A Perfect Murder (1998)

Starring - Michael Douglas; Gwyneth Paltrow; Viggo Mortensen; David Suchet & Constance Towers Director - Andrew Davis MPAA - Rated R for violence, sexuality and language. Michael Douglas plays Steven Taylor, a rich financier who has a very young wife. (Gwyneth Paltrow). Things are not going great in the marriage. This may have something to do with the fact that she is having an affair with a struggling artist (Viggo Mortensen). So Hubby decides to have his lovely young wife murdered -- and he hires his wife's lover to do it. If that doesn't interest you right there, I don't know what will. Douglas's character has the murder planned to perfection. Except one little thing goes wrong, his wife survives the murder attempt. Now her husband must cover his tracks and avoid being caught. A Perfect Murder is based on the stage play "Dial M For Murder" and is a remake of the Alfred Hitchcock classic of the same name. This latest version is certainly on of the most well written movies that you are likely to see in the near future. I was amazed at the amount of thought that was put into the story, particularly the amount of detail surrounding the murder plot. The dialogue is also first rate, which is what you'd expect for a film of this caliber. It's one thing to have good writing, but you also need the acting to go with it. Casting Michael Douglas in this film was the best thing they could have done. He gives his usual stellar performance, and makes everyone around him look that much better. That's not to say that Douglas's costars weren't great. Quite the opposite, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen did a fantastic job in this film. In both cases though, they did not fail to give their best performances in the film when they were doing a scene with Michael Douglas. Also worthy of mention is the overall look of this film. To say it was stylish was an understatement. This is one good looking film. The obvious attention to detail that was paid to the sets and overall feel of the film is more than a match for the intricate plot line of this film. A Perfect Murder is a film that makes you pay attention. Not because you have to, but because you want to. This is a tribute to the fine storytelling of this movie. It also makes A Perfect Murder a very good choice for your next trip to the video store. 7/10 Reviewed October 10, 1998 by Joe Chamberlain