Above Suspicion (1995) User Reviews (26)

After all I've done for you you betrayed me.. And I can't forgive

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 8 November 2005]

***SPOILERS*** Being highly successful in everything that he did, from the top of his class in collage a top Jet pilot and law enforcement officer, Dempsey Cain, Christopher Reeve,is the exact opposite of his younger brother Nick, Edward Kerr. Nick also a member of the San Sebastian police department like Dempsey is a total failure when compared to his older brother.

One evening at a police shooting, the cop ended up dead, Dempsey calls Nick on his personal beeper and gets no answer. It turned that Nick was at Dempsey's house having an sexual tryst with his cheating and unfaithful wife Gail, Kim Cattrail. The next day the police. led by Det. Cain, track down the cop killers in a hotel room and just when their about to make the pinch Nick's beeper goes off, alerting the fugitives. The resulting shootout ends with Dempsey getting shot in the spine and ending up crippled from the waist down.

At the inquest following the shooting Dempsey covered up the fact that his brother's incompetence, leaving his beeper on, was responsible for the shootout. Taking the blame himself for it saying that the noisy beeper was his not Nick's Dempsey forgave his brother for his career ending injuries but not for his sleeping with his wife. Dempsey then concocted a devious and sinister plan to make them both pay for what they did to him with their lives.

Checking Nick's phone bill Dempsey found out that he called his answering service from his, Dempsey's, home at 2:30 AM. Dempsey realized that Nick was having an affair with his wife at the time that the young cop was shot and killed and that illicit affair had been going on for some time.

Putting on an act that he was despondent with his life as a paraplegic Dempsey get's both Nick and Gail to go along with a plan where he's killed, by them, in a burglary and having insured himself for $1,000,000.00 with a double indemnity clause, excluding suicide. The two would both get double the amount and that would also take care of his and Gail's son Damnon, Blake Foster,college and financial future. Getting everything ready for the big night, Friday July 15, 1994,when Dempsey is supposed to be killed Nick & Gail get the surprise of their life. They realize, only too late, that's it's them not Dempsey who's to end up on a cold slab at the local morgue with the insurance policy as the air-tight evidence that they had a financial motive to kill him.

The second half of the movie "Above Suspicion" has to do with Dempsey's fellow police detective Alan Rhinehart, Joe Mantegna,who realized that Dempsey was guilty,trying to convince his superior Capt Lindsey, Ron Canada, and the internal affairs department to have him arrested and tried for his bother and wife's deaths.

The movie ends on a very disturbing note with Det. Rhinehart finally getting Dempsey to stand trial for his brothers and wife's murder but the results shocked even him in how brilliant and, for the loss of a better word, evil Dempsey's plan was. No matter what Rhienhart could come up with he found out, the hard way, that he was totally helpless to have a jury convict Dempsey.

underrated and rather sad

[DavidRobinson10 · 8/10 · 20 June 2005]

Christopher Reeve was a very good actor - a talented man. Pity his career suffered because of the Superman role that made him. In this telemovie he plays a (super)cop shafted by his brother and his wife. It is a complex plot with many a twist - a great script with a number of the supporting cast playing against type. Reeve's character is always one step ahead of the game. The plot is vaguely similar in premise to "Investigation of a Citizen above Suspicion" starring Gian Maria Volante. Kim Cattrell is not sexy to my eyes but she shows good acting chops and isn't afraid to get down on screen. Joe Montagne is generally underrated and this movie shows the range of his talents well. In the end, Reeve is the star and shows extreme skill in the way he develops Cain (it's all in the eyes!). Great ending, with a slightly comic judge's role, which makes the climax even more impact full.

