First off, this film is effective all the way through. There are so many good actors in this film it's hard to know where to begin. The four kidnappers work well together on screen. The best part of the movie for me would have to be when Coco is talking about the time her and Junior had met, trapped in a meat freezer. A song by "The Cure" is playing that has "just like a dream" in the chorus, don't know the actual name, but it is very romantic. When Junior is giving her oral sex while she is holding herself up in the air by a meat hook, it is so romantic. She says "I can't even look at a steak now without getting wet". On to Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson who as two law enforcement employees, have some innocent romantic moments of their own. Hal Holbrook gives a good performance as the revenge minded senator. Anyway, this movie has a lot going for it. I am surprised with so many good actors this movie doesn't have a bigger following. I am a big Carla Gugino fan, and she is hot is this one, even though maybe only a nanosecond of her fabulous breasts. Enjoy 6/10
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campblood1313 December 2002
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gridoon20 January 2004Yet another Tarantino-inspired (no point in trying to deny it) crime thriller that thinks it's a lot more clever, hip and cool than it actually is. The mix of ridiculously forced dialogue ("I had my first orgasm while staring a dead cow in the eye" or "Projecting your fear on me will not help matters") and strained Southern accents is enough to make anyone turn off the movie early on. But if you do stick with it, you will be rewarded with a decently twisted plot and some good performances (nice to see Hal Holbrook still working and in perfect form). (**)
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im00sev3 May 2001I got this movie from eBay mainly because I'm gay and I love Til Schweiger. However, it's one of those movies that, when you watch it a second time, you never say to yourself, "Hmm. I forgot about this boring part. I'll go make popcorn." It doesn't have that part. It's a very fluid and constantly interesting film. And, yes, Til Schweiger is worth it, if nothing else. But, it's a great movie even for straight guys.
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mr_ergo22 February 2002What I really like about this movie is that the kidnapers generally show some intelligence...a rare thing in films. They don't have many of the film clichés that plague this types of films--they don't openly fight showing little or no cohesion, a rift isn't created in which the hostage can exploit to get away, and they don't fall for the "stall them and tell them it takes more time" ploys. The only two discernable "stupid criminal" clichés I noticed was opening up the case and gawking at the money in the gateway car and stopping the car to get another cell phone battery from the trunk...but there are other reasons for that. I also like the way Rickman's and Thompson's characters play off each other...it's fun to watch.
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cybamuse15 June 2000Although this film looks like a Crime Thriller Noir, the plot is actually a bit simplistic and with very few surprise twists or turns at all - and those that do appear, are not exactly shockers.
However, if you slip out of 'intense action thriller' mode and into 'mindless entertainment,' then this is really quite a fun movie, with several hilarious moments. Most of these can be attributed to the witty dialogue between Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson's characters - but that said, Sadie said it all in her hilarious opening greeting to Friedman, and it left very little else for anything else to develop between these two characters. I didn't find these esteemed british actors version of the southern accents that bad (Ok, Thompson sounded like she was rolling marbles in her mouth as she tried to spoke southern, but Rickman was surprisingly rather good with very few minor lapses into his customary english accent) - if you want to critique accents - lets discuss that of Coco - she only spoke southern periodically! -
enlightenedkitty31 March 2000This movie was a pleasant surprise for me. In all honesty, the previews looked horrible, up until the point where Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman appeared. So I rented it with reservation, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It had great acting, a few good plot twists, and, of course, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman. It's definitely worth checking out.
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tomsview14 November 2021What is it with Southern accents? It has to be one of the most seductive accents in the English-speaking world. I'm an Aussie, but every time I see a show with Matthew McConaughey or Lucas Black, I find myself with a Southern drawl for the rest of the day. Do I do it well? Probably not, and after watching a lot of people try, I would say the only ones that should do them are those from the South - and Amy Walker.
That's pretty much why I couldn't work out why Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman were in this film playing New Orleans cops. They work their accents overtime, especially Emma who never seems to stop talking.
