Loved Rutger, liked the movie, and Quentin Tarantino wrote the script!
12 Reviews
Tarantino wrote the manuscript!
jonathangoransson25 July 2020
A decent diversion
somf2 January 2000
Warning: Spoilers
Natasha Richardson is always fun to watch and I've also enjoyed Rutger Hauer also, so when this appeared on my cable the other day I was kind of curious. Since no one had written a comment on it, I decided to do so. It's a suspense film with a lot of suspects. I really don't want to comment at all on the plot, because to do so even in the least would constitute a spoiler. I only gave it a six, but perhaps if I were feeling generous I would have given it a seven. If you are a big fan of grade-B suspense then check this out. There are worse ways to spend 90 minutes.
Prelude to Twilight - Woman seeks love with murderer.
vitaleralphlouis12 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
By odd coincidence we watched "Past Midnight" right after "Twilight". Both films have much in common. In 2009's Twilight, Kristen Stewart seeks romance with vampire-nice-guy, and in this one Natasha Richardson seeks love with convicted-and-released murderer Rutger Hauer. Both movies were made by female film-makers, and each was filmed in rural Washington state. Either film will tell you what girls and women dream about: Prince Charming, NOT; rather a bad guy who they can make-over.
Past Midnight is the better movie. Hauer may or may not be an innocent man framed; but Natasha falls for him well before she has any clue he might not have stabbed his pregnant wife in the gut with a butcher knife. More I need not tell you except Hauer comes across as a real man, whether guilty or not he's to be reckoned with --- unlike the sissy style "vampire veg" guys in Twilight. Past Midnight delivers a good 90 minutes of entertainment.
Past Midnight is the better movie. Hauer may or may not be an innocent man framed; but Natasha falls for him well before she has any clue he might not have stabbed his pregnant wife in the gut with a butcher knife. More I need not tell you except Hauer comes across as a real man, whether guilty or not he's to be reckoned with --- unlike the sissy style "vampire veg" guys in Twilight. Past Midnight delivers a good 90 minutes of entertainment.
A Better Grade of B Movie
chrisCW5 January 2003
Whilst this film is not going to re-invent the Suspense/Thriller genre it views as one that could have been an A movie with a little more money and a bit of promotion. Certainly not with a change of cast. The twists, the developing romantic theme, all make this worth your viewing time. Rutger Hauer has his own unique brand of acting and Natasha Richardson can not only act but is rather cute.
Not The Usual Rugged Rutger
ccthemovieman-15 July 2006
This turned out to be more of a women's romance-soap-suspense film than what I hoped it was....simply a tense thriller. Yes, the final 20 minutes were suspenseful but much of the previous 75 bordered on being just plain tedious.
Ruter Hauer was a little too subdued, not playing his normal intense character. Natasha Richardson sports somewhat of a dumb look most of the time and her character was very unappealing.
The story is so-so. It's not as bad as I'm making out, but it sure isn't anything I'd watch again, and the back of the VHS describing this movie was misleading.
Ruter Hauer was a little too subdued, not playing his normal intense character. Natasha Richardson sports somewhat of a dumb look most of the time and her character was very unappealing.
The story is so-so. It's not as bad as I'm making out, but it sure isn't anything I'd watch again, and the back of the VHS describing this movie was misleading.
Move along, there's nothing to see here.
tsmith41711 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this last night since there was absolutely nothing else of interest on. While I made it thru the whole movie, I was bored.
A man (Rutger Hauer) spends 15 years in prison for the murder of his wife and then is released and meets up with his social worker (Natasha Richardson) so that she can find him a job.
They fall in love and she spends a lot of time trying to find out the details of the murder that he was accused of and for the next half-hour it's a matter of is he or isn't he guilty.
The movie takes place in Washington state so it rains. A lot. I guess that's supposed to add to the suspense but all it did for me was make me feel cold and damp.
The ending came out of nowhere and the viewer is left wondering why nobody in the last 15 years, not the people living in the town, not the man's lawyer, and especially not the police, ever knew anything about any of it.