A Surprisingly Good, Unknown and Underrated Film Noir

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 5 January 2004]

Dempsey Cain (Christopher Reeve) is a perfectionist and accurate detective, married with Gail (Kim Cattrall), having a son and living in a comfortable house. His brother Nick (Edward Kerr) is a reckless policeman and is having an affair with Gail. Dempsey's colleague Rhinehart (Joe Mantegna) disputes with him who is the best detective in their district. One day, in a bust in a hotel, trying to arrest five Mexicans who killed two policemen, Dempsey is shot and become paralyzed below his waist. Dempsey becomes very depressed and tries unsuccessfully to suicide. Then, he proposes his brother and his wife to kill him, simulating a robbery in his house, in order to get his life insurance paid and for them to raise his son. What happens next makes this movie an excellent film noir. I would never expect such a good unknown film. The story and the screenplay are great, having many plot points, and the performance of the cast is perfect. The irony is that Christopher Reeves became paralyzed after this movie in an accident. Recommended for those who likes amoral movies. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Sem Suspeita" ("Without Suspicion")

Above Average Suspenser

[G-Man-25 · 11 July 1999]

A suspense drama with some genuinely intriguing twists to hold your interest (actor William H Macy co-wrote the script!). Well acted and directed, with an extremely satisfying ending. Christopher Reeve is totally convincing in his role, but Kim Cattrall just about steals it as his deliciously sexy, cheating vixen of a wife.

Wow, What Irony!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 17 March 2006]

This is a pretty interesting crime movie that has been overshadowed by the irony of it: Christopher Reeve playing a man in a wheelchair, and he himself being paralyzed not long after this movie.

This story concerns a cop who gets paralyzed and then gets revenge on his wife and brother, both of whom were having an affair behind his back which he knew about. Joe Mantegna's role, I thought, was the best, as the pursuing cop on the case, although Reeve is very good, too. Kim Cattrall's garbage-mouth helps make her a convincing villain as the cheating wife.

There is one major credibility problem, however, with this film that might have you shaking your head. You'll have to check to movie to know what I mean, because I don't want to spoil it here. The film is a worth a look, however - definitely recommended. It will have you involved.

Captivating Murder Story

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 20 March 2006]

This plot-driven story is better than I'd expected it to be. The story is this. An efficient, highly respected cop, Chris Reeves, must cover for his inept younger brother on the same police force. While doing so on one occasion, he is shot by the perp and paralyzed from the waist down. He's retired from the force and is cared for at home by his wife.

Reeves passes through various stages of depression and becomes suicidal. He calls his wife (Cattrall) and his brother Nick (Kerr) together for a talk and tells them that he's concocted a plan to fake his own murder. He's taken out mucho life insurance with his wife, his brother, and his son as beneficiaries. He wants them to establish an alibi, then break into his house as if they were burglars, and shoot him in the head. Double indemnity will then apply and his family will be well off, and he'll avoid the shame of having killed himself.

Now -- watch it here, because there be spoilers ahead, important ones.

Kerr and Cattrall are not what they seem. Kerr is a shallow guy, a total failure at everything he's tried, despite his brother's help -- self absorbed and naive, and he's been boffing Reeve's wife for some time. Cattrall is the meaner of the two, self pitying, horny, and greedy enough to agree without reservations to Reeve's suicid-by-burglar scheme.

The thing is, Reeves KNOWS all this and has set them up. The guns they've been instructed to use are unloaded, whereas Reeves' pistol is ready to go. Furthermore -- look, mein Fuhrer, he can WALK. Clumsy but ambulatory. So instead of their shooting him, he kills them and claims self defense.

Everyone believes him except another cop, Joe Montegna, who can't quite shake the suspicion that Reeves has done exactly what he has in fact done. He comes in for a lot of dish from the rest of the force because they all hold Reeves in esteem. Montegna sticks on the case even though his superiors order him not to. His final attempt to prove Reeves is lying fails and he winds up in the slams and then dismissed from the force.

Reeves and his son end up playing baseball together and living happily ever after. Reeves presumably will later learn to walk again in public. And there is that pretty next-door neighbor.

It's a pretty good movie. I'll try to make my explanation for that statement brief. As in actual life, nobody is either entirely good or bad. They are all ambiguous characters. Reeve's younger brother may be weak, but he's unable to shoot his brother when he tries. Reeve's wife may be unfaithful to him, but she has a decent job, does what she can to help him, and apparently loves their son. Reeves' motives are understandable, but excessive by any measure. And the movie itself ends with a murderer getting away with it. Not only that, but Montegna, the only detective who sees through Reeves, must leave in disgrace.

