Tom Berenger is low-key and likeable as Mike Keegan, an NYC cop who's just been promoted to detective. His first assignment is to protect murder eyewitness Claire Gregory (Mimi Rogers), a good-looking and glamorous socialite. Unsurprisingly, despite the class differences separating them, Mike & Claire fall in love, although he does still genuinely love his wife Ellie (Lorraine Bracco, in her first big movie role), a fellow cop.
Filmmaker Ridley Scott went for a more down-to-Earth and realistic change of pace here after doing a series of films taking place in antiquated or fantastic settings ("The Duellists", "Alien", "Blade Runner", and "Legend"). He does a typically expert job at giving this slick romantic thriller some real polish, working hand in hand with cinematographer Steven Poster. His standout sequences are clearly a major bit of suspense in Claires' ritzy apartment, and the incredibly tense finale in the Keegan household.
Berenger & Rogers create some believable chemistry as the romantic odd couple; her character could have been played as stereotypically stuck-up, but Rogers makes Claire a warm and personable character. In fact, the whole film has a real warmth and sense of humor, in addition to its darker elements. Bracco is a standout in terms of acting as the wife; they're well supported by Jerry Orbach, John Rubinstein, Andreas Katsulas, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Harley Cross, and Tony Di Benedetto.
The script, by Howard Franklin, isn't the greatest; it's pretty predictable and too often relies on the cops being inattentive and inefficient. And we don't really know much about the psycho villain (well played by the late Katsulas) other than that he's a very bad man.
Even if imperfect, "Someone to Watch Over Me" does prove to be good entertainment from beginning to end.
Seven out of 10.
Filmmaker Ridley Scott went for a more down-to-Earth and realistic change of pace here after doing a series of films taking place in antiquated or fantastic settings ("The Duellists", "Alien", "Blade Runner", and "Legend"). He does a typically expert job at giving this slick romantic thriller some real polish, working hand in hand with cinematographer Steven Poster. His standout sequences are clearly a major bit of suspense in Claires' ritzy apartment, and the incredibly tense finale in the Keegan household.
Berenger & Rogers create some believable chemistry as the romantic odd couple; her character could have been played as stereotypically stuck-up, but Rogers makes Claire a warm and personable character. In fact, the whole film has a real warmth and sense of humor, in addition to its darker elements. Bracco is a standout in terms of acting as the wife; they're well supported by Jerry Orbach, John Rubinstein, Andreas Katsulas, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Harley Cross, and Tony Di Benedetto.
The script, by Howard Franklin, isn't the greatest; it's pretty predictable and too often relies on the cops being inattentive and inefficient. And we don't really know much about the psycho villain (well played by the late Katsulas) other than that he's a very bad man.
Even if imperfect, "Someone to Watch Over Me" does prove to be good entertainment from beginning to end.
Seven out of 10.