Auf der Spur einer Beichte

A really pleasant surprise of a TV-movie when I picked up this. Unlike most unknown TV- films this immediately got my attention, due to a stunning performance by Mark Harmon.

The film starts with it's main premise. A priest starts off his first late night radio show with an idea of giving redemption and forgiveness to people who call in and admit their sins. Obviously this goes wrong. A killer calls, admitting to have killed a woman.

Nothing sensational about this, but the film manages to be both cozy and creepy at the same time, being well acted by all involved. There's actually quite some star power in the film, as well, so that's no surprise. It's also well filmed technically, and has a good music score. What the film manages, is to set a an interesting premise with a good mystery pace, and with the creepy feel giving a great glimpse back to the nineties best crime noirs.

So if you are abler to catch this little forgotten gem, then do.

More interesting and engaging than most of the "radio talk show host pursued by psycho killer" movies. (And isn't it sad that there IS a genre like that?) Mark Harmon's character is engaging from the first scene, kind of mysterious and makes you wonder what the scoop is. His secret is revealed, and it's a pretty good one, and it fits the story well. I caught it on cable and liked it much more than I thought I would. I give it 7 out of 10.

Mark Harmon is the DJ encouraging people to call in a confess their sins on National Radio. Isn't that what Jerry Springer does on TV? Anyway this strange voiced person calls in and confesses to a murder.

This is ludicrous. The performances are terrible and I think everyone would guess the outcome within about the first 10 minutes. Suspense level is zero and the finale in the chapel is just laughable.

ORIGINAL SINS or it's alternative title ACTS OF CONTRITION is another one of those 'Radio DJ menaced by mad caller films' it's a sort of low rent PLAY MISTY FOR ME.

TV series regular and Tom Cruise lookalike Mark Harmon (NCIS) IS Johnathan Frayne, who starts a call-in radio show in Boston where listeners call and tell him their deepest secrets - when a mysterious caller confesses to Murder and draws Frayne into a deadly game.

Harmon is the best thing about this thoroughly average TVM - the acting is strictly TV grade, The worst aspect of ORIGINAL SINS - like I say in my summary, is the COMPLETE predictability of the entire plot, You know who the perpetrator is within 10, maybe 15 Minutes at the most and the film doesn't make the most of its Boston locations.

Co-Starring Julianne Phillips and Ron 'Hellboy' Perlman.

Harmon keeps it watchable, but only just.

It gets a **1/2 out of ***** from me, but only because of Harmon - without him my vote would be a lot lower.

First broadcast in May 1995 on U.S. Network 'CBS'.

I watched this film when it first opened in New York and Boston (television). Mark Harmon's performance was one of the best of his career, but he was overshadowed by newcomer Bo Chun, proving once again that he is the new face of Asian film. His beautiful bronze features framed by locks of jet black hair complement the character of Boy #2 perfectly. His brief role however, though it does set the film's narrative in motion, is unfortunately short lived. I guess we'll just have to catch him in his next appearance at the multiplex.