Daryll (William Hurt) is a Vietnam vet with a somewhat menial janitor's job. His fellow janitor at the same office building, likewise a Vietnam vet, Aldo (James Woods) has bigger dreams for the two of them. Operating in tandem, Aldo wants to open their own business. But, Al has a darker past, being somewhat mentally off balance. One night, at the building, a successful Vietnamese business man is murdered. Poor Daryll finds the body. At once, this mild mannered man fears that Aldo was the shooter. But, Daryll's attention is soon drawn to the beautiful reporter who shows up to get a story. Its Tony Sokolow (Sigourney Weaver), the object of Daryll's dream affections. Instead of relating much about the discovery of the body, Daryll flirts shamelessly and Tony, who is already engaged to an Israeli bigshot, Joseph (Christopher Plummer), wants to end the conversation. It is then that Daryll pretends he knows more than he does and leads her into another meeting. Meanwhile, Joseph, who is a friend of the wealthy Sokolow family, is off to negotiate the release of more Jews from the Soviet Union to Israel. Unbeknownst to Tony, his travel companion is his "lady on the side". As the police detectives (Morgan Freeman and Steven Hill) try to find the murderer, they trail Daryll and Tony and search for Aldo, who is missing. But, was either janitor the real killer? Could it be someone totally unexpected? This film has some themes that appear foreign to today's population. First, the issue of Vietnam vets and their poor prospects upon return to the USA is examined with touching candor here. This is especially true of its look into the mental health problems of those who fought an unpopular and damaging war. Then, since The Soviet Union collapse, there has been little discussion of former attempts to get oppressed Russian Jews within the Union to Israel for a better life. The cast is great. Hurt displays a humor and gregariousness missing from a good deal of his works and Weaver compliments him. Plummer, always fine, displays a darker side while Freeman, Hill, Woods, Pamela Reed, Kenneth McMillan and the rest are wonderful. Yes, the sets and costumes are from the seventies, which are somewhat comical, but the script/direction is taut and intelligent. Did you miss Eyewitness long ago? You can still find copies so search for it if this summary sounds worthy to you.
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