Some effort has gone into the plot, and into the dialog as well. When Montegna begins pushing recklessly into Reeves' status as suspect, the other cops deride him. A fellow officer sarcastically tells him, "You know, you're an obsessive compulsive. You got this obsessive thing. My wife always said you were compulsive. No wonder your wife left you. But the good news is -- you can get help." The photography and score aren't very impressive. The acting is good on everyone's part. The movie breaks the usual mold from which such movies are cast.

Of course it's painful to see Reeves playing a paraplegic. His Superman movies were funny, but only because they were jokes. He was able to put in a good dramatic turn from time to time, as in this movie or in "Street Smarts." And makeup has given him an unfashionable haircut, the kind a cop might have rather than a movie star.

Well worth catching.

A murderer who has all the answers.....

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 24 May 2008]

"Above Suspicion" has a very clever plot, above average acting, and maintains interest throughout. This plays like a good episode of "Columbo". Joe Mantegna gives a Columbo-like performance as the relentless detective who thinks the obvious in a murderer investigation is not how it happened. Unfortunately, in this case, his adversary, Christopher Reeve always seems to be one step ahead of Mantegna. I can't say I was totally satisfied with the ending, but under the circumstances, I can see where it came from. The film has plenty of nudity, violence, and edge of your seat twists and turns. Recommended. - MERK

One of those rare movies that predicted reality

[bellino-angelo2014 · 7/10 · 17 March 2023]

While I didn't really loved the original SUPERMAN franchise with Christopher Reeve I just liked them and considering that I have a high tolerance for everything, I wanted to see if Reeve has been good in other movies after leaving the red cape and while this wasn't excellent, it was still decent in a way.

Dempsey Cain (Reeve) is a LAPD police detective that has a loving wife, a son and a brother that often visits him, and also a colleague named Alan Rinehart (Joe Mantegna) that looks very close to him up until Cain is shot during an investigation in a warehouse and is forced to use a wheelchair. Dempsey has to adjust to the new lifestyle and after a while he decides to investigate on the accident that paralyzed him and finds out that Rinehart was behind it because he wanted to take Dempsey's place but Cain will stop him just in time.

The acting was decent, nothing to rave about. Reeve plays the part of a man that is forced to use a wheelchair very convincingly, and Mantegna played the part of his sleazy friend well. My only problems were that at times the pace looked slow and could have been sped up a little, but as it is, it's good but nothing more.

FYI... I can't think of how many movies predicted real life, but this certainly did! Few days after the release (27 May 1995) Reeve had the horse-riding accident that cost his life and he too became paralyzed like the character he played here. Quite scary, don't you think?

Christopher Reeve in an excellent TV thriller

[ODDBear · 8/10 · 2 December 2005]

Christopher Reeve ironically plays a homicide detective who's paralyzed from the waist down after a bust goes bad. His family life isn't all that great either; his wife is cheating on him with his own brother. One day Reeve asks the two of them to help him end his life...that's when things get interesting.

This is an exceptionally well made TV thriller. Boasting excellent performances from Cattrall, Mantegna and especially Reeve, in his last role before his horrible accident. The film is well written, with a mystery that's genuinely intriguing all the way, full of surprises and suspenseful to boot. Also has a very satisfying conclusion, not all TV movies follow the same formula.

I'll miss Christopher Reeve. Here, as in other movies, he shows just what a quality actor he truly was when given good roles.

Good TV Movie

[amberdawn-2 · 7/10 · 29 April 2007]

Dempsey "Demp" Cain (belated now, Christopher Reeve) was one of those law officers that did everything by the book. He was a very good police officer. Maybe, he was too good! His brother, Nick Cain (Edward Kerr) was a police officer as well. During an event on the job, catching the thugs who killed a fellow officer, Demp gets shot. Basically, he took the bullet for his brother. Nick had read his deposition and approached the subject with Demp while he was hospitalized. Demp told Nick that he was his brother, and he knew that he would have done the same for him. But in actuality, an event during this shakedown tipped Demp off to how corrupt his family really was. Two of the most important people in his life, his own family, were having an affair behind his back. Nick and his wife, Gail Cain (Kim Cattrall), had been having an affair for some time now. But using his paralysis, along with a little sympathy, and time to think, was just what he needed to come up with the ultimate pay back.

