User reviews

Kiss the Girls has its problems, but it isn't a bad film by all means. Actually it is decent, compelling viewing. Starting with its problems, the script does have a tendency to become mechanical, and while the film's story starts off very well and really intriguing, it loses steam at the end for two reasons. The film's logic and credibility does go out of the window as the film's conclusion looms nearer, and then the culprit I felt got revealed too early. On the other hand, the film is very atmospherically shot, the cinematography is really very good, and the music is suspenseful. Plus we have great performances from the ever reliable Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd, as well as from Cary Elwes and some skillful direction. Overall, it is a compelling and intriguing thriller that ran out of steam too early, but there is much to enjoy. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This suspense thriller is every bit as good as James Patterson's fine novel and has great chemistry between Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd. The sole plot is Freeman's search for two serial kidnappers and killers who snatch beautiful and accomplished young women, including Freeman's niece. The two killers try to outdo each other as they seize and destroy their trophy captives. As with most mysteries, this one has the usual red herrings, false leads and dead ends. Freeman is excellent as Alex Cross and heroine Judd is a study in grit and survival and is very effective in a finely nuanced role. The supporting cast is also great in a movie that has a leisurely pace and several great action scenes as it peaks towards its conclusion. The North Carolina location lensing, music score and cinematography are all very good.

Detective Alex Cross is an experienced, astute forensic psychologist. He's brought from D.C. to Durham to aid in the investigation of a slippery criminal mastermind with a track record for abducting young women who are both beautiful and talented. It becomes personal when one of the abductees is his niece, and he enlists local doctor and former victim Kate McTiernan (Judd) who escaped the same perpetrator and is the only living person who can identify him. Stylish, atmospheric, well-crafted thriller holds your interest, with some effective twists and strong performances from Freeman and Judd, but it builds to a climax that doesn't quite payoff. Still, a respectable showing for all those involved. **½

In this modest enough psycho-thriller, once more Freeman plays a policeman on the path of a perverse serial killer, and again the shade is bottomless and the antagonist is ingenious and the atrocities are intended to convey some sort of perverted meanings. Though as commercial and formula-driven as it is, the movie's not a rehash but a fertile piece, based on a Patterson book about a criminal who, the Freeman character perceives, is not killing his quarries, but accumulating them. Often said by moviegoers to be the actor whose presence has the most authority of any of his generation, Freeman has an exceptional bearing on the screen, a particular determination that we believe. He never looks or sound like he's pretending. He never gives a superficial, obvious or distracted impression, and even in movies that aren't that good, he's not guilty by association: You feel he's genuine even as a film may capsize around him.

Freeman plays Patterson's pet character Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist with the Washington, D.C., police, who becomes entrenched in a chain of kidnappings in North Carolina. When his own niece is taken, he flies there and calls on the police department, where he's kept waiting for hours until he ultimately barges into the office of the chief. The victims are being taken by a man who inscribes himself "Casanova," and one of his victims is found dead tied to a tree and "left for the critters to find." Cross questions why there aren't more bodies, and speculates that Casanova is a collector who kills only when he believes he needs to. His niece and her fellow captives must still be alive somewhere. His hypothesis is certified by what comes of extraordinarily sexy local doctor Ashley Judd, who also gives the sometimes humdrum drama a helping of forceful energy.

And what Freeman brings to all of his scenes is a really specific thoughtfulness. He doesn't just listen, he appears to cogitate what he is told, to gauge it. That masterful attribute begets a funny outcome, when other actors will tell him something and then stop to see if he trusts it. And Judd shows us such a boldly defined personality, which makes their dialogue scenes, after she's been developed for awhile, engrossing.

Kiss the Girls was directed by Gary Fleder, whose first feature, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, boasted skill but too much artifice. Here he's more careful and restrained, with a story where the shades and details are as chilling as anything else. Here as in Seven, we get a steady feeling of not being able to see everything we believe we want to, as in a chase through the woods which Fleder makes effectively tense through its efficient use of space, never revealing the distance between victim and pursuer.

When the film is over and we know all of its enigmas, there's one we'd like to know more about: What precisely are particulars of the histrionics between the two most nefarious characters? But being left with such a wringer is much more fulfilling in a way than being given the explanation in the conventional fast-sketch Freudian description. What we're also left with is the genuine feeling of having met two authentically defined people in the leads. Freeman and Judd are so good, you almost wish they'd chosen not to make a thriller at all, had just discovered a way to create a drama really sinking their teeth into their characterizations. All things considered, I would've preferred that movie.

This movie is not among the best but still has more to offer than the average thriller. This is mostly due to its cast and fine thriller concept, that however doesn't always gets handled well.

Not all plot-lines get handled and wrapped up properly and the movie leaves some loose ends. The movie also picks some not so likely approaches with each story sometimes, which goes at the expensive of the credibility- and therefore also the tension of the movie.

It's a movie that had the potential of becoming a real dark and eerie thriller, I mean the concept of the movie would definitely allow this but the movie gets somewhere stuck between its successful and not so successful thriller moments.

