The film began as an adaptation of David Mamet's friend William J. Caunitz's 1986 novel "Suspects". However, the more Mamet wrote, the more his story diverged from the source material until, with Caunitz's blessing, Mamet left the source book behind entirely, until ultimately the script became an original screenplay.
Actress Rebecca Pidgeon, who plays Miss Klein, and writer-director David Mamet, are married. The two tied the knot on 22 September 1991. Homicide (1991) was the couple's first cinema movie collaboration together.
The name of the American city where the movie takes place is never stated.
The picture was entered into and selected to screen in competition at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival where the movie was the Opening Night Film.
According to Vincent Canby in 'The New York Times', the movie's Homicide (1991) title "refers to metaphorical as well as literal murder".