Murder Most Likely

I didn't find Murder Most Likely deathly scary. But the scene with Kelly's wife (Marie-Josee Croze, wonderful actress I've never seen before) falling from the balcony did scare me and are all memorable. The bad Mountie played by Paul Gross is also memorable. The ways in which Marie-Jose Croze eyes change when she first met Kelly is incredible.

Chapple claimed "Murder most likely" is a chilling drama. He was exaggerating, but some of it is--the first half is suspenseful and mysterious, especially the relation between Kelly and his first wife.

The last part explain Patrick Kelly to us, but to bring us into scepticism.

Finally the cast in this TV movie is very good. I know zero about film criticism, but I can see the beauty and symmetry of every camera shot. The sets are clean and free of distractions. This TV movie is two thumbs up. Hope we can enjoy the Croze-Gross duo very soon.

An engaging TV thriller-drama that traces the ruthlessness of an Canadian undercover cop who has more to hide than what his occupation reveals. What's even more astonishing is that this is based on the true life story of Patrick Kelly, who's now still serving sentence for allegedly throwing his wife off a balcony. The acting is a bit slow moving but this is made up by the tension throughout. Kelly certainly gave the authorities the run, jetsetting from place to place all over the world. The chase in which the authorities mount to nail their man takes several years, but it's all worth at the end. The movie takes the stand that Patrick Kelly is guilty, even though the key witness in his conviction has recanted what she originally said. Guilty or not, you still want Kelly to go to jail -- for all the deceit and lies, and the way he duped the many women and friends who trusted him.

'Murder Most Likely' has a true crime title that also paints a picture behind the conviction of an ex-RCMP officer accused of killing his wife. It wasn't an air tight case and the sole witness later recanted. This is a made for tv movie that covers this detail amongst many others - some factual, some fiction - in a "true story" package with proper pacing and some standout acting from it's Canadian cast.

In the early 70's Patrick Kelly (Paul Gross) is an exceptional candidate for the RCMP undercover work. It's a nature fit for the man with good looks, charm. He meets Marie (Marie-Josee Croze) while on vacation in Mexico and they get married. A cop's salary isn't much and to afford a luxury lifestyle he'll go to any lengths. Borrow, steal, do jobs for crime figure Sammy (Beau Starr). With the force closing in - suspicions about living beyond his means - he resigns amidst his crumbling marriage and then his wife falls from their highrise condo. With a big life insurance policy.

I'd read the 1996 book 'The Judas Kiss' this is based on so it was easy to see the fabricated parts they added for effect. There was no Sammy, Patrick never remarried in real life. Otherwise this effectively shows you a master manipulator who knew how to game close friends, lovers, the system. Names have been changed too, but it still captures the essence of those involved.

Paul Gross is great in the lead role passing between warm & arrogant. Janine Theriault does justice to a damaged woman in the grips of love, brainwashed or mental illness. Maybe all three. Plus you get good spots from Tom McCamus (I Love A Man in Uniform) and William B. Davis (X Files) as a Toronto homicide detective & an RCMP superior respectively.

I saw 'Murder Most Likely' when it originally aired on CTV and thought I might not ever see it again. For the longest time, it was hard to score a copy. Luckily it's now popping up on streaming services. If you like this genre, this well filmed entry hits all the right notes.

For a TV movie? This is astounding. The quality of the production is amazing. The details in the acting and the unique style of the film make this one to watch out for. And the story? Based on a very intriguing true story. Thanks everyone for making this movie, and showing us how good "made for TV productions can be".

This neato Canadian thriller's Columbo-esque conceit is that the audience knows whodunit all along, and the fun is in watching the jig unravel for the bad guy.

And it really is quite fun, even though there's no Columbo-type detective in the show. Instead, at the center is dirty cop Patrick Kelly, who uses acting skills honed as an undercover operative to hide his true self from just about everybody who knows him. His true self being, of course, a murderer.

The story is told in a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards that may be a bit confusing for the inattentive, but the style works. Watching Kelly screw with people in the past, then hearing those same people testify about having been screwed with, is entertaining in a reality show sort of way.

As Patrick Kelly, Paul Gross manages to convey an unsettling creepiness that's an about-face from his more comedic role in the mid-'90s series "Due South." His performance is captivating, and that's important, because he's in practically every scene. He's taking us for a ride in much the same way his character does everyone else in the movie.

A few petty things detract a little bit from the fun. Occasionally, the Canadian TV origin of the picture is obvious in its framing and contrast. And the director has apparently never met a Mexican person, because Kelly's blue-eyed Mexican wife and redhead mother-in-law seem to have stepped right out of Toronto Central Casting and been told to speak like Penelope Cruz.

Overall, it's a worthy addition to your Netflix cue, and a value when purchased as part of that nifty "Murder at Midnight" eight-movie set for five bucks.