Asylum

A private investigator (Robert Patrick), mentally disturbed by his father's suicide, goes undercover in a mental institution to discover the murderer of a friend who was a doctor at the clinic.

This film deserves some credit for the attempt at a clever idea, and for bringing together two great genre actors in one film -- Robert Patrick and Malcolm McDowell. Have they been in any other film together? I do not know. And here they were, in one that probably had no budget, with a writer-director who has not gone on to distinguish himself.

Sadly, it does seem to be a bit convoluted. Any time you set something in an asylum, and you have a protagonist of questionable reliability... you get some goofy outcomes. You can be straightforward, or full on David Lynch. This seems to try to work between those poles, which is difficult and not fully successful.

Cool movie. Robert Patrick is awesome as a suicidal detective who must find his shrink's murderer by going undercover in a psych hospital. Performances were above average for this kind of B-thriller and there were some genuinely creepy moments -- although it could have used a few more. Much more of a drama than a horror film, but a lot better than the usual straight-to-video fare. *** out of ****

Slightly maladjusted, due to a troubled childhood, private investigator Robert Patrick (as Nicholas "Nick" Tordone) is suspicious when his psychiatrist, Peter Brown (as Frank Meyers), is reported to have hanged himself. Mr. Patrick thinks his shrink, who happened to have been a good friend of his suicidal father, was murdered. So, Patrick goes undercover at the "Fallbrook" insane asylum where Brown worked. There, he meets mental Malcolm McDowell (as Sullivan Rane aka "Doc"), crazy costumed Jason Schombing (as Tommy aka "Captain Destructo"), and Deborah Worthing (as Amanda aka "Mary Pickford").

Patrick (as "Magnum") teams up with Mr. Schombing to solve the mystery. Institution head Henry Gibson (as Edward Bellichek) and patient doctor Sarah Douglas (as Emily Hill) are among those considered to be sane. James Seale's "Asylum" seems curiously unattended - patients are free to wander around without much supervision. Additionally, the building has been equipped with loose, human-sized vents for easy escape, spying, or travel - even in a solitary confinement room. This is all more laughable than suspenseful, but the scene where Patrick goes to the edge of the roof is nicely done. Passable on late night TV.

**** Asylum (5/6/97) James Seale ~ Robert Patrick, Malcolm McDowell, Jason Schombing, Henry Gibson

If you're the kind that likes watching bad movies (for instance, if you enjoyed "The Postman" in only the most ironic sense), this is a keeper. A ridiculous script is only the start, and you also get Robert Patrick staying in the laxest insane asylum in the world (undercover in the guise of a patient, he seemingly has no problems at all finding access to the staff's private fax machines, computers, satellite dishes, etc.), develops a drippy camraderie with a fellow inmate that leads to some of the more strained, "heartfelt" moments of the film, and a ridiculous character by Acting's own Prince of Ever-Diminishing Returns, Malcolm McDowell. Reviewing this film makes me feel like I'm admonishing the dog for peeing on the rug. "For shame! Bad, bad, bad..."

The private investigator Nicholas "Nick" Tordone (Robert Patrick) is a man with a childhood problem since he saw his father committing suicide. His friend Dr. Frank Meyers (Peter Brown) works in the Fallbrook mental institution and was a great friend of his father. He helps Nick since he lost his father. When Dr. Meyers is found dead in the clinic after committing suicide, Nick does not believe and decides to investigate his death. He goes to Fallbrook as if he has amnesia and is interned in the clinic. Soon he finds that four patients are missing and his further investigation shows that all of them were suicidal inmates. He also discovers that the dangerous criminal Dr. Sullivan Rane (Malcolm McDowell) is hidden in the clinic. What is happening in Fallbrook?

"Asylum (1997)" is an entertaining low-budget thriller by James Seale. The plot is not original but well written, with funny moments and good performances. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Limite da Loucura" ("The Limit of the Madness")