There was just one problem in this plot of revenge though; his name was Alan Rhinehart (Joe Mantegna), another fellow cop on the force. Alan was a good cop as well. He just did things differently than Demp. He was not a 'do it by the book' kind of cop, but he had good instincts. He was the "Songbird" during this revenge plot. But fortunately for Demp, No one on the force would listen to him. They kept telling him to leave it alone. But Alan just couldn't! He knew that Demp was guilty in this revenge plot. He launched a series of complaints against Demp, which put demp in a legal jam for a short while. Ultimately though, because of Alan pursuing his accusations, it led to his sudden end with the department. And does Demp get away with his revenge against his brother and wife? That's left to be seen when you watch the movie!

"Above Suspicion," is a very good TV movie; it's kind of short, but it gets its point across! It also leaves you missing Christopher Reeve. He was a good actor, but I think that "Super Man" is what really made him though. He had a sad ending, but he had a loving wife and family that stood beside him until the end. It's ironic that he was chosen to play the part of Demp, the paralyzed cop, too.

Fairly routine thriller made more poignant by actor's real life.

[rlcsljo · 5/10 · 11 September 2002]

A dedicated cop's wife is cheating on him. He is paralyzed in the line of duty. Spoilers are needed to reveal why this movie gets to you. But suffice it to say that it raises the perverse question: "Is Chris in a similar situation in his real life?". Its dumb and preposterous, but the thought keeps popping into your head.

Who was hotter at age 40? Kim Cattrall or Daryl Hannah?

Best suspense ever

[athena24 · 10/10 · 20 August 2005]

This is definitely the best suspense I have seen. Original, very exciting plot, that always keeps you on. The suspense builds continuously, with minor descendants, until it reaches the peek in the end. The tension in the end is so high that when I watched the movie I couldn't help myself jumping from my sofa, and this is never happened to me before. In my opinion the movie was flawless in every way. Christopher Reeve and Joe Mantenga delivered us their best.

Very strong movie.

It's a shame that a movie like The Blair Witch Project went to the cinemas after you see Above Suspicion that went only to TV.

Clever Thriller

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 24 July 2003]

It`s a poignant fact that only days after this film was released Christopher Reeve suffered a tragic accident and the headlines were about his last role as a paralysed cop which means it`s impossible to watch ABOVE SUSPICION without being reminded of Reeve`s real life situation so I`ll try and review this movie on its own merits

While not being the greatest actor in the world the one thing I have noticed about Christopher Reeve on-screen is that he comes across as being Mr nice guy so it`s somewhat surprising to see him starring in a thriller featuring sex , violence and strong language . The plot itself is intriguing enough to hold the attention and revolves around a cop maimed in the line of duty wanting to set himself up for a murder so that his wife will cash in on his life insurance .

It`s a fairly clever thriller and even though it`s a HBO production featuring sex , violence and swearing these elements don`t overshadow the plot unlike many other HBO films that drown in excessive violence . That scene in the court at the end made me wince

Brilliant Thriller

[Big Movie Fan · 2 December 2002]

Christopher Reeve had starred in some good thrillers when he wasn't flying around as Superman. This is a gripping thriller for him.

Reeve plays a top detective Dempsey Cain who is paralyzed after a drugs operation. Thus, he resigns himself to life in a wheelchair but that is when things get going. Also, Dempsey's brother and wife have been having an affair and now that he is paralyzed, he may just notice what has been going on...

I cannot say any more. The film has such twists that if I say anything more I will end up giving it away. I cannot even go into detail about Joe Mantegna's role without potentially spoiling it. I urge you to watch the movie and be prepared for a real twist. If you like thrillers that involve murder and adultery, then this is the one for you.

