and the others compete who is more evil. No one she and we can trust (like 'Rebecca'). In second half of the movie we understand almost everything, and the lack of surprises destroys all the suspense this movie could have been full of if made by Hitchcock. In fact, I presume the director is not the one to blame, he couldn't have put in movie something screenplay didn't contain (only thing he could have done to save it was to rewrite last 40 or 50 minutes). He keeps our attention successfully, leading us through the movie as if it is interesting, and we wait for something that never comes. When the movie turns to be a thriller, almost horror, we don't get a single twist in the plot any more, and also not a satisfying explanation about the motives of the (most) evil person. This movie deserves a new version that would keep only first half and change the rest completely.
And the last scene (less than a minute) is a change that finally completely ruins the construction. It is borrowed from modern horrors (Nightmare on Elm Street # 1 and his countless copies). You can't stick it to a Hitch-like movie. It looks as if 'Dial M for Murder' ends with someone looking for the key on the stairs (but after few years), or if in last scene of 'Frenzy' appears a hand holding a tie.
Not to avoid. Not to look for. Watch if there's nothing better to do, and if you don't admire Hitchcock too much so you would be insulted.