Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnewsj!ecl From: jerry@starfish.Convergent.COM (Gerald Hawkins) Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews Subject: REVIEW: SLEEPING WITH ENEMY Summary: r.a.m.r. #00964 Keywords: author=Hawkins Message-ID: <1991Apr9.122808.16319@cbnewsj.att.com> Date: 9 Apr 91 12:28:08 GMT Expires: 7 May 1991 13:00:00 GMT Sender: ecl@cbnewsj.att.com (evelyn.c.leeper) Reply-To: jerry@starfish.Convergent.COM (Gerald Hawkins) Followup-To: rec.arts.movies Organization: Unisys/Convergent, San Jose, CA Lines: 34 Approved: ecl@cbnewsj.att.com SLEEPING WITH ENEMY [SPOILERS] A film review by Gerald Hawkins Copyright 1991 Gerald Hawkins Let's face it--I saw this film just to see Julia Roberts. With that out of the way, the film can be criticized. SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY can only be called "derivative." I can't think of any other word that so accurately describes it. After the first twenty minutes--which I found tense and intense--the film became highly predictable. There were some moments of nice camera use--not enough to help. The dialog was very spotty, ranging down to the absurd in a couple of scenes. In one scene, Roberts sits down to a meal and has a conversation with "the enemy" that almost makes the film laughable. There are some Hitchcock-like elements in the film, but it covers only one bit of territory Alfred didn't (domestic violence); actually at times it seems as though the production is ripping off Brian DePalma, who ripped off Hitchcock. I found myself thinking back to STRANGERS ON A TRAIN at one point, VERTIGO at another, and in each thinking how I would've rather seen those fine films again than this one the first time. (Actually, I knew once I heard Robert's name in the film--Laura--what was in store). The only things I can say I really learned from the film are: 1. Don't keep the towels in your bathroom straight, 2. Julia Roberts has more teeth than anyone I've ever seen. My rating would be an even 0 on the +4 to -4 scale. Immediately after watching it, my rating would have been a generous 1, but with reflection this movie can't even carry that rating. jerry@starfish.convergent.com