This was Reeve's last film before he became paralyzed in the riding accident he had. This was one of those rare but disturbing occasions of life imitating art.

Reeve is Riveting, Bone-Chilling, and Badass!

[Movie-ManDan · 7/10 · 6 July 2015]

Just surfing the net one day, I came across this movie on Youtube. I noticed it started Christopher Reeve before he had his accident, so I gave it a watch. As a TV Movie, I think Reeve should have won an Emmy or Golden Globe for his best portrayal I've seen him in. Reeve lights the screen on fire, making this the most exciting movie of the year.

Reeve plays a well-respected and talented cop who is shot during a drug bust leaving him a paraplegic. Coincidentally, just days before (or maybe after) the movie's release became a quadriplegic in real life. Reeve suspects his wife is cheating on him with his brother and vows revenge by any means, not caring about his condition.

There's only a few actors who are capable of giving a real evil stare that's truly scary. Al Pacino and Kevin Spacey are great examples. Christopher Reeve, with his piercing blue eyes that look through people, is at the same level of Pacino and Spacey. I really wish Reeve more blockbusters to showcase his acting talent and get the praise he deserves.

4/4

Above Suspicion!

[Movie Nuttball · 10/10 · 19 January 2005]

Above Suspicion is a very different film that has a unique cast which includes Christopher Reeve, Joe Mantegna, Kim Cattrall, Edward Kerr, Geoffrey Rivas, Finola Hughes, and William H. Macy! The acting by all of these actors is very good. Christopher Reeve is excellent in this film. The action is good. The music is good. The film is quite exciting and the movie really keeps you going until the end. This is a very good and thrilling film. If you like Christopher Reeve, Joe Mantegna, Kim Cattrall, Edward Kerr, William H. Macy, and the rest of the cast I've mentioned above, thrillers, dramas, and exciting action films then I recommend this film!

strong suspense film, with twists and turns

[judy-27 · 10/10 · 4 February 1999]

Interesting script, filled with suspense, perhaps because of the nature of the film and Christopher Reeve's part, the film is more poignant now then ever. Acting all around is good, direction excellent, a film not to be missed.

Hard to look away

[dave-654 · 16 August 1999]

I do not consider myself as a movie critic by any means,but above suspicion with Christopher Reeves is probably one of the BEST films I have ever seen.Not only is the story so intense so is the characters.Setting aside the fact that Christopher really became a wheelchair bound person shortly after this film was made,Above Suspicion is a movie about a situation that could have really happened.A man paralized with a young boy loses hope.His wife is cheating on him with his own brother.Sounds like a simple story,but watch how Christopher deals with the sistuation.It is so intense,it is hard to look away...I give it 5 stars!*****

Final movie of Christopher Reeve before the tragic accident

[markjayaweera · 8/10 · 1 January 2020]

It's ironic to watch a movie of himself fully healthy and playing a disabled chair bound person. Not soon after this movie one of the movie screen most loved actors Christopher Reeve met a tragic fate which led him to be paralysed and severely shortened a very fit and healthy individual life by several decades passing away in 2004 at the relatively young age of 52. After an incredibly tough 9 year battle with his paralysis. A lot of the reason he was able to cope is because of the loving support of his wonderful wife Dana Reeve. It's one of the few movies probably the only movie where this wonderful husband and wife couple of Christopher Reeve and Dana Reeve acted together in the same movie.

She herself not long after Reeve's death contracted cancer and passed away in 2006 at the relatively young age of 44. My opinion is that she and Reeve were extremely close. Reeve's passing may have hastened an early death of Dana Reeve too. It's incredibly tragic that two good and beautiful people departed this world so early and denied us many more years of their great talent and company. RIP Christopher Reeve and Dana Reeve. You both are very much missed who are old enough to remember the wonderful Christopher Reeve. However Christopher Reeve will live long after his passing in his movies.

