Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story

Saw this movie on cable, and was surprised at how entertaining it was for a made-for-tv flick. The story was interesting - as far as these true crime stories go - and the performances were actually quite good. Which brings me to my real point: after watching Kathleen Robertson's performance, I wonder why she isn't in more high-profile films. This woman is quite a talent and a very unique beauty to boot. You mean to tell me she wouldn't have been better than the boring Elizabeth Banks was in Seabiscuit? Or Liv Tyler in most anything? Or couldn't have handled Carla Gugino's Spy Kids' Mom? This woman deserves to be a star.

Anyway, the movie is a nice little diversion.

I was not particularly impressed with the story, being a criminal defense attorney I could see some major holes in it.

BUT Kathleen Robertson, the main character grabbed me like a boll dog and would NOT let go.

I can see a long and great career for this young woman - she has a stunng beauty and is a great actress.

Brava, brava, brava Kathleen.

I look forward to seeing more of her work.

Glad to read that she has moved here, I suspect her career in the great while cold north would be very limited.

I saw the last part of this film last year on cable and fell in love with Kathleen Robertson, so I had to see the complete film and loved it! She is so beautiful and does a wonderful job portraying Evelyn Dick. Ms. Robertson is obviously as talented as she is easy to look at, and she makes the film! Her acting is flawless, and I will look for her in other films! The film also turned me on to 40's Jazz when I heard the song "Melacholy Lullaby" over the closing credits, and I just found the CD by Alex Pangman that the track is on and can't wait to hear more of her. The film is great, though, and I may just get the tape, unless the DVD is out.

This is a riveting tale of a beautiful young woman emotionally crippled by her abusive, controlling parents. The plot has many unexpected twists and as more is revealed about Evelyn Dick's life the story is increasingly compelling. She leaves the film almost as much an enigma as when she enters it. Good performances -- Kathleen Robertson is stunning in the lead role, and Brenda Fricker turns in a wicked performance reminiscent of some of Kathy Bates' characters. I enjoyed the use of high and straight-overhead camera angles and the use of stark lighting in many of the scenes. The costuming was terrific and the director made good use of the details in the closeup work. Visually a feast, all-around very good!

This film has all the elements that make up great murder mystery/thriller/docudramas except one: an interesting case at its center. The actors are all excellent, though only Robertson's role rises above the nondescript, for the most part. Fricker and Rennie are oddly cast, as well; while both are very talented and do fine here, their roles don't seem particularly suited to them. They seem unduly constrained by the true origins of the people and situations portrayed. The central weakness, however, is the murder case itself. While all the facts are never made clear (as they have apparently never been in real life), the identity of the murderer or murderers is never really in much doubt. The "shocking" elements of the plot are likewise underwhelming, though this is primarily due to the fact that the audience has grown inured through overexposure to depravity in movie plots, which can't really be held against this film (or this murder case). All in all, this is a well-acted, well-directed, fully-conceived film built around an unworthy story.