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I watched this film in error. I thought that the film was going to be 'Eyes of a Stranger' but instead it was 'In the Eyes of a Stranger'. The opening is quite action filled cinema. I assumed that this was setting the stage for the whole film. I was very wrong. The main two actors were wooden in their movements but perhaps were hampered by the writing. It quickly became a trite and dull film.

I recognised many of the actors as Canadian but was soon shocked at the sight of striped flags, police cars with PCT painted on the sides and people calling the police lieutenant 'lootenint'. Also, I was quite put off when Gordon Pinsent ended his sentences with 'huh'.

If a young woman was terrorised on a subway train, as the star of this film was, and had somebody shot right in front of her that caused his blood to splatter all over her clothes, I don't think she'd be calm within the hour. Within the first five minutes this fatal flaw was evident. The film did not get any better.

I started thinking in a different way. Perhaps this was a comedy. No that didn't always fit even though some very strange (funny) things happened I think that it was not meant to be a comedy.

There were the normal number of jump cuts but nothing too obvious. I guess the main problem was the two main actors couldn't do it. They couldn't act. The scripting was also bad so what does that leave?

A word of caution if you see something advertised. Be sure that you are setting yourself up for 'Eyes of a Stranger' and not 'In the Eyes of a Stranger'.

IN THE EYES OF A STRANGER starts off with a bang. There's an exhilarating chase through a subway train and a bloody suicide. Then, things sort of bog down. Lynn (Justine Bateman) is suspected of knowing the whereabouts of some stolen money, and is being hunted by a group of criminals.

Enter Jack (Richard Dean Anderson), a cop assigned to protect Lynn. Not-so shockingly, romance blooms between them, causing the drama to fade for the next 40 minutes or so.

Thankfully, things pick up a bit, and a few unexpected turns lead to a smattering of suspense. Then, just as the story gets more interesting... more romance breaks out. At least there's a shootout to keep these two lovebirds busy!

The final twist -almost- makes up for the hit-and-miss quality of the rest of the production. While it's not bad for a made-for-TV movie, it's not altogether memorable either...

We watched this movie on a borrowed videotape because we like Justine Bateman and remember her from TV. The box did not say "made for TV", but it sure played like one. The sound was certainly second-rate, the budget must have been low, the acting was just OK most of the time, and sometimes not that good. Character development was not always consistent.

The film starts with Bateman's character getting off work, and encountering a crazed man in the train. He frantically says something to her right before he is shot and killed, but with her Walkman playing loud through her headphones, she can't hear him. Or so she tells the cops. Turns out she can read lips, and she and new lover, disgruntled cop, search for the money.

There are some twists, some turns, some betrayals, but overall none of the characters manage to gain any sympathetic interest. This is just a sub-par film that you wonder why they made. I rate it a solid "3" of 10, and worth seeing only if you are a fan of Justine Bateman.

I only bought this and watched it because I'm a Richard Dean Anderson fan, so I'm used to seeing him in TV series shows. Hey he's never won an Oscar, but I enjoy watching him because he's nice looking and always seems to be a likable character in any show or movie he's in (the majority of them). He and Justin Bateman don't disappoint in the movie. And it's nice to see Gordon Pinsent in it too. He's always entertaining. It's a very clear movie to follow with unexpected twists and turns to keep one interested. What more could a person get. One of your favorite TV actors in a romance, with a little police action, the question of will he do it or not, and an ending you don't know is coming until you get there. Plus the ending leaves you wondering what will happy to Justin's roommate in the movie. I've watched it several times because it's in my library of dvds, and I enjoy Richard Dean Anderson.

Sometimes, a chef puts together a twist on a classic gourmet dish. Then the chef's employer comes in and removes what makes the dish special and adds on a heavy sauce that ruins the fresh, sharp flavor.

That's what happened to "In The Eyes of a Stranger." The screenwriter is a cousin of mine. He began this script as a college project which subsequently won him a hefty academic grant. The script was marketed to several companies and was supposed to go into production with Elizabeth Shue in the lead. Unfortunately, that company tanked before the movie could be made. It was not, at that time, the story you now see. The story was much darker, the heroine much more lethal and the hero a great deal less lucky than in this production. Because it wound up as an ABC production, the writer ultimately had to change the ending to make it happy. He was NOT happy with this turn of events, but when you are supporting a wife and kids, you do what you have to, right???