Albatross (2007) User Reviews (5)

Geraldine Ferraro no doubt

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 20 February 2017]

With Eric Bogosian bringing his family to witness a re-enactment of the Hamilton-Burr duel over in Weekhawken and seeing 'Hamilton' get himself shot really dead even though it was New Jersey you know it would be Major Case involved. The fact that the actual murder shot was fired from across the Hudson makes it New York case in any event.

Anyone who did not see that the characters that Donna Murphy and Xander Berkeley were based on Geraldine Ferraro and her bad boy husband John Zaccaro had to be living under a rock. The third prime mover here is her chauffeur and aide Mike Colter.

The case brings a bit of a rift between Goren and Eames as Kathryn Erbe makes no bones about the fact she sees Murphy as true feminist idol. Who sadly has feet of clay. Sad that these two just didn't divorce.

Murphy and Berkeley are outstanding as the troubled married and very prominent couple

Beware Of Pols Who Look Too Good

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 4 September 2008]

This must have been a very difficult episode for the Law & Orders writers to do because it went against their extreme politically-correct bias. They actually made a woman politician - one which had a scumbag husband - part of cover-up in having her husband murdered. Of course, she wasn't part of the murder plan but she knew about it and stayed silent so, at the end of the episode when this is reluctantly divulged (last 30 seconds) you know she'll arrested, too.

"Det. Eames" shows her bias in this story, being so prejudiced for the female candidate she can't judge correctly. Thank goodness she has a more objective partner in "Det. Robert Goren," who winds up putting two-and-two together while Eames just frowns. She contributed nothing to the case, in this one.

Nonetheless, the focus of the story is really the husband, played by a George Carlin-lookalike: Xander Berkeley. He was fascinating, as "George Pagolis" and did a terrific job playing him, sounding very natural. Meanwhile, Donna Murphy was convincing as his political wife "Maureen." The whole story starts with a unique aspect: two men re-enacting the famous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr.....but in this updated version, a sniper from a long ways away interrupts the festivities - and shoots the wrong man!. Later, it's discovered why the wrong guy was shot and who was involved. Overall, it's interesting and certainly is a comment on the slanted TV news reporting of the day, as well as how our own bias enter into how we look at people.

Flies high

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 25 February 2021]

Of the first half of the Season 6s of the original 'Law and Order', 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent', 'Criminal Intent's' (the show was also beginning to become very uneven) was easily the worst in my view. The best being 'Special Victims Unit's', where all the episodes were very good and more. 'Law and Order's' was high quality too, but felt less settled with a major character change. 'Criminal Intent's' though was very inconsistent, especially Logan and Wheeler's outings.

"Albatross" is another very good episode with a lot of great things. As well as a couple of not so minor debits. When ranking Season 6's episodes, "Albatross" compares favourably and is somewhere around high middle but not quite one of the best. Really did admire at how, on top of having a case that was generally not as over-obvious as it sounds up to a point, it portrayed something that is still unfortunately true to life today (but worse), without sugar-coating, and it was interesting to see what the attitudes towards it were like.

It is shot with the right amount of intimacy without being claustrophobic and that the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time has been great too. Nice use of locations too. The music doesn't get over-scored or overwrought, even in the more dramatic revelation moments. The direction doesn't try to do too much and is understated but never flat or unsure. The acting once again is great, nothing bad can be said of the regulars but this is a case of the supporting cast making even more of an impression.

Donna Murphy and Xander Berkeley are indeed outstanding in their strongly written and increasingly fascinating roles, Berkeley's role is slightly richer but Murphy's alluring yet calculating presence dominates. The script is intelligent and always intriguing and while there is a lot of talk it doesn't feel long winded. The case is well paced and keeps one on their toes and guessing, despite the outcome not being a surprise. Really liked seeing a different side to Goren and Eames' relationship with more tension to usual, as well as the scene in the bar. Not to mention the media portrayal (just as vicious as it is not) and seeing how people fall for it so easily which is actually quite scary.

By all means, "Albatross" is not perfect. Once again the ending is rushed and is how Goren's observations are treated (too throwaway here), with the identity of the murderer being obvious far too early. Actually knew the whole truth a quarter of an hour in.

Concluding, very good on the whole despite the obviousness. 8/10

I thought of canceling the duel

[Mrpalli77 · 6/10 · 26 September 2017]

Maureen Pagolis (Donna Murphy) is a well-known politician so loved by electorate and press. She seems to have a normal life, she's married and she gave birth to three grown sons. But a lot of secrets are hidden beneath appearances. His husband used to cheat on her because he was left alone every time ("My wife's booked 8 nights a week" he told the detectives). Anyway she bugged him 24/7 and she knew everything he was done without blinking an eye, but hate was growing inside her and when she figured out there was a plan to kill him she didn't do anything.

I found this episode a little boring and below average, Goren was sloppy and the sniper was too dumb to be a pro. Even the chauffeur's purpose didn't convince myself at all.

There are elements of Jeanine Pirro's career in this episode

[williamrmckern · 27 August 2017]

More than Geraldine Ferraro's.

Pirro married lobbyist Albert Pirro in 1975. Long suspected of organized crime ties, in 2000 he was convicted of conspiracy and federal tax evasion, to the tune of over $1 million.

In 1986, she abruptly quit a bid for Lieutenant Governor of New York over concerns of what journalists looking into her background might uncover.

In 2006, when Pirro was running for New York Attorney General, news accounts indicated that she was the subject of a federal investigation, suspected of working with former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik to illegally tape her husband's conversations in the hopes of catching him committing adultery. No charges were filed, but the scandal derailed Pirro's electoral career. The Pirros separated in 2007, and divorced in 2013.