Copycat - Omicidi in serie

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.

I'm 48 and often miss the careful production and story/character development of 80s/90s films, elements that are so often missing in many of today's movies, particularly crime-suspense dramas. COPYCAT (1995) is well-produced and gripping, with some interesting quirks of character. Sigourney Weaver gives a nice performance here, but Holly Hunter really defines the show as uncoppish cop M.J. Monahan. Many people will not like her performance for the very reasons that I do like it--Imagine Sarah Palin in the role of a homicide detective, and you'll see what I mean. Harry Connick, JR, is also memorable in his bad-guy role here.

COPYCAT has an interesting premise, but, as horrible as the following may sound, it would have been nice if they'd taken it a bit further, having the killer imitate a few others before the big come-uppance. A little more on Peter Foley, who/why he is, and what motivates him would also have helped. COPYCAT is quite watchable if you're a fan of this genre, but the whole storyline is kind of TV-Land same ol', predictable, and nothing terribly original despite the winning premise.

This is not even close to Silence of the Lambs. In fact, it has so many plot holes and logical inconsistencies that 6 - 6.5 rating is generous. Acting was good but character development was sparse. We get no background on why this kid kills. He just does. And, the all-knowing psychologist who surmises that he has technical lab job, can't figure out that he has access to sperm samples and get police over to IVF labs? Really? The most unbelievable part of Copycat is that the Dr. gets attacked multiple times in her apt yet police put a single,bumbling officer outside her door time and time again. The movie has some suspense but it is not even close to top thrillers of all-time. Too highly rated on Amazon and by many here..

This is a solid movie with well written dialogue and fleshed out characters. Love the females in this. Believable cat and mouse games and well acted throughout this rollercoaster.

In typical awesome 90s thriller style, there's a solid buildup throughout the movie until its conclusion. 90s movies often have a great crescendo close out. This is no exception.

This is how a script and screenplay should be written. Very solid craftsmanship. Modern day filmmakers take notice please.

You can't beat 35mm movie shots for esthetics. So much better looking but also aided here by awesome framing by the director.

Very enjoyable. This is well worth it. I rewatched it after probably 15+ years and found it better now than I remembered it.

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