The movie itself is very good and Christopher Reeve is excellent in it too. It is a movie however that deals with very dark subject matter. Of things that can go on in affluent suburbia. Christopher Reeve plays a well off chief police officer named Dempsey who lives in a house in an affluent suburb who leads a team to apprehend a gang of dangerous and armed drug smugglers. Unfortunately the raid doesn't go according to plan and Christopher Reeve while trying to apprehend a drug dealer gets shot below his bullet proof vest and hits his spinal cord paralysing him for life from the waist down.

The paralysis however brings about a change in Dempsey. Apparently he was always aware that his wife and his brother were getting it on so to speak. The paralysis however brought out a jealousy which gave him the motive to commit a crime. Being an ace police officer he knew how to set everything up and cover up his tracks from the law.

One of his colleagues was suspicious and gets on his trail. At the end of the movie we see Dempsey evade justice and walk free. The final scene shows him looking at a photo of his wife and brother and grieving for their loss. Probably realising the gravity of what he has done. Denying himself the love of a brother and wife due to his dark nature getting the better of him. I was uncomfortable with the subject matter. But Reeve and Kim Katrall's performances in particular were excellent. It is a shame I did not hear about this movie before I was a twenty something in the 1990s and saw a lot of movies from that decade but somehow missed it. The 1990s was also economically a very good decade for America and we see that reflected in this movie as a Chief Police officer can now afford to live well in an affluent middle class American suburb. I give this 8 out of 10.

Great flick

[StevenFlyboy · 10/10 · 20 March 2006]

This movie is perhaps the best movie ever made that actually shows the devastating effect ilicit affairs can have on relationships. When a person loves their spouse as much as Dempsy did in this movie, only to find out that love and trust had been betrayed, well...you saw what happened. This movie is very true-to-life. More often than not, betrayal of one's love can lead to suicide and even murder. I do have some questions about the movie, and anyone out there who can clear me up on this, i appreciate it. First of all, what was the purpose of Dempsy "pretending" to commit suicide in front of the open window? I'm assuming this was done intentionally to draw the attention of the next door neighbor lady, but I'm not quite sure the purpose of it. Secondly, remember when they were at Gail's surprise party and Dempsy's mom was sitting on the steps next to Gail? The mom said "Dempsy has been planning this party for months. It's perfect." Then Gail replies, "everything Dempsy DOES is perfect." What exactly was she implying with that statement? I found myself saying, "everything except SEX." Of course, I could be wrong. Another thing too: I can see why they went to Mexico to get the guns with silencers but I don't understand why Nick had to get a fake drivers license. Allen, the other detective, eventually discovers the fake drivers license with Nick's picture but a different name. I fail to see why the fake license was necessary. Cuold it have something to do with the rental car they rented? Another thing too - we see at the very beginning that Dempsey is a very 'detailed" person, with the business about the rookie cop's badge being missing. That in mind, i think they should have left out the part where Dempsey stood up to shoot his brother. Someone like him would never have done that. It caused him some trouble too, forcing him to come up with the story about throwing the paperweight at Nick. All in all, its a very good movie and the sex scenes really "riled me up" - especially when they were in the shower while Dempsey was at the hospital, paralyzed. That, plus the fact that Gail's attitude was so selfish. At least Nick DID have respect for his brother, to some degree, but everything Gail said and did was self-centered. Poor Demps was paralyzed and all she could think about is her having to "push a wheelchair the rest of her life." Boy, I hope I never marry someone like that!

Very Very Good

[oneflewovertheapocalypse · 7 August 2004]

A while ago I read in places that Above Suspicion was a sleeper hit in it's time and was a great film with twists and turns. It appeared on television the other night so I decided to give it a go and see what I made of it and after it finished I was in complete shock to actually have found a fantastic B movie thriller. I only know Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent so it was nice to see him in something else apart from that. At one point all the main characters in this I loved in one film or other. Of course reeve's in Superman, Kim Cattrall in Big Trouble in Little China and Joe Mantega in The Godfather Part 3 so to have them all together in one film was great and it worked on so many levels. It all begins with Reeve as a cop who goes out on a drug bust or something along those lines and he get's shot during it. He ends up paralysed from the waist down, becomes very depressed and decides that suicide is the only way out to cure his long and tiring depression, in steps his brother and wife played by Cattrall. He knows that killing himself will leave no insurance on his life to leave to his young son so he pleads with his wife and brother to shoot him in a staged robbery. I will not say no more as it will spoil the fun, but from there on in you are taken straight into a tale of deceit and murder. I still am very shocked to have seen how good it was considering it wasn't backed up by a big film studio so this is what we have to remember from now on. We may have to put up with some terrible B movies that are straight to video but there are some if not a lot of surprisingly good films out there with powerful stories. Keep an eye out and watch if you get the chance as you will not be disappointed, I promise you.

