Review of Sliver (1993) by Stuart K — 30 Dec 2012

Adapted from Ira Levin's 1991 bestseller, adapted here by Joe Eszterhas (alarm bells ringing), and directed by Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm (1989), Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994)), this is a dirty little film that opened to much hype upon release.

It should have been a good erotic thriller, but most of it comes across as being more dull than interesting, pity really, as it had potential. Set in New York City, it starts when book editor Carly Norris (Sharon Stone) moves into an exclusive and fancy apartment block, known as a sliver building.

She's moved in not long after one of it's tenants Naomi Singer (Allison Mackie) fell to her death from a balcony. Naomi's death has left a sad mood across the building. Carly becomes friends with Zeke Hawkins (William Baldwin), who becomes her gym partner and then lover.

Carly then meets another tenant, Jack Landsford (Tom Berenger), a successful novelist who also takes a fancy to Carly. But, Carly discovers Jack has a secret, and that Zeke has an even bigger one. This film is not the "delightful romp" that Mr.

Burns off The Simpsons makes it out to be. :P It's a sensationalist film that gave audiences the chance to see Stone get 'em off again. It promises so much, but a lot of it was cut out after director Noyce and Paramount clashed with the MPAA, who originally slapped it with an NC-17, so most of it was refilmed.

But it was made at a time when Eszterhas was a hot screenwriter, and then he made Showgirls... :P.