Review of A Perfect Murder (1998) by Melanie D — 30 Dec 2012

Directed by Andrew Davis (The Fugitive (1993), Chain Reaction (1996) and Holes (2003)), this is a new readaptation of Frederick Knott's play, which was famously done by Hitchcock. This is done with a modern attitude and a starry cast, but it has varying results.

It's not a remake of Hitchcock's version, but there's something theatrical about it all, and it has some good staged moments. Wall Street investor Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas) has a marriage with younger wife Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow), but he discovers she's been unfaithful, and is having an affair with aspiring artist David Shaw (Viggo Mortensen).

David was a convict, which Steven knows about it, and says he'll reveal it. But Steven offers David $500,000 to kill Emily, and he can start his new life, if he doesn't, Steven will reveal info of a crime David committed in Florida.

So, the stage is set, and it's made to look like a robbery gone wrong, and things go awry when Emily kills the burglar. Steven is shocked at what's happened, and Detective Karaman (David Suchet) tries to piece together what happened.

It's a good thriller with some good performances, but it has a good cast, and Mortensen gives a good performance too, and it's good to see Suchet too, proving there was more to him than Poirot.

Davis keeps the pace up, and it has a good payoff too, but Hitchcock's take on Knott's play was better, if for it's technical inovation at the time.