If you're desperate for something to watch and find a copy of this film in the bargain bin at WalMart you can give it a try, but don't go out of your way to get it.
A man (Rutger Hauer) spends 15 years in prison for the murder of his wife and then is released and meets up with his social worker (Natasha Richardson) so that she can find him a job.
They fall in love and she spends a lot of time trying to find out the details of the murder that he was accused of and for the next half-hour it's a matter of is he or isn't he guilty.
The movie takes place in Washington state so it rains. A lot. I guess that's supposed to add to the suspense but all it did for me was make me feel cold and damp.
The ending came out of nowhere and the viewer is left wondering why nobody in the last 15 years, not the people living in the town, not the man's lawyer, and especially not the police, ever knew anything about any of it.
If you're desperate for something to watch and find a copy of this film in the bargain bin at WalMart you can give it a try, but don't go out of your way to get it.
JEER - (3 stars out of 10)
BJG-Reviews28 July 2020
The stage curtains open ...
"Past Midnight" had all the earmarks of being a worthy entry in its genre, a sleeper, a hidden gem. However, despite Natasha Richardson's undeniable onscreen charm, and some pretty good cinematography, this thriller came off as a lost opportunity.
Richardson plays the part of a social services worker, Laura Matthews, who is assigned the task of helping a parolee, Ben Jordan (Rutger Hauer), find employment upon being released from prison. Jordan was tried and convicted for the murder of his pregnant wife, yet after meeting with Ben, Laura is not entirely convinced that he did it. Despite warnings from her well-meaning co-worker and ex-lover, Laura takes it upon herself to investigate the events of that night which eventually leads to the revelation of the truth behind a man who she is beginning to fall in love with.
The movie actually started out really good. The characters were strong, the acting fairly decent, and, as I mentioned before, the cinematography was spot on. They even threw in a joke to get you smiling, no doubt the influence of Quentin Tarantino. But, about halfway through, the movie starts to lose itself. The screenplay was pretty weak, which surprises me, since Tarantino had a hand in it. The love scene between Richardson and Hauer had no chemistry, and in fact, it seemed like they were only doing that scene because they had to. I didn't buy any of the dynamics between them. And the story and final reveal was pretty absurd by movie's end.
I cannot recommend this one. I saw it late night, and as something to do when there is nothing else to do, it will fill the void. However, you would be better served watching an old favorite than taking a chance on this lost dud. It is easy to see why it wasn't a hit back in the day. 3 stars out of 10.
"Past Midnight" had all the earmarks of being a worthy entry in its genre, a sleeper, a hidden gem. However, despite Natasha Richardson's undeniable onscreen charm, and some pretty good cinematography, this thriller came off as a lost opportunity.
Richardson plays the part of a social services worker, Laura Matthews, who is assigned the task of helping a parolee, Ben Jordan (Rutger Hauer), find employment upon being released from prison. Jordan was tried and convicted for the murder of his pregnant wife, yet after meeting with Ben, Laura is not entirely convinced that he did it. Despite warnings from her well-meaning co-worker and ex-lover, Laura takes it upon herself to investigate the events of that night which eventually leads to the revelation of the truth behind a man who she is beginning to fall in love with.
The movie actually started out really good. The characters were strong, the acting fairly decent, and, as I mentioned before, the cinematography was spot on. They even threw in a joke to get you smiling, no doubt the influence of Quentin Tarantino. But, about halfway through, the movie starts to lose itself. The screenplay was pretty weak, which surprises me, since Tarantino had a hand in it. The love scene between Richardson and Hauer had no chemistry, and in fact, it seemed like they were only doing that scene because they had to. I didn't buy any of the dynamics between them. And the story and final reveal was pretty absurd by movie's end.
