Our Flick of the Week is “A Perfect Murder,” and with a title like that you might reasonably expect to watch the construction of a crime and sit in judgment of whether perfection has indeed been achieved.
But that is not the case here, at all. Rather, we watch Michael Douglas in yet another riff on his Gordon Gekko, “Master of the Universe” character arrange for the murder of his wife (Gwyneth Paltrow), in a not particularly inspired fashion.
More time is spent establishing his tony lifestyle as a successful currency trader and hers as a United Nations translator than the murder itself.
Surprisingly little time is devoted to characterizing the obviously sour nature of their relationship. And, frankly, I would have rather seen “A Perfectly Lousy Marriage” than “A Perfect Murder.” Rated R. (star) (star) 1/2
– THE TRUMAN SHOW. Jim Carrey gives a tour de force performance as an innocent man whose life since birth has been documented and broadcast 24 hours a day to a nationwide audience. This thoughtful, most original film, by director Peter Weir, does nothing less than remind us of the joyous and painful chapters that comprise any individual life. PG. (star) (star) (star) (star)
– = New this week