Un crimen perfecto

I enjoyed most of this film up until the messy resolution. The plot doesn't play out in a supremely satisfying way, which hampers the overall impact. The performances are all fine and there's some good suspense throughout. Gwenyth Paltrow's character makes some odd choices and seems generally clueless throughout, but also makes some remarks that appear as if she knows things. It's rather confusing. A Perfect Murder kept me invested all the way through with its sleek and stylish story, I just wish the ending had been a little more thought out.

This is a good movie, the more I watch it the more I like it. When I first viewed this movie I thought it was ok, but when we bought the video it began to grow on me. The acting is excellent, and the story twists along at a good pace. Douglas is a good actor and his performance alone is worth renting this film.

Wealthy Wall Street tycoon Steven learns that his wife Emily is having an affair with David, an artist and career criminal, Steven decides to do away with his wife, using David to do the job.

Over the last few months I've worked my way though Hitchcock's catalogue of films, I was sat wondering why none of his films had been remade for an age, the I remembered this one.

So it's basically Dial M for murder, with a late 90's twist, so we've got the tech, The Wall Street tycoon and of course that wonderful 90's vibe.

I have no intentions of comparing, as I don't think you can, but as an updated version it's good, it's a stylish flick, I liked the updates, and of course the heart of the story is magical.

It perhaps has a little too much polish, but on the whole it works, Hitchcock films weren't exactly in vogue in the late 90's, so it gets credit for at least being different.

Some nice twists and turns, I particularly liked the way the tech is used, and the way that David turns the tables.

Paltrow and Mortensen are both very good, but I'd argue it is Michael Douglas that stands out, and boy does he look sharp here.

I'd forgotten David Suchet was in this, at the time it seemed as though he'd turned away from Poirot somewhat, output was lower, it felt like he was going to leave the role behind, thankfully he didn't.

7/10.

I found the film to be very interesting and smoothly executed. The acting of film veteran Michael Douglas was superb. Paltrow and Mortensen were also very smooth and a pleasure to observe. My only problem with this film was the way it ended. An editing glitch? Maybe. It was too abrupt. But all in all, a very entertaining film and an excellent use of a familiar theme-plot.

It should also be noted that Novella Nelson, who portrays Ambassador Alice Wills, is a noted songtress in her own right. I have had the pleasure of attending a few of her concerts and night club appearances in the 1970s. An excellent, sultry and sometimes fiery singer of jazz standards and R&B.

A Perfect Murder is a lot better than I thought it would be, probably because of the smart direction from director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Chain Reaction, Under Siege). Given a fairly involved script and an action film, (never mind the dialogue, just cut quickly to the next scene) shooting scheme, Davis has concocted a mainstream thriller that works quite well. A Perfect Murder is based on a middle rated Hitchcock film which was in turn based on a hit Broadway play called Dial M For Murder. Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas, in part revisiting Wall Street's Gordon Gecko) is in financial strife and decides to knock Emily his wife off to grab her money. She's played by the hapless Gwyneth Paltrow. Hubby blackmails his wife's lover (Viggo Mortensen) to do the dirty deed. This film is ferociously mainstream. The music chimes in just so. The bathrobe disappears just so. Michael Douglas plays Michael Douglas to perfection, Paltrow is protected from any line more than fifteen words long, but still A Perfect Murder is never boring. The original Hitchcock version starred Ray Miland and Grace Kelly. There weren't any mobile phones and the wife wasn't screwing the killer. And then there was Grace Kelly rather than Gwyneth Paltrow in that old film. I know who I'd prefer.