The film didn't need the distraction; it already had plenty, alternating between lightness and nastiness, and with things like the gratuitous erotic film the security guard watches at the start of the film.
A pity it's so uneven because it's not a bad modern noir with its kidnap plot that goes off the rails. Some of it seems par for the course with double crosses and even triple crosses, but a couple of appealing stars keep it alive.
Aussie Simon Baker plays one of the kidnappers, and he doesn't seem as out of place because he nearly always plays Americans. After seeing him in a gazillion episodes of "The Mentalist", many would be surprised to learn he is an Australian.
Another disruptive star is Carla Cugino as Coco Chavez, but disruptive in a positive way. When she sashays across the screen in that tight red dress the failings of the movie don't seem quite as important; a dangerous actress to share a scene with.
Hal Holbrook's senator gives the movie a few surprises. He has played this kind of part before, but he has gravitas to spare, shown to advantage in the scene where he gives Alan Rickman's character a dressing down.
"Judas Kiss" has enough energy to keep you going until the end. However the distributors at the time weighed up the pros and cons of the film and gave it a Judas kiss of it's own, sending it straight to cable and video. -
alanfreak22 January 2005It's not easy to find Judas Kiss on VHS (it's not available on DVD), but I wanted to add this rather obscure movie to my Alan Rickman movie collection.
I can't understand how the talented Mr. Rickman gets into these mediocre films? Judas Kiss boasts several wonderful actors, an interesting plot and intriguing twists, but its strange visual wanderings and chopping editing ruined what might have been a great crime drama. Many scenes seem to be missing vital information to explain the character's actions: Why was our hero immediately suspicious of his bosses? Why did he mistrust the detective he replaced? There were times when I honestly couldn't tell if the director meant Judas Kiss to be a legitimate crime drama or a campy spoof. Why else would he toss in a topless/alien/lesbian porno scene in the first two minutes (that little surprise certainly made me scramble for the remote since my kids were playing nearby!)? Did he purposely instruct his two distinguished English actors (Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson) to use such awful New Orlean's accents? As an Alan Freak, I confess that I still thought Mr. Rickman was sexy: in a rumpled, weary, "take-him-home-and-tuck-him-in" sort of way.
Judas Kiss isn't a great movie, but it does have some intriguing moments, but I don't recommend it unless you're trying to immerse yourself in Alan Rickman. -
Lary97 October 2000Thirty pieces of silver and a kiss for luck. This one was another totally unexpected gem. Usually, I'm not even a suspense/thriller fan. This satisfying 100 minutes has more twists than a boardwalk pretzel. It has titillating erotic romance, reminiscent of "Body Heat" in more ways than one; it has cops and crime; political intrigue and just a dash of daytime soap. It has just the right touch of gritty violence that any professional "by-the-numbers" crime job must employ. Emma Thompson, (FBI AIC), delivers her role with grace and humor and gets my vote for best fake southern accent by a Limey. Alan Rickman, (local cop), who always seems to steal the show, is excellent but not overbearing. They work well as a pair. Lots of plot misdirection that never gets out of control and gets coherently reconnected at film's end. And who is this awesome woman, Carla Gugino? I want her to bear my children. Carla, if you're out there, let's do lunch.
@Lary9 -
refinedsugar23 October 2001It would take me a considerable amount of time if I was to try and remember every film I've seen where a ragtag trio set up their "big score" but something goes "terribly wrong". 'Judas Kiss' is one of those movies and wants you to be entertained by snappy characters and a predictable double cross.
A crew of low-lives, psychos and scum bags of varying degrees kidnap the CEO of a multi-billion dollar computer software company and hold him for ransom. The problem? Well on their way out of the hotel from grabbing him, they accidentally kill the current Senator's wife. Of course, things deteriorate from there.