I cannot recommend this one. I saw it late night, and as something to do when there is nothing else to do, it will fill the void. However, you would be better served watching an old favorite than taking a chance on this lost dud. It is easy to see why it wasn't a hit back in the day. 3 stars out of 10.
b+
kirk_bones27 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
If a film looks like a B movie and smells like a B movie then in my opinion it usually is a B movie but this film while definitely not an A movie it isn't far off being one. Ben Jordan(Rutger Hauer) is found guilty of stabbing his pregnant wife and spends 15 years in jail. The film begins when he is released from jail ,moves to a small town to start again and is assigned a social worker Laura Matthews (Natsha Richardson).the two form an unlikely friendship and become lovers.While everyone,including the towns chief of police, think he was guilty,Laura has her doubts and after a spot of investigation comes to the conclusion that he is actually innocent. Now we have probably sen this done before and no doubt better but the chemistry of the two main stars carries the film along nicely and the final scenes of the film are very gripping,almost edge of the seat stuff. After the "The hitcher" and "Blade runner" i would have liked Rutger Hauer to have been a bigger star in Hollywood but his career like that of Lou Diamond Philips,another actor I think should be a bigger star,seems to have been relegated to straight to video movies.. Natasha Richardson is a very pretty English actress that hasn't really been a movie trailblazer but she handles her role,including a quite steamy sex scene,very well and as I said her on screen chemistry with Rutger Hauer carries the film along nicely. Don't watch this film and expect any Oscar winning performances but if you want a neat compact thriller then with this film you can't go far wrong.
Past Midnight i give a very commendable 8/10
Past Midnight i give a very commendable 8/10
If
pomeu-6385023 February 2023
If Quentin Tarantino really wrote this movie, this is easily his worst cinematic endeavor.
Clearly, this story was written by frustrated men-children who don't have a clue how women's minds work. Somehow, a social worker falls in love with a hobo-looking older ex-con who not only acts like he's special needs, but also threatens her from day 1. What a Don Juan.
Hauer's character is the least likeable protagonist since WW2 movies about Hitler. Whether he killed his wife or not, he's a menacing jerk who stalks his social worker.
On top of that, the movie is poorly edited. Scenes jump around without warning, leaving the viewer to figure out how she's in her living room one minute and then waking up somewhere else entirely.
She never calls the cops when she should and by the end I was really hoping she'd get stabbed to death. Alas, we get a bizarre ending where the killer vomits a whole different movie on top of our damsel, which, frankly, might have made a much better movie than Past Midnight.
Get out of the house right meow! Oink oink.
Clearly, this story was written by frustrated men-children who don't have a clue how women's minds work. Somehow, a social worker falls in love with a hobo-looking older ex-con who not only acts like he's special needs, but also threatens her from day 1. What a Don Juan.
Hauer's character is the least likeable protagonist since WW2 movies about Hitler. Whether he killed his wife or not, he's a menacing jerk who stalks his social worker.
On top of that, the movie is poorly edited. Scenes jump around without warning, leaving the viewer to figure out how she's in her living room one minute and then waking up somewhere else entirely.
She never calls the cops when she should and by the end I was really hoping she'd get stabbed to death. Alas, we get a bizarre ending where the killer vomits a whole different movie on top of our damsel, which, frankly, might have made a much better movie than Past Midnight.
Get out of the house right meow! Oink oink.
Nicely done
gjenevieve3 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I am a Rutger Hauer fan, so when I saw this movie on Netflix, I had it delivered. I was very pleased with the movie. Rutger Hauer delivers a great performance, as usual.
I do not usually care too much for love scenes. But, the few they had in this movie were great. I chalk that up to the fact that they involved Rutger Hauer.
I had figured out the killer early on but didn't know what the motive was. The motive took me by surprise. Even though I was sure of who the killer was, the movie was able to keep me in suspense and had me wondering if I was right.
I thought that the story line was good. There were just the right number of twists and turns. I was very interested in the characters and what was happening with them.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a lot of the writing was done by Quentin Tarantino. It isn't like Kill Bill or any of the others that have massive violence and blood. I am not a fan of Kill Bill, so the fact that this was very different than that was a bonus.
I was getting worried near the end of the movie that it might not end correctly. I am very particular about movie story lines and endings. Most of the time I am not a fan of unhappy endings, not am I a fan of movies that leave you hanging with a bunch of unanswered questions. This wrapped everything up pretty neatly.
