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A Perfect Murder

5.7

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Remake of:

Dial M for Murder

Original title

A Perfect Murder

Year

1998

Running time

107 min.

Country

United States

Director

Andrew Davis

Screenwriter

Patrick Smith Kelly. Original script: Frederick Knott

Cast

Music

James Newton Howard

Cinematography

Dariusz Wolski

Producer

Kopelson Entertainment. Distributor: Warner Bros.

Genre

Mystery. Thriller | Remake. Crime

Synopsis

Emily Bradford (Paltrow) is a society daughter married to the successful Steven Taylor (Douglas). Heiress to a huge family fortune, Emily is due to inherit a one hundred million dollar trust fund much to the delight of her conniving husband. An adulterous transgression by Emily with the even more devious David (Mortenson) gives Steven a chance to try and outwit them both for the big prize. Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film "Dial M for Murder."

Critics' reviews

"You don't have to believe a word of the strained dialogue in 'A Perfect Murder' to be seduced by the movie's chilly high-gloss ambiance and its skillfully plotted update of Frederick Knott's play"

Stephen Holden: The New York Times
"The stylish direction of Andrew Davis can't cover the gaping holes in the script by Patrick Smith Kelly, but the actors try. (...) What the film lacks is suspense, surprise (the new ending is a dud) and passion."

Peter Travers: Rolling Stone
"It has been sexed up, opened out, and finished off with a disappointing bang-bang climax, but it's still good fun."

David Edelstein: Slate
"I've seen far worse thrillers than A Perfect Murder, but the movie is ultimately more competent than pleasurable."

Owen Gleiberman: Entertainment Weekly
"A Perfect Murder begins better than it ends, and the pleasures it offers turn out to be more of a transitory nature."

Kenneth Turan: Los Angeles Times
"There's nothing about this thriller to prevent it from soon becoming enmeshed in the memory with others in which Michael Douglas wears a starched collar and grits his teeth."

Mick LaSalle: SFGATE
"The dilemma in this Perfect Murder is its singular failure at creating a rooting interest for a character or situation."

Leonard Klady: Variety
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69 My Favorite Remakes (11)

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A Perfect Murder

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