A Perfect Murder (1998)

NEUTRAL

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63%

1998, Mystery & thriller, 1h 45m

RT Critics’ Score: 57% (UNBIASED)
RT Audience Score: 51%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 3 nominations

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Critics Consensus

A slick little thriller that relies a bit too much on surprise events to generate suspense

Audience Consensus

A Perfect Murder is the kind of movie that will have you on the edge of your seat, but not because it’s particularly suspenseful. No, it’s because you’ll be trying to figure out how Michael Douglas managed to keep his hair so perfectly coiffed throughout the entire film. Seriously, it’s impressive. But in all seriousness, the movie is a fun ride with some great performances, even if the plot is a bit convoluted. If you’re looking for a good popcorn flick, this one is definitely worth a watch.

Storyline

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. Brilliant in her own right, she works at the U.N. and is involved with a struggling artist who fulfills her emotional needs. When her husband discovers her indiscretion, he sets out to commit the perfect murder and inherit her considerable trust fund in the bargain.

Production Company(ies)
Little Monster Films, Itinerant Films, Parkes MacDonald Image Nation

Distributor
NA

Release Type
Theatrical

Filming Location(s)
The Convent of the Sacred Heart – 1 East 91st Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence, sexuality and language

Year of Release
1998

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Sound mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
Aspect ratio:

1.85 : 1
Runtime:

NA
Language(s):

English, Arabic
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Theaters): Jun 5, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 30, 2009

Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller

Keyword(s)
starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen, David Suchet, Sarita Choudhury, Constance Towers, directed by Andrew Davis, written by Patrick Smith Kelly, Mystery & thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, Jeff Strickler, Liam Lacey, Peter Travers, Kenneth Turan, Susan Stark, David Nusair, PJ Nabarro, Patrick Nabarro, Garth Franklin, Dragan Antulov, James Sanford, Leonard Schwarz, R MPAA rating, Wall Street, infidelity, murder, financial empire, break-in, suspense, surprise events, adrenaline rush, Hitchcock aficionados, performances, strong performances, sexual tension, web of deceit, treachery, guessing game, time-bomb, wealthy lifestyle, cheating, lover, perfect murder, plan, random murder, stage a break-in, transitory nature, handsomely-shot, dramatic irony, tension, chameleon, emotional range, popcorn joyride, tactics, surprise turn, static, puzzle plot, action interest, original, shallowness, fast-paced thriller, slick little thriller, surprise events, generate suspense

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: $128,038,368
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $234,968,459
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 607
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 25,623,605

US/Canada gross: $67,638,368
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $124,125,943
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 611
US/Canada opening weekend: $16,615,704
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $30,492,160
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 448

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $60,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $110,108,460
Production budget ranking: 346
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $59,293,406
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $65,566,593
ROI to date (est.): 39%
ROI ranking: 1,203

Cast & Crew

Michael Douglas

Gwyneth Paltrow

Viggo Mortensen

David Suchet

Sarita Choudhury

Steven Taylor

Emily Bradford Taylor

David Shaw

Mohamed Karaman

Raquel Martinez

Michael Douglas – Steven Taylor
Gwyneth Paltrow – Emily Bradford Taylor
Viggo Mortensen – David Shaw
David Suchet – Mohamed Karaman
Sarita Choudhury – Raquel Martinez
Constance Towers – Sandra Bradford
Director – Andrew Davis
Producers – Arnold Kopelson, Anne Kopelson, Christopher Mankiewicz, Peter Macgregor-Scott
Writer – Patrick Smith Kelly

Andrew Davis

Patrick Smith Kelly

Arnold Kopelson

Anne Kopelson

Christopher Mankiewicz

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
Andrew Davis

Writer(s)
Patrick Smith Kelly

Producer(s)
Arnold Kopelson, Anne Kopelson, Christopher Mankiewicz, Peter Macgregor-Scott

Film Festivals

Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 3 nominations

Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

Jeff Strickler

Liam Lacey

Peter Travers

Kenneth Turan

Entertainment Weekly

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Globe and Mail

Rolling Stone

Los Angeles Times

A PERFECT MURDER
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (23)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-

Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
…a fast-paced thriller that probably will leave Alfred Hitchcock aficionados mourning its shallowness — but not until after they’ve enjoyed an adrenaline rush.

November 6, 2002 | Rating: 4/5

Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
None of the amusement gained in watching the performances, unfortunately, amounts to much, as the script, in a desperate attempt to lend action interest to the original, static, puzzle plot, compounds surprise turn after surprise turn.

April 12, 2002 | Rating: 2.5/4

Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
What the film lacks is suspense, surprise (the new ending is a dud) and passion.

June 5, 2001 | Rating: 2/5

Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
A Perfect Murder begins better than it ends, and the pleasures it offers turn out to be more of a transitory nature.

February 14, 2001 | Rating: 3/5

Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Loaded with dramatic irony in the first half and with tension in the second, the film gives Douglas another chance to do his slick, sinister best; Paltrow a chance to extend her emotional range; and Mortensen a chance to play the chameleon.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4

Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
…a briskly-paced and handsomely-shot endeavor that benefits quite substantially from its uniformly strong performances…

January 6, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4

David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
A Perfect Murder is a perfectly enjoyable popcorn joyride, and director Andrew Davis gets most of his tactics just right.

October 31, 2019 | Rating: 3/5

PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
March 14, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5

Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
June 23, 2004 | Rating: 4/10

Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews
slick and twisted tale provides two delicious hours of intrigue and mystery, along with some unexpected wit and black comedy…

July 2, 2003

James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/4

Leonard Schwarz
Palo Alto Weekly…

Plot
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. Brilliant in her own right, she works at the U.N. and is involved with a struggling artist who fulfills her emotional needs. When her husband discovers her indiscretion, he sets out to commit the perfect murder and inherit her considerable trust fund in the bargain.

Trivia