Based on Hitchcock's 1954 classic mystery/thriller, "Dial M for Murder," this update doesn't have the drama or the kicks of the original. But then again, how could it. It is simply impossible to out Hitchcock Hitchcock. Director Andrew Davis, whose last film was the rather laughable "Chain Reaction," should have known better than to even try. Still, what we get is likable and fairly interesting fare thanks mainly to the three stars in the film and a pretty good script.

Michael Douglas plays a millionaire married to the younger Gwyneth Paltrow who is having an affair with starving artist Viggo Mortensen. Douglas tries to blackmail Mortensen into killing his wife but the tables turn about a dozen times in the film making us wonder who will come out the victor here.

Douglas is perfect as a rich and powerful man with the ability to hide his true intentions from his wife. Cold and calculating behind her back, he is able to con her throughout most of the film. Paltrow, meanwhile, plays both ingenue and token wife with ease. It's easy to see that this character loves and cares for Douglas and at one time there must have been a happiness in their marriage. So she is also adept at showing us the guilt she feels for falling into this affair with Mortensen as well as hinting that all is not right at home. Meanwhile, as the artist with a charcoal-colored past, Mortensen is quite able at playing the tenderness of a lover masking the cold instincts of a criminal.

The script by Patrick Smith Kelley (his debut), meanwhile, is quite capable of making all these characters have pasts and motivations that work. There aren't a whole lot of holes here. He also tries to update the film by making the wife character much more in control of her destiny. Whereas the original film had the mystery solved by a detective, this one is pretty much solved by Paltrow with a detective played by David Suchet only helping out a little here and there.

"A Perfect Murder" is a good film. But it's nothing compared to the originator. That's no mystery.

Note:

Original script (from his play) for "Dial M" was written by Frederick Knott.

Music by James Newton-Howard

Mortensen did his own artwork for the film. Loft space for the film was provided by Dennis Hopper. There are several recognizable art pieces, many modern art, in the film.

Note: Review written in 1998

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