Guess Morgan Freeman wanted to make another "Se7en" like thriller. Well, it's not completely fair to compare this movie to "Se7en" but because Morgan Freeman is in it and it's from about the same period, it's easy and tempting to do so. Also with some imagination the plots and approaches of both movies show some similarities. But unfortunately "Kiss the Girls" is nowhere in the same league as "Se7en" but fans of the genre will still find plenty to enjoy in this movie.

The movie features all of the right required thriller ingredients. So a psychopath, a cop trying to solve the case and of course a couple of plot twists. It also has all the right looks for a thriller. The movie has the right sort of dark undertone and handles some of its moments effectively.

The movie truly benefits from its cast. Morgan Freeman is an experienced actor and always good in these sort of roles. The movie also among other features; Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes, Bill Nunn, Brian Cox and Jeremy Piven.

A better than average thriller.

7/10

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Pretty good thriller. Lots of twists and turns to keep your attention. Great performances from Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman. The story is Washington DC detective Dr. Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) travels to North Carolina to investigate the apparent kidnapping of his niece (Gina Ravera). Aided by escaped kidnapee Kate McTiernan (Ashley Judd), Cross hunts down the kidnapper, who operates under the pseudonym "Cassanova". Pretty good watch, nice performance by casanova all up a good movie.

I didn't really know much about this movie when I saw that it was coming on HBO. I just decided "what the hell" and watched it. Besides, Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors. After a few minutes of KISS THE GIRLS, I was instantly glued to the television. It was pretty dark and very suspenseful, but I truly liked it.

Dr. Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman), a psychologist/detective from Washington DC is sent to investigate a man known as "Casanova", who is kidnapping, imprisoning and occasionally torturing and killing beautiful women. His niece is among one of the kidnapped. Along with the help of Kate Mctiernan, (Ashley Judd) who escaped from the maniac, and Detective Nick Ruskin (Cary Elwes), Cross sets out to find and stop the murderer.

The plot is fascinating and will most likely keep you on the edge of your seat and holding onto the arm of your chair. The acting jobs are very good too. Some parts are very dark and a little disturbing, but it often only helps the story line. Morgan Freeman, as usual, does a great job as the main character. Ashley Judd and Cary Elwes also did impressive performances.

The ending of this movie is pretty good and rather surprising. Go out and rent this whenever you're in the mood for a little suspense, you won't be disappointed.

I haven't seen this since 97. Today as I was wondering what to watch on this rainy Monday, a dark thriller from the 90s sounded good and I got more than I bargained for. This was a great movie! Very well written with good characters, good acting and a good story. The best part is that this doesn't follow your typical story structure. You think you know where this is going and the story unfolds uniquely.

Movies tend to make serial killers much more grandiose than they really are, which I'm fine with, they're movies afterall. And this one seems to push it just a little farther than reality. To the point where it could still happen.

And movies like this can be very heavy and dark. And while the situations are those things the audience isn't put through those emotions.

Morgan Freeman is one of those actors that has a fatherly presence. We all think of him that way and forget how good of an actor he really is. At least I do. Here he really shows his skills off. Alex Cross is a great character too. Different from what we're used to. I always love the characters where their strength comes from their intelligence.

And worth mentioning that Cary Elwes keeps a consistent accent the whole time! He's not in it much but good job Cary!

Cary Elwes does an incredible job as Nick Ruskin. He acts with perfect emotion for every particular scene and brings a unique feel to the character portrayed in the book. Elwes does superb acting in this film, and really displays his range. After reading the novel, I was surprised by Freemans casting. He impressed me with his comittment to the character, however, during the film he seemed over-dramatic taking away from the realism of the story (what makes the film and novel so terrorizing). Ashley Judd played Kate McTieran well and portrayed Pattersons heroine with the courage and bravery expected. Where the movie falls short is in the script. The adaptation leaves out numerous key elements to the story. What makes the plot so riveting is the psychological trauma Cassanova and the Gentleman caller force onto their captives. With brief scenes portraying the womens captivity, they film takes away from the character development of the murderers and focuses too heavily on superfluous tidbits not necessary to the story. If you are seeking a true thriller, you may want to choose another movie. Although the film is entertaining and the acting decent, the novel is much better and the thriller genre is better utilized in other films.

Kiss the Girls (1997)

Not a bad film, "entertaining" in the sense of sitting back and watching an episode of Bones or CSI. It has more development and higher production values, I guess, than television, but really it is a routine film hardly worth thinking too hard about.

Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman have been together for three movies, and they work together well. I'm not sure I see any special chemistry there, and for my money, it's a Morgan Freeman film. He plays a Forensic Psychologist and is all business, not swayed by stupidity. Judd plays a victim at first, and then in an unlikely twist, joins the investigation. The plot is frankly a little predictable, and you keep thinking there will be this giant twist, but there isn't. You simply don't know exactly who the perp is.

