Red Shoe Diaries

Jake Winters (David Duchovny) is struggling with his girlfriend Alex (Brigitte Bako)'s suicide. He finds her diary and reads the entries. She had an affair with construction worker/shoe salesman Thomas Butler who is completely different from Jake. He won't let her go even after Jake's proposal. She ends up taking her life and Jake decides to go confront Thomas.

Duchovny is actually not the lead in the first hour. It's Brigitte Bako's story. She's a beautiful woman with some acting skills. The same could probably be said of Thomas Butler. It's a meandering erotic melodrama. Then there is the Duchovny and Butler basketball game to the death. It is memorable filled with over-the-top drama. Bridgit Ryan is also memorable as the drunk girl with Heidi #1 and Heidi #2. It's a little fun, a little erotic and plenty of not-so-good.

Brigette Bako in 1992 was one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. She's a decent actress as well but this script is a dud. I've watched film twice and I still can't figure out why the main character is suicidal. We see glimpses of erratic behavior, but it doesn't add up.

David Duchovny is competent as usual but again very little to work with. The rest of the cast is mediocre.

Briggete Bako deserved a much better career, she was better than the typical 90's B movie sex pots. She has an elegance about her that could've been used to better effect by better directors and better scripts. Too bad.

I viewed this movie for the first time on DVD last weekend. I have watched it many times on VHS. I liked Billy Wirth's humorous comments about his role in the extras on the DVD. This movie was the basis for Zalman King's long-running series on Showtime called "Red Shoe Diaries", where David Duchovny reads letters sent to him from women who share their sexual experiences with him. This is a great movie for women to watch, more than men, because of the two hunky leads: David Duchovny and Billy Wirth. They both look gorgeous in this movie! I can understand Brigitte Bako's dilemma over who to pick as her main man in this flick because they both have something to offer. Why Mr. Duchovny has never discussed this movie or the series as part of his credits I will never understand. It may not be Shakespeare, but it is nothing to be ashamed of. On the serious side, it gives one something to think about in regards to relationships and how unstable some people are. Very entertaining, thought-provoking, and sexy. Great soundtrack too.

Although this movie tries to tug at the heart strings, it fails to provide either likeable characters or believable motivations for their actions.

Music, script, and acting are on the level of the average porn movie. Regrettably, the average porn movie provides more incentive to watch than Red Shoes does. Don't waste your time with this one.

My friend Chris rented this movie expecting something along the lines of the terribly formulatic romantic/erotic ShowTime series from Zalman King. I was very surprised with this movie. A pre-X-Flies David Duchovony stars as a man still mourning over the death of his beautiful fiancee (Brigit Bako, of Strange Days). He then finds her diary which reveals a steamy relationship between her and a shoe salesman (Billy Wirth). The story is well-written and -acted, except for the stiff Duchovony.

This movie deserves a wider audience, because I think people will like and identify with it. Three Stars out of Four.