The problem lies in it's convoluted story. By the end, a lot of it seems meaningless. Perhaps if they'd held some restrain on subplots and half baked characters, the whole thing would have made more sense. Lizard (Gil Bellows) has this whole total inner peace philosophical karma thing going. Ruben (Til Schweiger) is a complete head job and Junior (Simon Baker Denny) is a potential loser with the too cool trait down pat. Carla Gugino gets to showcase how much of a beautiful woman she is, but the mixed up, ditsy femme isn't the greatest of roles. As if the name Coco didn't betray that thought in the process.
The real show here is Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman who are thrown together to catch the kidnappers and form an uneasy alliance as they unravel what's really going on. Their scenes are almost always satisfying notching another great turn for Rickman in particular of late. While 'Judas Kiss' is not a total waste, I strive to think it could have been better had it lost some of its emulated style and had more cohesive story instead. -
sarahdn726 January 2001This film would like to be the kind of shocking, cerebral, and intense movie that many others in its genre have successfully been, but it's not. It is at best confusing and absurd. When the twists and turns finally revealed themselves, rather than saying "Ahh, I get it!" I muttered something along the lines of "Okay...whatever." In my opinion, when a movie reveals a major plot twist it shouldn't have to employ a flashback sequence to prove that it did give some hints that would enable the viewer to discern the truth himself. But this movie does have a flashback; and here's the kicker: it flashes back on scenes that weren't even in the movie!
The characters were stereotypical, unsympathetic, and wholly ridiculous. I feel that the "steamy" love scenes between the romantic leads were the most untitillating and unsexy that I've ever scene in a movie that wasn't porn. It seems that the director was going for shocking and kinky with the love scenes, but they were really just plain silly.
And don't EVEN get me started on the crappy accents and second-rate sets. I guess the movie was set in New Orleans, but Aside from the afore mentioned accents and a couple bland city shots the movie could have been in Anytown, USA.
My recommendation: don't bother! -
Phroggy7 June 1999And it got it in France ! Why not in the rest of the world while the studios keep churning out expensive post-Grisham trash (Will anyone remember him as a fine writer, and not the most betrayed-by-the-screen author this side of Stephen King ?) this one has it all. Okay, the situations are not always original, has minor plot holes and it has a tendency to be too clever some (brief) times for its own sake, but it actually delivers and is obviously a work of love. I'd be curious to know what the budget was. AND. for once, this is not a cheap Tarantino copy ! (Well, film noir didn't started with Tarantino, you know.) Will it once again be saved by Europe, like John Dahl's movies were, so Mr Guttierez can make another one like this ? If you ever read this, Mr Guttierez, thank you and se
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=G=16 February 2001"Judas..." attempts to be a intriguing noir crime flick by filming in the "Big Easy" with lots of dark shots, sweaty bodies, gritty dialogue, and other elements obviously contrived to appeal to the viscera. The unfortunate result is a mediocre, marginally interesting film with some woeful southern accents, a convoluted plot, lame attempts at artistry, bad casting, and such poor character development that half the audience roots for the bad guys while the other half roots for the good guys. Worth a watch but only after seeing "L.A. Confidential" and the top films of this genre.
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vikitoria19 January 2005This has got to be one of the stupidest, inane, inept movie I've seen in a long time. The best cast is the supporting actors - Rickman, Holbrook, Lee Browne, and even Thompson. The writing was as bad as Bellows and Baker together as the lamest acting job.
The only reason to see this, and why I saw it, was Rickman. He was pliable as a detective - but if he had better lines, it would have been an actual treat. I have to admit, for once in my life I couldn't stand Thompson -- she is a top notch actor, but this one was way out in left field for her and her friend Rickman. I hope they got a decent wage for doing this crappy movie. -
dbdumonteil19 May 2004There are people who say it's sub-Tarantino.But I'm not a QT fan,by a long shot ,and I found this flick quite entertaining.There are enough twists to keep you interested throughout.My favorite is Emma Thompson ,whose playing is very tongue-in- chick :I love the scene when she's reading peacefully her book while eating Chinese food while they are waiting for an important phone call.The title is justified too,but you will understand it only in the last third.
