A Perfect Murder
A Perfect Murder

Movie spotlight

A Perfect Murder

1998
Movie
107 min
English

Millionaire industrialist Steven Taylor is a man who has everything but what he craves most: the love and fidelity of his wife. A hugely successful player in the New York financial world, he considers her to be his most treasured acquisition. But she needs more than simply the role of dazzling accessory.

Insights

IMDb6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes57%
Metacritic62/100
Google Users70%
Director: Andrew DavisGenres: Thriller, Mystery, Crime

Plot Summary

A wealthy and powerful investment banker, Steven Taylor, suspects his wife, Emily, is having an affair with an artist named David Shaw. When he discovers she has been embezzling money from his accounts to fund her lover's work, Steven devises a meticulous plan to murder Emily and make it look like a robbery gone wrong, framing Shaw in the process. However, his plan quickly unravels as Shaw proves to be more resourceful than anticipated.

Critical Reception

A Perfect Murder received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who often praised its suspenseful atmosphere and strong performances, particularly from Michael Douglas. However, some critics found the plot predictable and derivative of earlier thrillers, while others felt it didn't quite live up to its potential for psychological depth.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its suspenseful plotting and the charismatic performances of its lead actors.

  • Noted for its stylish direction and taut thriller elements.

  • Criticized by some for its predictable twists and reliance on genre conventions.

Google audience: Audience reviews generally found the film to be an entertaining and suspenseful thriller, appreciating the cat-and-mouse dynamic between the characters and the satisfying twists. Some viewers felt it was a well-executed, albeit familiar, suspense story.

Fun Fact

The film's plot is loosely based on Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film 'Dial M for Murder', though it significantly alters the narrative and characters.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
JPV852

JPV852

This is one I've seen a few times over the years (last time was nearly 10 years ago). Wonderfully devious performance from Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow holds her own (and looks great). Not an amazing thriller but kept my attention to...

John Chard

John Chard

You should thank me. Artists are always appreciated more after they're dead! A Perfect Murder is directed by Andrew Davis and written by Frederick Knott and Patrick Smith Kelly. It stars Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen...

John Chard

John Chard

You should thank me. Artists are always appreciated more after they're dead! A Perfect Murder is directed by Andrew Davis and written by Frederick Knott and Patrick Smith Kelly. It stars Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen...