User Reviews

A woman erotically obsessed with a married man who has spurned her aggressive advances has prepared for her own ostensible murder by him, an act that severely interferes with the existence of her ardour's target, forensic psychiatrist Philip Benesch (Powers Boothe), who is suspected by police detectives as indeed being her killer. This then becomes the foundation for a consistently engaging and suspenseful film originally produced for television airing. Doctor Benesch is an employee of the San Francisco Police Department, married and with two young daughters, but nonetheless harbours inclinations to stray into extramarital affairs until his wife Ellen (Pam Dawber), finally discovering proof of one of them, a fling with another psychiatrist (Rosalind Chao). While Philip and Ellen are working toward a reconciliation, an overheated court reporter, Corrie (Lisa Collins), begins to romantically pursue Benesch, but he refuses to begin a relationship with her, because of a sincere desire to save his marriage. Following Corrie's death that she has designed to appear as a homicide committed by Benesch, he finds that he must dedicate himself to saving his own life, eventually persuading his friend as well as defense attorney in the Corrie case, played by Bradley Whitford, to give Philip assistance with detective work into the shadowy background of the deceased erotomaniac. The script is uneven, treating its critical element, the death of Corrie, in a melodramatically careless manner, particularly in its relation to police procedures, as well as to the slaying itself, but the relationships among Benesch, his wife, and his children, in addition to his friends and colleagues, make for an engrossing and at times pleasingly literate work, with able acting serving to overcome scenario weaknesses. Directed effectively by Richard Colla, the work benefits as well from top-flight cinematography of James Carter, including especially well-done closeups, a splendid score from Bob Alcivar, and skillful designing. All of the cast are to be commended, with acting honours going to Dawber for her nicely detailed turn in a challenging role. The DVD release is of generally fine visual quality, although red tones and shadows take over the screen upon occasion, while audio fidelity suffers some muffling, but solely towards the film's beginning. Liner notes identify Benesch as Philip "Pearloff", while his daughters are given yet another surname in the closing credits. In spite of these drawbacks, and the slick evasions of the script, there are numerous acute touches provided through many earnest performances. In sum, this is an entertaining and intense thriller that, one can say, is an artistic success in spite of itself.

***SPOILERS*** With Dr. Philip Benesh's, Powers Boothe, marriage in trouble when his wife Ellen, Pam Dawber,found a love note addressed to Dr. Sheila Prosser (Rosalind Chao), a fellow psychiatrist, he promises her that he'll never as much as flirt with another woman again and that his affair with Sheila was the only time he cheated on her.

Back in the courthouse as a police forensic psychiatrist Philip meets pretty court stenographer Corrie Calvin, Lisa Collins,who's assigned on a case that he's called as a state witness and she falls obsessively and dangerously in love with the tall dark and handsome shrink.

Knowing what is hanging in the balance, his marriage and two daughters, Philip tries to distances himself from the aggressive Corrie to the point where he tells her if she keeps bothering him and his family he'll get a restraining order against her. Corrie has been calling his home at all hours day and night and even shows up at a birthday party at Philips home dressed as a pink bunny.

Not taking no for an answer Corrie devises a plan to get back at Philip for rejecting her and that plan has to do with her being murdered and pining that murder on Dr. Philip Benesh. A bit convoluted but still interesting movie about madness and obsession and a poor slob who ends up at the receiving end of justice that can possibly strap him in the San Quinten gas chamber.

Corrie in her vindictive attempt to frame Philip for her death made the evidence almost air-tight but lefts clues to the police that ended up exonerating him. Wanting to destroy his marriage more then anything else Corrie forced Philip, or Phlip's psychiatrist Dr, Mike Dann (Jarion Monroe), to admit in court that he cheated on his wife not once but three times during their 12 year marriage.

Even the evidence that could exonerate Philip wasn't used in court because the person Dr. Clarke, Victor Talmadge, a forensic psychiatrist in Vancouver Canada who Corrie tried to destroy, like she's doing to Philip, refused to testify fearing it would end his marriage, yes he had an affair with Corrie back in Canada, like it did Philip's.

The movie ends with Philip going to Corrie's apartment and after ransacking it finds the piece of evidence that proves that he's innocent of her murder and in fact proves that she killed herself like he always said.

It took Philip to go and break the law, by breaking into Corrie's apartment, but it in the end saved his freedom or life but his marriage was already over due to what the trial brought out about his secret love life.

Although the entire story hinges on deciding whether an unstable woman was murdered or committed suicide and made it look like she was murdered, little attention is paid to details of her demise. Instead the deceased's deadly infatuation with forensic psychiatrist, Powers Boothe, is played for maximum relationship melodrama. His marriage being on the rocks takes center stage, while criminally inept police work is left unchallenged. In the end, and especially with the ending, one comes away with a feeling that everything that precedes the ridiculous conclusion is simply convoluted nonsense. .............. MERK

Forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Philip Benesch (Powers Boothe) and his wife Ellen (Pam Dawber) are working on their marriage after his recent affair. They're also plagued by hang-up calls from an infatuated female court recorder (Lisa Collins) who also stalks Benesch. She even shows up at his daughter's birthday party!

Benesch soon finds out just what extremes this woman will go to in order to destroy him.

WEB OF DECEPTION is a solid made-for-TV thriller with unexpected twists and bizarre turns. At first, it appears to be a FATAL ATTRACTION / BASIC INSTINCT hybrid. Instead, it's surprisingly original and intriguing...