A Perfect Murder Movie Review 1998

Steven Taylor (Douglas), a rich commodities trader about to lose his fortune, is married to young, rich, Emily (Paltrow), who's having a torrid affair with hippie artist David (Mortensen). The love triangle gets shaken when Steven devises a solution to both his wife's infidelities and his financial woes by paying David to kill Emily. Things go a little bit astray, and the psychological cat and mouse game begins. Glossy production is only eye candy while the unsympathetic characters (led by a weak protagonist in Paltrow) march to the beat of many plot points that all come together in a rushed and dull climax. Douglas, the aged yet sturdy centerpiece of the film, shines as the pompous rich dude devoid of morals, and overpowers his youthful supporting players. Inspired by Hitchcock's 1954 film, "Dial M for Murder."

Distribution

Warner Home Video, Inc., 5775 Linder Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91362, URL: http://whv.warnerbros.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 105 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Mystery & Suspense, Marriage, Adapted from a Play, New York, New York, Art & Artists, Blackmail

Screenplay

Patrick Smith Kelly

Cast

Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen, David Suchet, Sarita Choudhury, Constance Towers, Novella Nelson

Cinematography

Darius Wolski

Director

Andrew Davis

Music

James Newton Howard

Producer

Anne Kopelson, Arnold Kopelson, Christopher Mankeiwicz, Peter MacGregor-Scott, Kopelson Entertainment, Warner Bros.