MALICE
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 6.9
Date Released: 10/1/93 Running Length: 1:46 Rated: R (Violence, language, sexual situations, nudity)
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Nicole Kidman, Bill Pullman, Bebe Neuwirth, Anne Bancroft, George C. Scott Director: Harold Becker Producers: Harold Becker, Rachel Pfeffer, and Charles Mulvehill Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin and Scott Frank Music: Jerry Goldsmith Released by Columbia Pictures
Dr. Jed Hill (Alec Baldwin) is the hot new trauma specialist on the block. His first night on duty, he saves the life of a patient another doctor gives up for dead. Looking for a place to stay while he gets his feet under him, he takes up the offer of an old schoolmate, Andy Safian (Bill Pullman), who is renovating an old house along with his wife Tracy (Nicole Kidman). Tracy and Jed don't hit it off well, and it's only with reluctance that she agrees to rent out the third floor of their house. Then, as if things aren't tense enough at home as a result of Jed's arrival, Andy has to deal with the problem of a serial rapist at the college where he's an assistant dean--a case in which he has unexpectedly become a suspect. That situation is only beginning to resolve itself when Tracy collapses and has to be rushed to the emergency room with internal bleeding. The attending surgeon turns out to be Jed Hill, and one of his judgment calls during the operation could be a huge mistake....
MALICE is a well-crafted, intelligently-scripted thriller that is perhaps a bit too slick to be considered film noire, but is nevertheless Hitchcockian in intent. The movie breaks free of the mold that so many of its genre have lately fallen into, that of a seemingly-helpful friend/neighbor/nanny/police officer/whatever turning out to be a wacko. MALICE has a little more class than that.
There are quite a few twists and turns in the plot, some of which aren't that difficult to figure out, but a few that are likely to take the viewer unawares. Make no mistake: the intent of this movie is to surprise the audience, and it succeeds fairly well at that. While it's true that in the aftermath of MALICE, careful thought will reveal some logical flaws in the script, these aren't nearly as noticeable during the action.
The plot has some structural problems resulting from trying to do a bit too much for the running time. By not concentrating on one primary storyline (there's the serial rapist and the doctor with a god complex), it dilutes both. There are also several scenes and plot threads that, while interesting, ultimately have nothing to do with the story. The inclusion of these is more odd than frustrating, however.
The unusual genesis of the script might have something to do with the irrelevance of some of what appears. Writer Aaron Sorkin was initially approached by creative consultant William Goldman to flesh out a premise of Goldman's. This was before A FEW GOOD MEN had made the transition from play to film. Sorkin wrote the first two drafts of MALICE (then called DAMAGES--the title was subsequently changed to avoid confusion with the 1992 Louis Malle product), then had to leave to work on MEN. At this point, DEAD AGAIN writer Scott Frank was brought in to continue the job, and drafts three and four were his. When Sorkin again became available, Frank was let go. So, although the shooting script came from Sorkin's pen, it included numerous elements of both his own and Frank's versions. Considering the number of cooks involved in this broth, it's amazing that the final product is so polished.
Scott Frank's involvement immediately makes one think of DEAD AGAIN, but this movie is closer to SHATTERED in execution--the plot twists aren't nearly as well-camouflaged as in the Kenneth Branagh-directed thriller. Sorkin's literate contributions are in evidence, and include a wonderful speech given by Alec Baldwin as he describes the nature of his supposed "god complex." That is only one of a few standout scenes, all but one of which feature Baldwin.
The acting is uniformly good, with appearances by Anne Bancroft (who is wonderful) and George C. Scott (who is solid, but nothing to write home about). Baldwin loves this kind of role, and Nicole Kidman shows that she's capable of being more than Tom Cruise's on- and off-screen love interest. Her performance harkens back to the one she gave in DEAD CALM. Bill Pullman is the weakest of the trio, but he gets better as the film progresses. It's apparent that his "nice guy" image dogs his tracks, however.
Jerry Goldsmith turns in a surprisingly spare score, more reminiscent of Bernard Hermann's Hitchcock material than his own overblown BASIC INSTINCT music. It's a pleasure not to be bombarded by blasts of music any time something dramatic is about to happen. Goldsmith deserves credit for this. There are movies that demand loud, bombastic themes, but this is not one of them, and the composer recognized this.
Over the past several years, I've become increasingly disillusioned with thrillers. Occasionally there's a diamond in the rough like DEAD AGAIN, but mostly these films are dreary, predictable, and utterly uninteresting--entirely the opposite of what the word "thriller" means. While MALICE won't win any awards, it's a cut above the average. Yes, there are Hollywood conventions in it, but the movie also keeps the intelligent viewer in mind. While the final result is something of a curious mixture, it's ultimately one that provides a source of entertainment.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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