When I had just seen a few minutes of this, about fifteen minutes into the beginning, I had stuck on and watched the rest, mostly to check if it is in fact Elizabeth Berkley. I had a few doubts, since I now feel she might have gained just a few pounds since "Showgirls". It makes her no less sexy, for sure, but made me wonder. Now, for the review, I could not stop asking the same question: "is this a TV movie or a TV show"? I couldn't settle on it being a typical motion picture because of the blandness of the camera work, lack of a spark in the acting styles, and the same damn music playing at the off times all through the film. Truly, the music did not match the emotions hardly at all, and did not help the movie, period. The only thing that gave this movie a bit of color was the main guy character's talent, the mystery he was able to show with every move and every word. Elizabeth Berkley... well, she has grace, style, height, and the incredible uncommon charm that seemed to get her in the movies in the first place. In Showgirls those were a deadly combination. In Random Encounter, she had to damn near get a makeover to portray the dullness of the office worker she played. Neither did it work nor was she the possibly the right actress for the movie. Unless the director would loosen up a lot and let her smile just ONCE during the film with the killer smile she gave her ride in the beginning of Showgirls. That's what am talking about. That would have flipped the film up-side-down, I tell ya.
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pete-29323 March 2001As thrillers go, "Random Encounter" is fairly routine overall. Numerous holes in the story harm this film the most. Some of the holes leave the viewer wondering what happened. A little better writing would have helped. A few original twists elevate it somewhat. Some decent photography and acting elevate the film even more. Joel Wyner is reasonably convincing as the treacherous Kyle Jones. His main problem is that compared to Elizabeth Berkley he is a shrimp. Elizabeth Berkley is as beautiful as ever and does a nice job as the PR exec Allie Keller. She does look a little young for the character she plays but she is never-the-less convincing. No one should have a problem with her performance. This is a nice film for Elizabeth Berkley fans and also for thriller & suspense enthusiasts but should be of interest to others as well. It is worth the watch and I'd say better than average.
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omarazam17 February 2001I was surprised at how watchable and unpredictable this was. I don't think it was overtly obvious which suspect was behind this mystery, which is pretty good in my book. ALso, I liked the CHicago ambience. I noticed the cop's name was Royko, a tribute to the old time legendary CHicago journalist of the same name. I was blown away when the credits rolled and it was revealed that this was a purely French Candaian production.
SPOILER ALERT BELOW
THis was one of the worst endings to a film I have seen. What kind of ending is that? What happened to her boss (walking out of the board meeting is not symbolic enough for me. Does she get away with it? Was the intention to have the murder or was her boss telling the truth about his intentions? And what the heck was up with the credits rolling over shots of ELizabeth on golden pond with her dad?) I am dead sure that something halted production of this film for the ending to be so carelessly presented. -
Hermit C-229 September 1999You never know what you're going to get when you tune in a thriller late at night on a cable channel. This one turned out to be better than most. Elizabeth Berkley plays a fast-rising PR executive who meets a stranger at a party she's throwing for her company and goes home with him. This action has all sorts of unintended consequences that keep getting worse and worse as the film progresses.
This movie passes a couple of big tests for the thriller genre. One is that it stays suspenseful, almost engrossing, all the way through. Another is that you won't spend all your time second-guessing the script, saying "Would he or she really have done that?"--even when you could.
Count me out when it comes to Berkley-bashing. This isn't 'Showgirls;' she's very good in her part. It's unfortunate that some people have such a knee-jerk negative reaction to her since she appeared in that other movie and don't judge her on her own merits. It might also be noted here that she gives a convincing and competent performance in 'Random Encounter' without taking her clothes off. -
Bob720 June 1999This suspense/thriller only got a 4.7 from IMDBers, but I'd give it another point, not quite a 6. As another reviewer said, Eliz is pretty good, better than in Showgirls, and she's never hard to look at. Interesting seeing her as an exec instead of a stripper in Showgirls, but some of those micro-skirts might almost be the same thing.
The plot is ok, but the manner in which she is framed is just too much of a stretch. The movie will lose many viewers at that point ... the chances of things working out that way are about 1 in a million, and the framers are counting on it! But if ya can get by that, and like murder/suspense flicks, it's worth a couple bucks to rent. -Bob -
mjstock8 January 2003I've read the other reviews of this film with some interest in their
diversity of opinions. Those who questioned Berkley's range as an
actress must not have seen "Showgirls (1995)." In that movie she
played Nomi Malone,a slutty, low-class-to-the-bone, dancing star
wannabe. I see a lot of contrast here, especially in her formal,
dress-up scenes. In "Any Given Sunday (1999)," she played a little
different role, Mandy Murphy, a sexy cocktail party seductress,
trying to hit on Al Pacino. "That's ok, I like older men,"...or
something like that. I must admit that I haven't seen her as a WWF
girl or a mud wrestling scene, for that matter. But I hope that kind of
stuff is not required to establish "range."
