Copycat

Psychologist Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver) is giving a guest lecture on serial killers. Daryll Lee Cullum (Harry Connick, Jr.) surprises her in the bathroom and kills her police protection. Thirteen months later, she has become agoraphobic haunted by the experience. There is a serial killer is on the loose in San Francisco and she figures out his m.o. of copying other famous serial killers. M.J. Monahan (Holly Hunter) and Reuben Goetz (Dermot Mulroney) are the investigative officers and they recruit her to help.

Sure, it's the same old serial killer movie. It does add a couple of interesting wrinkles and with solid female leads. Hunter is confident and fully realized. Weaver and her point of view deliver a sincere and fragile personality. The movie opens with the memorable bathroom attack. The other memorable aspect is Weaver struggling in her home. The investigation and the serial killer are less compelling. This follows the formula and it does it pretty well.

Contrary to what several users have written, "Copycat" is _not_ "Silence of the Lambs 2". Nor is it a rip-off of "Se7en", or an exploitation flick, or any other negative labels that have been foisted upon it. Rather, it's a gripping, and largely intriguing thriller that succeeds thanks to performances by two confident female leads, competent direction, intelligent writing, and an appropriately foreboding score courtesy of Christopher Young, who's fast becoming one of my favorite film composers.

Sigourney Weaver hits the right notes as the agoraphobic psychiatrist, especially early on, as we see the depths to which she has shut herself off from the outside world, creating her own safe little corner. Holly Hunter, in a role that instantly brings to mind Jane Craig from "Broadcast News", is effective as the investigating detective. Hers is a performance that is three-dimensional and fully-realized.

If there's a weakness in the film, it's the ongoing beef between Ruben and Nico. It's a meritless p***ing contest stemming from one character's jealousy, and could've easily been dropped or retooled. This small gripe, however, didn't deter my enjoyment of the film.

Much credit has to be given to director Jon Amiel ("Sommersby", "Entrapment") for effectively capturing the atmosphere and tension prevalent throughout the film. In addition, writers Ann Biderman and David Madsen deserve credit for a intelligent, well-researched screenplay. No clichés here, just sharply-crafted dialogue. And Christopher Young's inspired score is brilliant; just listen to the theme that plays early on, as Helen calms down after a panic attack.

"Copyat" may not be classic material, but it's a strong entry in a genre that's too often consumed by formulas and gore. Highly recommended.

A serial killer is claiming victims in the style of other killers from the recent past, homicide detective (Holly Hunter) needs the help of a noted criminal psychologist (Sigourney Weaver) if she is going to catch this killer. The trouble is she is an agoraphobic recluse haunted by her memories.

The characters build nicely as the story moves along at a steady pace, Weaver and Hunter both capture their characters very well and they are supported convincingly by Dermot Mulroney, William McNamara, Harry Connick Jnr. and Will Patton.

Copycat is full of suspense and intrigue, and it is a really solid film in every respect; it doesn't have the style or the punch of films like Seven and Silence of the Lambs, but it is definitely well worth watching.

7/10

Sigourney Weaver plays Dr. Helen Hudson, a retired psychiatrist that specializes in serial killers. Hudson is agoraphobic and suffers with different degrees of stress and depression. Holly Hunter and Dermot Mulroney are detectives trying to catch a serial killer. Harry Connick, Jr. plays a serial killer behind bars and taunts Hudson as she tries to help the investigators. The killer wants his own fame for duplicating famous murders. The background score will help your nerves jitter. Hunter is not convincing as a police officer. Mulroney's character is as bold as cardboard. Connick, Jr. is quite funny in a cynical way. Weaver conveyed her character's fear and anxiety. And without a change of expression, was bribed out of a pair of her frilly panties in exchange for information about the killer's identity. Dim the lights and enjoy.

This isn't actually a terrible film by any stretch of the imagination; it's just one of those films which loses focus and is never quite sure what it wants to be.

Basic outline - Sigourney Weaver plays a serial killer expert, haunted by her past, who is roped in by the police to guide them towards a serial killer operating in the city. The murderer is copying the M.O. of famous serial killers from the sixties, seventies and eighties.

The problem is that even though it is ostensibly - as its title suggests - a film about Copycat killers, it feels somewhat lightweight in the amount of 'copycatting' - it feels like a tame half-baked plot line, which is more focused on Sigourney Weaver's character's past horrors. The 'copycat' idea just feels so, so underplayed - the director doesn't really work off it, it's just a vaguely interesting aside by the final reel.

However, it must be said, Sigourney Weaver acts her socks off - she really does play an excellent role as an agoraphobic suffering with a chronic (understandable) case of PTSD. Holly Hunter also plays her role with gusto.

However, disappointingly, the perpetrator is 2d and meaningless; after the film spent the first 10, 20 minutes explaining that a serial killer can be 'just like you and me' they didn't then justify that at all, they just roped in a cartoon (overacted) nutter.

Too much is 'stock' - there is quite a jarring, wasted death which feels put in for the sake of ticking that Hollywood plot box. Police guards are literally the most useless in any film, ever. The scenes of the internet in its infancy are quite endearing, but do date the film terribly.

Yeah, overall, it just feels like a missed opportunity. It's hard to believe that this and the majestic 'Se7en' came out within a month of each other; one looks, feels and plays like mid-nineties Hollywood, the other is so much more.