SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
A film review by Craig Good
Copyright 1987 Craig Good
I'm sorry I waited this long to see SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME. It's still in first run in some cities, so it's not too late for you. When Ridley Scott makes a movie you *know* that it's going to look good. The man is simply magic with a camera. I could go on and on about the rich atmosphere and stunning low-key cinematography. After ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER, and LEGEND he was worried about being type-cast as a fantasy film maker. With SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME he tells the story of a New York detective assigned to protect a socialite murder witness.
The story of the killer and his attempts to silence the rich woman is just a foundation for the real story. It is a story about consequences. The cop is happily married and in love with his wife. He and the socialite, fatigued and frightened, fall for each other. The movie deals with what happens to them and to the detective's wife and family, skillfully interwoven with the thriller material. The combination yields a rich film that, like BLADE RUNNER, I like better the more I think about it.
A few years ago I saw another movie with adultery as a central element, UNTIL SEPTEMBER. It's the only film I've ever seen that made me angry. I was furious with the story because, worse than ignoring consequences, it perverted them. A truth about the human condition is that our decisions and actions have effects. In UNTIL SEPTEMBER only the innocent were hurt, and the adulterous couple breezed through the film making French toast and sniffing each other's armpits. A refreshing contrast, SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME not only illustrates how it could happen, but documents the anguish and heartache of all the participants. It is truly what I call an adult film. See it while you can enjoy it on the big screen.
--Craig
...{ucbvax,sun}!pixar!good
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