What kept my attention during "Random Encounter" was the
almost Hitchcockian plot, complete with surprise ending (surprise
to me, anyway). Although the clues were scattered throughout the
movie, it was late in the film when I figured out "who dunnit."
This film also reminded me of the Jag Mundhra film "Sexual Malice
(1994)," in which Diana Barton plays a role similar to Berlkey's in
"Random Encouner."
I think it is one of the best of its genre. (But since I'm the only
person on my block who refuses to watch "reality tv" and recent
Coors commercials, don't trust my taste.) -
vchimpanzee20 February 2006After Japanese tourists are killed in a rental car, Chicago public relations executive Allie Brayman sees this as an opportunity. Allie is up for a big promotion, and while she has a go-go-go lifestyle, with a BMW whose license plate says 'PRRRRR' (how cute!), she does make time for her family. It's a good thing, because her father is not in good health.
Allie also has time for romance. At a work-related party at the Cook County Railroad Museum (actually the Canada Railway Museum), she meets Kyle. Unfortunately, Kyle has a jealous ex-girlfriend with serious drug and alcohol problems, and what happens next becomes a public relations nightmare for Allie.
And just when Allie thinks things can't get any worse, they do. This movie becomes quite a chilling adventure, with lots of interesting twists.
I didn't recognize Elizabeth Berkley at first. Before I turned this movie on, I didn't even know who was in it. I just concluded it looked interesting. Berkley wasn't anything special at first, and I was prepared to say that the best thing about her was how good she looked. Even that wasn't noticeable at first, since she looked completely professional in her first scene. Later, though, she effectively showed a number of different emotions, and being a public relations person, Allie would have to know how to lie convincingly. She did! Berkley had a number of good scenes.
Joel Wyner did a great job as the mysterious Kyle. And Barry Flatman also impressed as Allie's boss.
There was some violence, but not too much. The real concern for parents, in addition to the adult situations, would be sexual content.
The railroad museum was one of my favorite parts of the movie, especially when old-style jazz music was played. I liked the old train cars.
It wasn't a great mystery/thriller, but I wouldn't say bad either. -
swanscrossingfan24 December 2002This movie is great. I got the DVD today(but had already seen the film). The DVD is great also, it has cast filmographies, trailer, and scene selection(also Spanish Sub-titles). Anyway, this movie is well written, acted, and produced. I would have added a few more scenes(to cover up a few questions that you may have about the movie), but other than that it is excellent. I give it 5(out of 5) stars! The official summary (on the back of the DVD is:): you meet a handsome man at a buisness party(it actually says dinner, but it was a party). You're dazzled by his charm(he's not that charming though). But what if that man was a player in a game of murder who was about to destroy your life bit by bit(it says other stuff, but this is a short version). Allie has a brief tryst with the man, but soon allie's job, safety, and sanity are all fair game.
I think you should buy this film, it is great on video or DVD. I will definantly watch it again, again, and again. -
DJ-1728 August 1998Elizabeth Berkley is one of Hollywood's worst talents. She has absolutely no range as an actor. There are numerous skilled actors that should deserve a chance. It is sad how many roles Elizabeth has gotten recently.
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Mike-3426 October 1998Elizabeth Berkley, I think, is one of Hollywood's brightest talents. I wish this movie wasn't just a made for cable, but a real movie that was released to the theatres. I thought her acting was great, the storyline was cool, and all in all, a cool movie. I really like Elizabeth Berkley, what an amazing actress.
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Oh sweet sweet Jesse Spano, how I love you. Elizabeth Berkley is one fine babe. If she were a president, she'd be Babe-raham Lincoln. This movie wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. The beginning is cool, when she's wearing that one hot dress hanging over her fine body when she meets the guy who frames her. The whole beginning of the film is fairly interesting, but then goes downhill after that and I stopped paying attention.
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Elizabeth Berkley, I think, has a lot of talent. She played her character in this film very well, and the film itself was pretty good, for a made for cable HBO type of movie, anyway. I'd like to see a lot more of Elizabeth Berkley on the big screen, I think she's a great actress, regardless of her past work, which I also think was pretty good.
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antoine-1717 February 2001where Brian de Palma had left us with "Dressed to Kill" in 1980. "Random Encounter" shares a number of features with de Palma best movies: an interesting and complicated story, a beautiful main character and a somehow smoothing music that contrasts with the intensity of the drama.
As for the main character and her depth as an actress, I will make no judgment here. I think she does just what the director wanted her to do: be pretty and smart in circumstances in which most of us would just surrender without thinking any further.
This movie is a living tribute to de Palma's work and it is, in my opinion, a very successful one. -
Mike-36812 October 1998Since 1995 Elizabeth Berkley has graduated -- entering the group of actors & actresses who can deliver a dramatic message convincingly. In "Random Encounter" -- unfortunately made for cable only -- she shows the range of acting capacity that is the trademark of the professional mature actress. High marks for her performance here! -- let's hope that she gets her break with this film.