Under Suspicion (2000)

Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman star in this suspense-filled tale of interrogation--less of a whodunit than a didhedoit. Freeman plays Victor Benezet, a police captain investigating the murder of a child, and Hackman is Henry Hearst, a prominent lawyer and pillar of the community who also happens to be the prime suspect. Benezet and Hearst have a history together, and Benezet is torn between showing deference for an old friend and prominent community figure and ruthlessly pursuing a man he believes to be a child murderer. Director Stephen Hopkins spins multiple versions of the same events, popping details in and out as Hearst's story changes. Hopkins also uses the unusual and satisfying technique of juxtaposing the interview room with other locations, allowing Benezet to "follow" Hearst through his movements as he questions him. Under Suspicion also serves up the delicious eye candy of Puerto Rico during the St. Sebastian festival, but the real treat is getting to watch two masters like Hackman and Freeman square off. --Ali Davis Amazon.com

Masterful performances by all three actors

Attorney Henry Hearst (Gene Hackman) has dream life--a gorgeous trophy wife Chantal (Monica Bellucci), a mansion on paradisical San Juan Island. partnership in his firm. Then he discovers the body of a little girl and reports it to the police--as any good citizen should.

Captain Victor Benezet (Freeman) is a hard-working police captain who investigates the first death and discovers more. He calls Henry to the station on the night of a prestigious charity event for questioning along with his subordinate Detective Owens (Thomas Jane).

The problem comes when Hearst's story doesn't quite stack up. On the night of a benefit ball where Hearst is supposed to speak, Benezet calls him in for questioning.

Benezet is under a lot of pressure. Hearst is a powerful man on the island and a friend of his boss. Plus, he's the keynote speaker at the fundraiser--and the island needs the money. Hurricane Lucy has just ripped through and despite the party atmosphere, they have a cholera outbreak, open pits for sewers and the other plagues a storm leaves behind.

The questioning is rough, revealing omissions in Henry's story, plus his life isn't quite as much of a dream as we'd once believe. We see the story unfold through testimony, flashbacks, and current happenings. Henry and his wife sleep in separate bedrooms--regarding the alibis: "We don't ask those kind of questions anymore..." Henry regularly visits young prostitutes, because: "Someone opposite Chantal. A prostitute will give you a great deal for a little bit of money..." Henry has a fondness for young children--he 'raised' Chantal to be the woman of his dreams...

But--did he do the crime or didn't he? I was almost on the edge of my seat wondering through the whole film. Both Hackman and Freeman give stellar performances and the story is fascinating, but I think I could have done with about 20 minutes less film somewhere.

If you're a fan of intense, interpersonal drama, this film's one for you. You see lives laid bare under the white lights of an interrogation room. "Under Suspicion" definitely opened my eyes about police questioning.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008
June 2, 2008

Under suspicion

Once in a while a really good movies comes along, very well writen script. If you looking for fast action, with special effect then please do not watch this movie.

This movie is for people who love actors working at their best with good writen material.

Morgan freeman and the great actor Gene Hackman, giving one the best perfomances I have seen in a very long long time. March 26, 2008

Good...but the end

The movie was actually very promising until the end. Pedophilia was treated almost lightly and there were some unnecessary and very disturbing discussions and details thrown in which really can be very traumatizing to those who have had experience in the area or who have children.

The end was very disappointing and just kind of dropped off. The fact that the wife almost appeared to run back to him and be sorry at the end was very creepy considering the things that he admitted to and she witnessed. That blew it for me. June 11, 2007

A Superb Film With Unexpected Twists and Turns

It is difficult to review this film without including spoilers. Best to see it for yourself. The acting, as one would expect, is super. It is of the "Sleuth" and "Rope" school but better than either in my opinion. February 13, 2007

BELOW THE RADAR

The title foreshadows the subtle reality behind the film, missed even by some professional critics. Hackman plays Henry Hearst, a noted attorney, and rather well-off, to say the least, and a close friend of police Captain, Victor Benezet, played by Morgan Freeman. Hearst's much, much, younger wife, Chantal, is the erotically, gorgeous, Italian star, Monica Bellucci. Thomas Jane plays a not-so-bright, detective, with a desire for violent solutions to gaining a confession. Hearst, is apparently, incredibly wealthy, and on his way to be the be key note speaker at an event at the request of Captain Benezet's boss, when he is asked by Benezet to stop by headquaters for "ten minutes, or so," to help out with the case of two murdered teenage girls.

Ten minutes stretches into hours and a cat and mouse game between the obviously brilliant lawyer, Hearst, and the cagy, Benezet, ensues. Benezet has his pal squirming, and Hearst's gorgeous wife has shut him out of her affections, over what she saw as his attempts to seduce her teenaged niece, so the introduction of Benezet's evidence of Hearst's possible dallaince and murders of girls about the same age as the niece who is object of Chantal's apparent insecurity, (or was it an excuse (?) for her to rebel against, or reject, her older husband), gives her cause for reflection. As the torturous grilling goes on, the stress on the participents becomes almost unbearable. Hearst and Benezet are featured in innovative flashbacks of the sort one sees regularly on CSI Miami, and as the tension builds, tempers flare, violence seems right around the corner, and one wonders, where is the lawyer's, lawyers(?), as the duel works it's deceptions into the psyche of the suspect, witnesses and Interrogators.

Hearst's guilt/innocence, glides back and forth with every new revelation of each member of the drama. I shall not spoil, the conclusion for you, but the acting, direction, script, and settings are flawless and the ending is somewhat unexpected, though we guessed correctly, our companions did not.

What floated under the radar, hence my title, was the lustfull envy of both Benezet and the young, violence prone, detective at Hearst's wealth, position, intellect, possessions, prominently including his luscious and much younger wife, Bellucci as Chantal. One can see the roiling covetousness of the antagonists of Hearst, and the feeling rises, that one sees so often now days, of a lawman making every effort to nail a wealthy and fortunate man, at the expense of justice. Benezet, seems determined to wreck the rest of Hearst's life to satisfy his jealousy and his young assistant seems to care little about anything but throwing a few punches and maybe getting closer to Chantal, also Benezet's, seeming, but more reserved desire. Mankind's error is that the interpretation of the word "covet" does nor merely mean desiring what another has, but acting maliciously upon that desire, to steal it away, whether or not they benefit from their action.

It is the old case of penis, cash and prominence, envy, of men locked in jobs which pay is nominal, who lust after what they cannot have and another, whose grass may not be as green as they think and desire.

You cannot go wrong with Freeman, Hackman, and Stephen Hopkins masterful direction, exposing lust, uncertainty, disloyalty, distrust, immaturity and envy. Watch Hackman, in the final scene, display his self-respect, despite what must have been a heartbreaking realization.

The dessert is that even the measured glimpses of the alluring Monica Bellucci, remind one of all besides the art, the food and land/sea scapes, that is good about Italy. February 4, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...