User Reviews

Ira Levin's 1953 novel of the same name provides the inspiration for this offbeat thriller which features an homme fatale who marries for money, is driven by an unusual obsession and kills without compunction. He's dangerous, duplicitous and driven by a lust for wealth, power and status that's so strong that it makes him deal ruthlessly with any impediments that get in his way. Because he's handsome, an inveterate schemer and also appears to be very personable, the danger he poses isn't readily apparent to other people and it's this quality that's well exploited to provide "A Kiss Before Dying" with most of its suspense.

Since his early childhood, Jonathan Corliss (Matt Dillon) had been obsessed by the wealth and power of the Carlsson family who owned the local copper mining company and this triggered in him a determination to achieve the same level of success and prestige in his own life. As a student at the University of Pennsylvania, he takes his first steps to achieving his goal by dating Dorothy Carlsson (Sean Young), the blonde daughter of the company's owner. Their relationship is kept a secret from their fellow students and goes well until Dorothy tells Jonathan that she's pregnant and feels compelled to get married without delay, even though this would inevitably mean being disinherited by her very conservative father. Jonathan seems to play along with the idea of getting married when the couple go to Philadelphia City Hall but arranges to arrive when the marriage licence bureau is closed and then suggests that they pass their waiting time up on the roof of the building. It's there that he takes the opportunity to throw Dorothy off a ledge to her certain death and casually leaves the building unnoticed as a crowd gather's around his victim's blood-covered body.

Dorothy's death is treated as a suicide by the authorities but her twin sister Ellen (also played by Sean Young) doesn't believe this verdict for a minute. She knows it would have been totally out of character for her sister to do such a thing and her view is reinforced by the discovery that on the day of her death, Dorothy had bought a new pair of shoes.

Jonathan hitch-hikes to New York and his conversation with his driver fortuitously provides him with all the material he needs to assume a new identity when he becomes a social worker and colleague of Ellen Carlsson who he befriends and later marries. As Jay Faraday, Jonathan gradually seems to achieve what he wanted after cleverly gaining the confidence of Ellen's father, Thor Carlsson (Max von Sydow) and being appointed to a high-powered job in his company. Ellen's continued determination to discover the truth about her twin's death, however, continues to cause problems which he naturally confronts very directly.

What makes Jonathan Corliss' obsession so unusual is the way in which he seems to regard the Carlssons as being synonymous with everything he craves rather than just being an example of it and it's this that makes him such a danger to that family. His obsession stems from his modest background and his childhood, during which he used to stare at the freight trains passing by his home and noticed the words "Carlsson Copper Corp" which were prominently displayed on the sides of each truck.

The brooding quality that Matt Dillon shows at various junctures effectively signals the presence of his obsession and the subtle ways in which he balances his character's psychopathic and more conventional behaviours also makes his performance both strong and effective. There are also good supporting performances from Max von Sydow and Diane Ladd (as Jonathan's mother) but Sean Young's portrayal of Ellen is quite expressionless at times and for this reason fails to be convincing.

The plot of the 1956 forerunner of this movie (which starred Robert Wagner and Joanne Woodward) has been tweaked to make it better attuned to its 1980s setting and is also well-served by having been injected with plenty of pace and tension. The story itself is also sufficiently different from most similar thrillers to easily sustain its audience's high level of interest from start to finish.

Having read Ira Levin's novel, and having seen the original film, and now this remake, one can only conclude this was a misguided project that doesn't add anything to the basic premise, or expand on it. Director James Dearden, who adapted the material for the screen, made a tactical error in making the Carlsson sisters as identical twins. Then, whoever cast Sean Young in the pivotal role of Ellen/Dorothy needs to have his head examined. Ms. Young, who showed some promise when she started appearing in movies, is totally unconvincing in this movie.

The only reason for watching the film is Matt Dillon, who is always an interesting presence on the screen. His Jonathan Corliss, the disturbed young man who resents what life had in store for him, is made to look bad from the beginning. Since Mr. Dearden starts the film at the most crucial point of the story, doesn't give the audience a cause as to why Jonathan acts the way he does. The other tactical error happens when Jonathan, who is not Jay, arrives with Dorothy by car and eliminates the young man who holds the key to the mystery and is going to show Dorothy the year book in which Corliss appears. We don't believe for a moment he was physically able to do the deed. Ditto what happens with Patricia Farren doesn't make sense at all.