Slick film-making produced this relatively unknown thriller

[alexanderjallan · 13 February 2003]

There are many things that make this film good for me. One is the actor who plays the leading role- I haven't seen Christopher Reeve in much and to see him playing a totally different character of which I'm accustomed to is really appealing. Also at this kind of age actors, I find, are in their prime; they have great screen presence and charisma. This can be said for Sean Connery, who was no doubt a good Bond, but he just enthuses entertainment even if the film is not rated so well, such as The Russia House, or Outland).

I also like the subtle music and the subtle character play in the script, such as Reeve's character being resented as a know it all college boy, who gets favoured by the Lieutenant. It makes entertaining viewing. The plot progresses slickely and gives some satisfying twists, which effectively make the film what it is.

The best part of course it that the bad guy wins, although perceptions of bad are biased towards the bad guy- at least I was happy and I can't see anyone being broken up about the outcome.

An Excellent thriller which ends well, even that pull back shot of the scenery from the coast was nice.

The mind of a genius

[Tarasicodissa · 13 October 2004]

There is much to admire about the twists and turns of the plot of this movie. What makes them so real is the skill of the script in showing that they are the result not of plot contrivance but the mind of a genius at work.

Dempsey is brilliant. At the beginning of the film he is asked by a superior to go over a cop kill crime scene that his resentful colleague Rhinehart had already gone over. As Rhinehart fumes at the captain's lack of confidence in his work, Dempsey notes that the dead cops badge was taken by the killer as a trophy and asks forensic to dust the spot on the ground where the killer would have had to rest his left hand to bend over the body and take the badge with his right. Bingo. Prints of the killer. Rhinehart seethes. Once again Dempsey has shown him up.

Throughout the film he is like that, one step ahead of everyone else. Dempsey plans, anticipates, outwits, gifted with iron self-control and the concentration of a laser. It is rare that one sees genius depicted so well, so without peculiarity and eccentricity.

I am moved by one final scene between Dempsey and his brother. Dempsey gently asks whether his brother Nick hates him. Nick, who is frankly an incompetent failure whose every action reeks of carelessness (Dempsey was shot in the first place because his brother screwed up the bust), confesses his envy. It's not that Dempsey has more than him. It is that Dempsey so clearly deserves it because he is so superior to him in every way leaving him no right whatsoever to feel envy. Just shame at his endless screwups. It was a good scene of how love can be tried by a stark difference in life lots, even when those outcomes are as just as excellence rewarded and incompetence punished.

Another point. Others on this thread have seemed to imply that Rhinehart was motivated by bringing a criminal to justice. Justice had nothing to do with it. As the defense counsel truthfully showed it was Rhinehart's envious hatred of Dempsey that pushed him to create a case where no one else saw one. We saw in the very beginning how the captain openly preferred Dempsey's work to Rhinehart's and we saw that he had good cause to. Dempsey found the shooter's prints that Rhinehart missed.

Good thriller with major weakness *** SPOILER WARNING ***

[raygirvan · 25 July 2003]

*** MAJOR SPOILER WARNING ***

It's difficult to criticise this movie as it's iconic (and grimly ironic) as Reeve's last film before his accident. As a thriller, it is generally very clever and well done, and it was good to see Reeve showing his adaptability as an actor by playing against his usual nice guy persona. However, once it was revealed that Sffwf't dibsbdufs jt gbljoh qbsbmztjt (move characters one backward in the alphabet to read it) I sat grousing for the rest of the film; I simply don't believe this could go undiscovered by his doctor.