Joey Guerra
Entertainment Editor
Review
Could there be a more dangerous Hollywood game than rewriting and revising Alfred Hitchcock, the true master of suspense? Turning Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire into the soft-focus box-office hit City of Angels is one thing. Even assembling a barrage of action and blockbuster clichés to create the monster (both literally and figuratively) that is Godzilla could be deemed acceptable by some standards. But Hitchcock? Get a rope.
A Perfect Murder, director Andrew Davis' (The Fugitive) slick, New York take on Hitchcock's classic tale of a jealous husband, a bored wife and a mysterious lover, doesn't aspire to the brilliance of its predecessor. It really doesn't have to, though.
By immersing itself so deeply within its own world of '90s tension, breathtaking cinematography and an instrumental electronic score, this adaptation is never less than persuasive and often affecting, thanks also to carefully calculated performances.
Michael Douglas is perfectly cast as Steven Taylor, a rigid millionaire who has made his fortune in the world of New York finance. Among his most prized possessions is Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow), his young, beautiful wife who stands somberly by her husband's side - a crown jewel in his distinguished, if graying, crown.
Unbeknownst to our Wall Street high roller is the fact that little Emily, who obviously isn't getting what she needs, is finding emotional comfort and more in the well-developed arms of David Shaw (Viggo Mortensen), a struggling bohemian artist. That screenwriter Patrick Smith Kelly manages to establish a real sense of emotion between Emily and David only serves to strengthen the story's overall impact.
Through a not-so-carefully planned tryst at an evening fundraiser Steven isn't supposed to attend, the three points of this slick triangle come face to face. Emily and David say they've only just met; Steven, though he puts on a game face, is not convinced. He simply seems to be biding his time in the darkness, waiting to strike like a venomous snake.
David and Steven are reunited on the pretense of talking art, but Steven, ever the businessman, quickly gets to the point. He wants his wife dead, and he wants David to do the job. His reward? $100,000 up front; $400,000 when the task is accomplished, urged on by the possible disclosure of a dirty little secret.
To give away anything more would be nothing short of scandalous, but suffice it say that things heat up considerably. Plans go awry, identities are revealed and, in the end, satisfactory thrills and chills are achieved.
Director Davis' moviemaking success is best assessed via a range of two of his most high-profile films, the viscerally thrilling The Fugitive and the popcorn-dud Chain Reaction. A Perfect Murder leans decidedly toward the former. Granted, it isn't as deliriously entertaining as that Academy-award nominated film, but it does draw on the same tightly coiled, polished edge that marked its best scenes.
Kelly's script matches the veneer of Davis' work: very clean, very elegant, very New York. You aren't ever completely in the dark as to what's happening, but it is nonetheless thrilling to see what develops.
Douglas is unusually affecting here, even though it's a basic variation on his usual uptight slickster role. His subtle facial twitches and cool demeanor belie the jealous rage inside him, and Doulgas brings it all together immaculately.
Paltrow's work here is a nice departure from the delicate personas of her previous screen outings. She radiates adult sexuality, a brittle edge and wounded vulnerability. Not to mention the fact that, with this film, she is officially 1998's hardest working actress (see Great Expectations, Hush and Sliding Doors).
Mortenson broods nicely as the charming artist who gets Emily into all sorts of trouble, and Sarita Choudhury (Mississippi Masala, Kama Sutra) pops up in a feisty, memorable role as Emily's best friend. It's only a shame she didn't get more screen time.
By playing up atmosphere and mood in a decidedly '90s vein, A Perfect Murder radiates a sexy, elegant aura that serves its sinister story well while carving out its own edge. Hitchcock fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
Rated
R
Running Time
125 min
Playing
Local theaters