Hats off ,once again to Emma THompson,a first-class actress ,who agrees to play a supporting part and so lets lesser known actors shine a little bit. -
somf10 October 1999Someone compared this to a John Dahl film in their comments and that's a great place to start because Dahl would have made a great film from this story. Guiterrez has written so many ridiculous scenes in this movie. Beginning with the opening soft core porno scene, and reaching it's pinnacle when the bad guys have a stupid discussion about the movies. Where have I seen that before. Well, let's start with Diner and then all the Tarantino films, but hey the scenes in those films worked. His gang of baddies are terrific actors. Carla Gugino is so very sexy (but how many times does Guiterrez the director want to drive home that point). Gil Bellows is very good as always and the guy who plays Junior is also quite good. Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman are in two of their worst roles. Why the heck are they cast as Louisiana cops anyway? (Emma's ex Kenneth Branagh pulled the Southern cop off in Gingerbread Man a film that I liked a lot and I guess I'm one of the few). I watched it. I wasn't bored, but what an example of lousy writing. Few of the words that come out of the talented casts mouths are believable. Six out of ten and that's being generous. Possible minor spoiler to follow- There's an affair between a 40 year old billionaire and a 60 plus year old woman. Well if I had a billion dollars.....Aw hell, I won't go down that road.
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JohnRayPeterson30 April 2011The movie boasts a cast producers would nowadays have to pay a handsome price for. The movie is entertaining, has a sufficient number of action scenes, a successfully unpredictable plot and characters who initially would appear to be mismatched turn out to make quite an ensemble. I can't believe I had not seen or heard of it at the time; anyway, I'm glad I caught up with it this week. Don't mistake this movie with the 2011 production; there are no connections whatsoever.
The dialogue is a Sebastian Gutierrez staple of witty and quickly delivered lines. Gutierrez has the advantage of directing his own script so he would have a better understanding of where the story is going and how it's suppose to get there. Take a second look at the cast list; I am still impressed. The funny moments, courtesy of Gutierrez' snazzy quips, do not distract from the plot, well not too much. Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson objectively don't fit in their roles with their accent, but we are willing to overlook that because they do a good job. Til Schweiger was the biggest surprise to me; his character required a keen sense of humour to deliver the performance you might well remember above all other of Schweiger's own. I have not omitted Carla Gugino I go to a different place when I think of her. If you read my reviews of "Every Day" and "Girl Walks Into A Bar", you can probably make an educated guess where that is. The overall ratings at the few sites that even bothered to include this movie are not high; I don't know why that is, so just ignore them and don't miss it if you have the chance to see it. This is a perfect choice for the evenings when you are in the mood for a movie you and you friend(s) know nothing about; come on, admit it you, have some of those. I can safely say, well over a decade late, this is a movie most everyone will like and it will sell lots of popcorn with the fake butter and gallons of Coke. -
Robbie-2129 April 2000Alan Rickman & Emma Thompson give good performances with southern/New Orleans accents in this detective flick. It's worth seeing for their scenes- and Rickman's scene with Hal Holbrook. These three actors mannage to entertain us no matter what the movie, it seems. The plot for the movie shows potential, but one gets the impression in watching the film that it was not pulled off as well as it could have been. The fact that it is cluttered by a rather uninteresting subplot and mostly uninteresting kidnappers really muddles things. The movie is worth a view- if for nothing more than entertaining performances by Rickman, Thompson, and Holbrook.
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quickas16 April 2007Came across this film recently after so long hearing about it. It is an excellent not pretentious movie for people who loves film noir literature and films. Not "camp" but humorous.
GREAT CAST! From the magnificent Carla Gugino and Emma Thompson to German superstar Til Schweiger, this movie is a feast for the eyes. Alan Rickman is very funny as the antagonist of gang. Would love to see spin off movie with this character and Emma Thompson solving cases and arguments between them all the time (much like Tracy and Hepburn, etc.)
Intelligent story, nice twists and scope photography (don't watch unless it is scope because compositions are very rich).
Sexy sexy sexy and very fun time.