Mr. Dearden asks a lot from the viewer and he is not too subtle about the way he presents the material. Max Von Sydow is totally wasted and Diane Ladd has only a couple of scenes.

Watch the 1956 original directed by Gerd Oswald!

(There are Spoilers) Meeting young Philadelphia collage student Dorothy Carlsson, Sean Young, at that city's municipal buildings marriage license bureau Jonathan Corliss, Matt Dillon, finds the office closed for lunch. Jonathan then talks the madly in love with him Dorothy into going up on the roof to see the sights until the office opens. Chit-chatting with Dorothy about their forthcoming marriage and what her authoritative father copper tycoon Thor Carlsson, Max Von Sydow,would do to her when he found about about it. Jonathan suddenly grabs a shocked Dorothy by her legs and shoves her off the roof and to her death below. Quickly leaving the building Jonathan drops a letter in the mailbox written by Dorothy that's supposed to be a suicide note that he had earlier tricked her into writing.

We later learn that Dorothy was made pregnant by Jonathan and the thought of him marrying her with her father cutting Dorothy out of her sizable inheritance was not in his plans. This drove him to murder her in order to keep Mr. Carlsson from finding out about it which he did anyway. What we also learn in what's in Jonathan's sick and devious plans is to go to step two and get to know and romance Dortohy's twin sister Ellen, also played by Sean Young. In this way Jonathan can have her replace the deceased Dorothy as his very rich and future wife.

Hitch-hiking to New York City where Ellen works as a volunteer at Castel House, a Covenant House-like shelter for the homeless, Jonathan is picked up Jay Faraday,Adam Horovitz, who we later find out he murdered and stole his identity. In no time at all Jonathan works his way into Ellen's heart getting a job at Castle House and working together with her driving around the drug and crime infested streets of mid-town Manhattan. The two volunteer workers pick up and give hope as well as finding a home for discarded homeless and drug-addicted youths. Unknown to Jonathan Ellen never believed that her sister Dorothy killed herself and with her going out on her own to solve Dorothy's death it will lead to uncovering who her real killer is; Ellen's future husband Jonathan, now known as Jay Faraday, Corliss!

Unlike in the original "A Kiss Before Dying" in the updated version Jonathan and Ellen do get married and her finding out about him being her sister's murderer she discovers on her own. Not with the help of the ex-cop and now private investigator Dan Corelli, James Russo, whom she hired. Ellen as well as her father Thor are far more naive about her boyfriend/husband in this version of the movie then in he original with all the clues about Jonathan right in front of them. The most obvious being that Jonathan was using an assumed and stolen, from one of his murder victims, name which by not being able to find that very simple fact out was by far the biggest blunder that Thor Cralsson made in the movie. Were earlier told that Mr. Carlsson was so protective of his daughters that he had anyone who dated them investigated from head to toe. So why couldn't he find out that his future son-in-law was not only an impostor but possibly, with him assuming the name of a missing person, a murderer as well!

The ending is by far the best part of the movie far better then the ending of the 1956 version. Even though overall it was not as good as the 1956 original Jonathan gets it a lot worse here in the form of a runaway diesel locomotive; where in the 1956 film he was only done in by an 18 wheeler.