I do not know why so many people gave this movie such low ratings. I think that it is very well done and most definitely worth watching.
I do not usually care too much for love scenes. But, the few they had in this movie were great. I chalk that up to the fact that they involved Rutger Hauer.
I had figured out the killer early on but didn't know what the motive was. The motive took me by surprise. Even though I was sure of who the killer was, the movie was able to keep me in suspense and had me wondering if I was right.
I thought that the story line was good. There were just the right number of twists and turns. I was very interested in the characters and what was happening with them.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a lot of the writing was done by Quentin Tarantino. It isn't like Kill Bill or any of the others that have massive violence and blood. I am not a fan of Kill Bill, so the fact that this was very different than that was a bonus.
I was getting worried near the end of the movie that it might not end correctly. I am very particular about movie story lines and endings. Most of the time I am not a fan of unhappy endings, not am I a fan of movies that leave you hanging with a bunch of unanswered questions. This wrapped everything up pretty neatly.
I do not know why so many people gave this movie such low ratings. I think that it is very well done and most definitely worth watching.
A great murder mystery
daysleeper-666-8782407 November 2020
I picked this movie up on vhs for 10 cents at the local goodwill. I wasn't expecting too much, but I knew Rutger Hauer was in it, and his movies are usually pretty good. I didn't expect for him to be playing a man so vulnerable though, he wasn't his usual tough and villainous character. What I also didn't expect was how well Natasha Richardson played her part, which was the trusting yet also vulnerable social worker Laura Matthews, tasked with finding a job for the parolled Ben Jordan (Hauer) Laura has suspicions of Jordan's guilt or innocence in the crime of killing his wife 15 years earlier, and she investigates, against her client's wishes. The movie moves along quite well and you're wondering whether he was guilty or not, and is Laura getting too close to him, endangering her own life and those around her.
Nice watch
Montserrat233 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is a story about redemption, or, rather, making things right.
I enjoyed this movie, especially because of the acting.
Two late actors whom I love, Natasha Richardson and Rutger Hauer, make this film worth watching IMO.
A social worker takes the case of a man who went to jail for allegedly killing his pregnant wife (and consequently, her unborn baby) in a horrifying manner. He's out now, looking for a job and trying to improve his life.
A young woman is helping with his reinsertion.
She's immediately interested in the case and she feels that he might be innocent after all. They fall in love very quickly.
What makes this movie interesting is that we don't know who we're dealing with until the very end, hence the suspense.
Natasha Richardson, Liam Neeson's late wife, is a very pleasant actress and she's got this loving aura, making her well suited for the role. She even can seem a bit naïve, which works well with the story.
I won't reveal what happens in the end, but my comment can make some people draw (the right) conclusions, so I prefer to say my humble review contains some spoilers, in its own way!
I recommend Past Midnight : good story, tense and well done overall. Good acting.
NB: It might seem a bit outdated though, but I didn't mind at all.
I enjoyed this movie, especially because of the acting.
Two late actors whom I love, Natasha Richardson and Rutger Hauer, make this film worth watching IMO.
A social worker takes the case of a man who went to jail for allegedly killing his pregnant wife (and consequently, her unborn baby) in a horrifying manner. He's out now, looking for a job and trying to improve his life.
A young woman is helping with his reinsertion.
She's immediately interested in the case and she feels that he might be innocent after all. They fall in love very quickly.
What makes this movie interesting is that we don't know who we're dealing with until the very end, hence the suspense.
Natasha Richardson, Liam Neeson's late wife, is a very pleasant actress and she's got this loving aura, making her well suited for the role. She even can seem a bit naïve, which works well with the story.
I won't reveal what happens in the end, but my comment can make some people draw (the right) conclusions, so I prefer to say my humble review contains some spoilers, in its own way!
I recommend Past Midnight : good story, tense and well done overall. Good acting.
NB: It might seem a bit outdated though, but I didn't mind at all.
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