Best use of Just Like Heaven by The Cure ever (must see to believe!)
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SnoopyStyle13 August 2015Coco Chavez (Carla Gugino) lures men and blackmails them in small grifts with boyfriend Junior Armstrong (Simon Baker). They recruit Lizard Browning (Gil Bellows) and wild man Ruben Rubenbauer (Til Schweiger) to kidnap computer tycoon Ben Dyson who has a $4 million insurance policy to pay the ransom. It doesn't go smoothly as Coco kills Senator Rupert Hornbeck (Hal Holbrook)'s wife. Cynical police detective David Friedman (Alan Rickman) is forced to take the case along with an equally cynical FBI Agent Sadie Hawkins (Emma Thompson) as his partner.
I can do without all the southern accents. Along with the mannered dialog, it becomes a bit annoying. The actors make a passable attempt at neo-noir. However it doesn't amount to anything compelling. Rickman and Thompson could have been a funny pairing but it's not enough. Sebastian Gutierrez is trying to be Tarantino but he's nowhere good enough especially for his first movie. -
I found the movie Judas Kiss excellent. Carla Gugino's performance was extraordinaire, probably her best in her career. Her facial expressions in many scenes, were unbelievably true to character, and they were exploited to its best by Director Gutierrez. All actors and actresses were very good in their performances. Emma Thompsom was, as usual, marvelous. Her acting capabilities are way above what would be required for this character, so she actually enhances it in the movie.
The story, although sometimes over-intricate, is kept entertaining and pointed towards the end. Very, very good. A movie not to be missed. A story well weaved and brilliantly directed. Quality of film, excellent. -
Bildo369 July 2002This video leaped off the shelves at the rental shop for one reason alone: Alan Rickman. I think he's a brilliant actor, and absolutely sensational in 'Dogma'.
What a disappointment to get not only a hammed-up Nawleans accent from Rickman, but from Emma Thompson as well. At least Thompson's was much more believable.
As for the film, well, it's all been done before and much, much better elsewhere.
Don't waste your time with this light-weight addition to the genre. A time-filler at best. -
rich-10624 April 1999I caught this on cable. It started out well but I figured it would fall apart eventually but instead it got better and better. I don't know why it went to cable so fast and why there are currently no reviews in the database. It was an entertaining caper movie with great characters and truly unsuspected twists and turns set in New Orleans. Watch for great scenes: the Senators (Holbrook) put down of the detective ' .. don't ever even look at me again...' as well as later, Holbrook's "Apologize!' scene; the muscleman Reuben's method of showing how tough he is ; Coco's sexual heat scenes, Lizard's battle of wits with a determined FBI agent Sadie (Emma);Sadie (Emma Thompson) and (Rickman's) clever repartee. I did find the audio a bit difficult to follow because of background noise and character accents, and why an accountant was assigned by the corporation to deal with the kidnappers was unclear but on the whole an 8 out of 10 film.
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BigDog-186 December 1999Loved this movie!! Great acting by Carla Gugino. Interesting story about a kidnapping that goes horribly wrong (don't they all?). Some surprising twists and turns in the film and the plot was easy to follow without being so convoluted as to be totally incomprehensible. It was a totally unexpected delight. More "Quentin-ish" than most films try to be.
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Chimera-619 November 1999What's the matter with you people? John Dahl? From "Rounders" and "Unforgettable"? TOO Quirky? Knocking emma Thompson and Alan Rickman for having fun playing against type? And somebody liked the Gingerbread Man?
I rented this not knowing anything about it and found it about as nifty a video find as you can get. Never insulting, well thought out, funny, scary. I disagree with the naysayers, clearly. I thought the story itself was unremarkable but the great cast, which most likely means the director was paying attention, lifted it to super cool status. Good sound design also (much more appreciated in surround, but I'm not bragging). And yes, I'm a girl, so maybe it has a slight female slant (the guys in the gang are pretty worthwhile). All in all, a 9 and a hearty RECOMMEND.