Poor Sean Young. Once upon a time she was an actress with such a bright future, poised, seemingly, for great stardom. She even had a quality that recalled some of the glamour and allure of the 40's and 50's. Put to good use in such films as "Blade Runner" and "No Way Out", there seemed nearly no end in sight. And then her "difficult" personality got in the way and Oliver Stone fired her from "Wall Street", in which she was to have a major part; then her alleged relationship with former co-star James Woods, and subsequent "Fatal Attraction"-style antics against him, in addition to her amusingly disturbing all-out efforts to snag the role of 'Catwoman' in the first sequel to "Batman", seemed to have a snowball effect, effectively curtailing her trajectory and reducing her to such projects as "Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde" and numerous direct-to-cable/video duds. While "A Kiss Before Dying" has a much better pedigree than "Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde" ever could, thanks in part to being based on a solid, little Ira Levin book and blessed with at least two respected actors (Diane Ladd and Max Von Sydow), it, too, is a near-total failure, and Sean Young is, sadly, a major factor as to 'why'. With a strong director and viable material, she has proved to be a good actor and oddly charismatic, even when the film didn't warrant it (see "Blade Runner"). She was never a GREAT actress, mind you, but had an unmistakable appeal. Here, however, even that appeal seems gone, for nothing can disguise her sleepwalking performance in a dual role as twins, one of whom is murdered (her death scene is brutal), the other of whom decides to investigate the death, never believing it was the suicide it was assumed to be. Soon after her investigation begins, she meets the man who, unbeknownst to her, murdered her sister. This man is played by Matt Dillon, who is supposed to be charming, seductive, secretive, elusive, and ruthless. While one can easily imagine an actor as physically pretty as Robert Wagner - he wasn't just 'handsome', he was 'pretty', let's face it - Matt Dillon is simply wrong, in every manner, for this part. Totally miscast, he is neither particularly charming nor seductive, and seemingly unable to register the ruthlessness and danger the part calls for. His thick, New York accent is also a distraction, at least in this role. That he and Young have absolutely no chemistry doesn't help matters any, making yet another major quibble a minor one: both seem a bit too old. In supporting roles, as Dillon's mother and Young's father, Diane Ladd and Max Von Sydow provide much-needed class to the potboiler/neo-noir proceedings, though Ladd comes off more successfully; Von Sydow is utterly wasted. ANY actor could have done his role - why choose someone SO spectacularly talented for such a thankless part? As for the screenplay, though based on the book, it seems to be stuffed with every cliché from every modern-day thriller, right down to the routine and predictable climax (apparently reshot after test audiences didn't approve) and the pointless, if limited, sex scenes, which might titillate some (thanks to mild nudity) but do nothing to further the plot or add to the tension. The direction, too, is at fault: since everything here is something you've seen before (and in much better films), and nearly each moment is telegraphed well in advance, there are practically zero chills or thrills to be had. Strong actors may have been able to smooth over these problems, but again, the film is done no service by its leads, particularly Young, who is plain AWFUL. It surely stands with Demi Moore in "The Scarlet Letter" and Elizabeth Berkley in "Showgirls" as being one of THE worst performances in a major motion picture - and, perhaps, even WORSE because Young is playing TWO parts. She rightfully won her 2 Razzies (for Worst Actress and Supporting Actress). But, as said, Dillon's not too much better. A little bit but not much. HIS line readings, at least, don't suggest a coma. Unfortunately, for the audience, a coma might just be preferable to sitting through this lot.

Remake of the Fifties 'film noir' of the same name, this movie from the writer of "Fatal Attraction" turns out to be an entertaining and tense thriller about a young man (Matt Dillon) obsessed with a family's wealth and power. Dillon's character, Jonathan Corliss (a part that perhaps could have been played a little 'darker'), proceeds to infiltrate the family via relationships with twin sisters, played well by Sean Young.

Although the ending is all too brief, and shock misused where intrigue may have been better, the plot is well handled by James Dearden; especially the first murder, which may surprise those not familiar with the book.

Sunday, June 23, 1991 - Knox District Centre

If you're a Matt Dillon fan, or have a curiosity about the dark side of human nature, then you'll enjoy this movie. The biggest problem with this film is there are way too many coincidences. Also, some parts are downright unbelievable. Here are some of the holes: The first murder: it's hard to believe that if you murder someone on the rooftop of a high-rise building that someone from a nearby building wouldn't have seen anything and reported it to the police. Why wouldn't the cops check for prints on the victim's shoes or purse? Why wouldn't they take a DNA sample from the fetus in order to determine the father of the unborn child? The second murder: what did Jonathan do with Jay's body? Why wouldn't the cops check for prints on Jay's car? Why wouldn't millionaire Carlsson have investigated the background of "Jay Farraday" and discovered discrepancies with Jonathan's alter-ego? The third murder: how could the killer work in New York, but find the exact moment to follow his girlfriend to Philadephia? How was he able to see what kind of car the murder victim was driving, and then go back to his own car so that he could follow him to his apartment? The fourth murder: the detective traced the victim's call to the killer's phone and could have seen how many minutes they spoke, yet did not ask for the killer's alibi. Dorothy just happened to be listening when her old acquaintance's murder was announced on the radio. Wouldn't the killer have been smart enough to weigh down the suitcase with the sliced up body and wrap it up so that it wouldn't come open in the ocean? He had an incinerator in his building. Why wouldn't he use it? The worst coincidences: the killer could murder a sister, then go to her identical twin and have her fall in love with him and marry him. What are the odds in a city of 7 million people and thousands of restaurants of Jonathan/Jay running into a former co-worker from another city at the same time that he had Dorothy with him (a rarity in itself)?