Double jeu

A female undercover cop, overworked, exhausted and ready for a break, gets seduced one night into a short walk on the wild side, but it may prove to be her undoing. Well-directed cop thriller isn't a blockbuster, nor is it capable of really expanding its perimeters on the basis of a slight budget, but filmmaker Sondra Locke gets fine performances from her cast, particularly Theresa Russell, exuding palpable street-glamor in the lead, and handsome George Dzundza as her lieutenant. I have never been an admirer of creepy-eyed Jeff Fahey's work (he always seems hyped up for little purpose), but he isn't too distracting here. Little-seen picture is perfect late-night TV fodder; nothing overly substantial or imaginative, but tightly-wound and involving. **1/2 from ****

In Los Angeles, Detective Lottie Mason (Theresa Russell) works undercover as a whore on the streets or a junkie with the vice-squad leaded by the corrupt Lt. Joe Morgan giving support and arresting clients and drug dealers. She is also having sessions with a police psychologist for evaluation because she killed a criminal. She also has troubled relationships and high debts with her credit card. When she works with the District Attorney Stan (Jeff Fahey), they feel attracted for each other and have an affair. After an assignment where she was almost killed, she has a flat tire while driving home. She goes to a bar to kill time while her car is fixed. Completely upset, she meets the charming criminal Tony Perón (Shawn Elliott) that Stan is chasing, but unknown for her, and he offers a huge amount for her to go to his place. While in his fancy house, she regrets and tries to find a meas of escape. But she witnesses the execution of Tony, and she anonymously calls the police. In the house, she finds a key of a locker where there is a bag with one million dollars that Tony stole from drug dealers. While the police search the unknown woman, Lottie lives a dilemma about what to do with the money.

I have just watched "Impulse" at least five times so far, and in my opinion it is one of the best thrillers of the 90's. The good story has a great direction of Sondra Locke, the characters are very well developed, and Theresa Russell is amazingly beautiful and sexy and has one of her best performances. The ambivalent conclusion is perfect, and the viewer can only guess the destination of the money. Unfortunately this movie is totally underrated in IMDb, misguiding the readers. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Tentação Perigosa" ("Dangerous Temptation")

Lottie works a lot of overtime at the police, but she still has money worries. Her boss Joe is constantly bothering her and all relationships she enters into are doomed to fail from the start. Lottie is fed up with all this and withdraws more and more into her fantasy world, in which she is a well-paid call girl who pulls all the strings.

Good crime film by Locke in which Russell plays an undercover agent with more or less psychological issues surrounding her work where she can no longer distinguish reality from fantasy.

When she accidentally witnesses the murder of a drug lord and she finds a large sum of money, she decides to keep it hidden, but her brand new boyfriend and the public prosecutor with whom she has just started a relationship is on her trail.

Russell was in the prime of her beauty around that time, moreover the film is a more than reasonable character study, the ending is feel good romantic, perhaps not realistic but satisfying.

Intriguing but slow moving thriller about an undercover woman vice cop who yields to the temptation of sex and money. Theresa Russell, who reminds me of a younger Kathleen Turner, provides a very capable performance as a woman who lets her undercover identity take over from her. Fine acting by the cast all around, but the turgid pace of the entire movie puts a dampener on it all. Watch it if you have the patience.

In "Impulse" a female undercover cop (Russell) stings johns, gets involved with a drug bust, and...yada yada yada. A typical and ordinary Hollywood crime genre product with Russell and Fahey sharing the spotlight, "Impulse" is a par flick, shot entirely in and around L.A., with the usual ugly bad guys, macho cops, chases, shootouts, etc. with the emphasis on drama over action. Nothing new here. Best enjoyed with your favorite beverage and munchies.