Ah, well, it propels itself all the same, a fun distraction.

Alex Cross (Freeman) is a police forensic psychologist who specializes in being "the guy who walks into a room and determines the hows and whys." One night as he stops to visit some family members he discovers that his neice has gone missing from the college campus where she attends school,, in a city where many young women have gone missing in recent history. An abductor who calls himself Casanova has been collecting these women and keeping them locked up for his own sick delights. Will Cross be able to outwit this delusional sociopath?

This is a great thriller with a great cast to boot. Freeman brings his A-game, and Judd plays her part very well. 7.2 rating.

Morgan Freeman is quite effective here in this adaptation of James Patterson's novel about the kidnap of the niece of this police psychologist/detective. Racing to her North Carolina school, "Cross" discovers pretty quickly that she is likely to be the latest in a line of youngsters abused and killed at the hands of the so-called "Casanova"! Fortunately, one of his would be victims - "Kate" (Ashley Judd) - manages to escape her captivity, and with "Cross" and time very much against them, tries to track down this murderer. It stays fairly faithful to the book and that's maybe why it doesn't quite work. The narrative is really rather dry, the dialogue all a bit too wordy and though the subject matter is quite disturbing, there isn't a great deal of menace on show for us here. "Cross" is just too clever; the clues too obscure for us but childsplay for him, and after a while that starts to grate a little. The best examples of this genre allow the audience to participate in the manhunt along with the characters. Not so much here. Freeman owns the screen, as usual, and Judd is perfectly acceptable as his feisty and determined sidekick as we head to a denouement that has just enough jeopardy to keep it interesting. There are loads of "Alex Cross" books, so I would expect more from this character - I hope this is but a bedrock for a darker and more complex sequel.

Kiss the Girls has one big weakness which prevented me from giving it a higher score; its cartoponish villainy. Without going into details and spoilers, for me the book's author and the screenwriters have taken a serious topic - kidnapping and sexual deviancy - and taken it to cartoonish proportions, with criminal protagonists of such magical capabilities that they might as well be Marvel comic villains. As with some other crime suspense films, this one is very, very good indeed for the first hour, but in a nevrotic urge to constantly up the ante the last third of the film is just too preposterous. Morgan Freeman is oustanding, and Ashely Judd very good, and the film has lots of strong points. If only it had been a bit more grounded in reality, it could have become a refence for the genre.

I can't believe I haven't seen this one earlier. It's a sort-of prequel to ALONG CAME A SPIDER (which was directed by Lee Tamahori). I really liked the sequel and I've been meaning to check this one out. Well, it's every bit as great as the sequel. Maybe even better. This one, directed by Gary Fleder, shows Freeman as Dr. Alex Cross, a DC cop and criminal psychologist, hunting for Casanova, a serial kidnapper of young women. Casanova "collects" these women and those which do not meet his expectations he kills. It's a solid, spine-tingling thriller and one of the best films of 1997 - which already was a spectacular year for cinema. Freeman is just fantastic in this part - he was born to play this role!!

First of two Alex Cross movies with Morgan Freeman!

Watched them in the wrong order, apparently. And while I think this fits the tone of the character better, the sequel has a "better" story (at least for a movie). It is still decent and entertaining! If you like this sort of script.

This one is more of a personal case for the dr detective. Finding the kidnapper Casanova, that took his niece and plenty other girls away, to love. Has decent pacing and structure, although some of the misdirection feels a little deceitful on purpose.. and I'm sure you couldn't really play along, even if you wanted.

Kiss the Girls is an excellent thriller! It has very good acting by cast! Morgan Freeman was great and Ashley Judd was very good! Brian Cox was good as well! I thought Cary Elwes was something else! The other cast members Alex McArthur, Tony Goldwyn, Jay O. Sanders, and Richard T. Jones were good. Is it Me or did he try to act and sound like Denzel Washington? Any way the movie is good and focuses on a great character named Alex Cross! In case you don't know there is another film that Morgan Freeman reprises his role as Alex Cross and its called Along Came A Spider! It is My favorite of the two but I am not saying that there is anything wrong with Kiss the Girls which is an excellent movie! I recommend you see both films!

GIRLS is a very good adaptation of a James Patterson novel about a collector of women. One of those kidnapped is D.C. sleuth Alex Cross' nieces, and Cross (played wonderfully by Morgan Freeman) is soon on the case. Ashley Judd in her prime plays a doctor kidnapped by and who eventually escapes from the masked bad buy. She and Cross eventually track him down in his lair, but the question is will Cross' niece still be alive? The identity of the bad guy will come as no surprise tomost crime film fans, but it's a fun ride getting there. Veteran character actors Bill Nunn, Tony Goldwyn, Brian Cox and Cary Elwes are all along for the ride. Strong direction and suspenseful pacing help immensely. Too bad the follow-up Alex Cross adventure, with Freeman again playing Cross, ALONG CAME A SPIDER, was a dog. Might have made an interesting franchise.