"A Perfect Murder" Review
© 1998 Fontaine L.
"A Perfect Murder" is a great thrill for weekend get-together nights.
It's got everything a suspense thriller needs: suspense (duh), atmosphere,
and believable characters. Michael Douglas seems apt at playing lonely
millionaires, and Gwyneth Paltrow once again masters the role of the
vulnerable wife. One thing I found interesting about this movie is that it's
not really a "whodunnit" in the sense that we know from the start who the
murderer is. It's the why and how that keeps us on the edge of our seats.
Throughout the movie there's an atmosphere of loneliness and perverted
sentiments that works really well in the plot. The bathing scene reminded
me of "Psycho," and I thought it was a nice touch at the end with Paltrow's
character (and us) experiencing a sense of deja vu when we revisit the
apartment. Towards the end, however, it's clear what the only menacing
factor is that's left, so the only excitement left for us is seeing how the
couple will resolve their, ah, differences. Even though "A Perfect Murder"
lacks in some creativity, it dots the I's and crosses the T's at what it's
trying to do, and does it well.
Rating: B- (First viewing, 10/29/98)