{"id":4607,"date":"2010-08-27T10:17:57","date_gmt":"2010-08-27T08:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/?p=4607"},"modified":"2015-07-22T22:47:25","modified_gmt":"2015-07-22T20:47:25","slug":"a-perfect-murder-starring-gwyneth-paltrow-viggo-mortensen-and-michael-douglas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/a-perfect-murder-starring-gwyneth-paltrow-viggo-mortensen-and-michael-douglas\/","title":{"rendered":"A Perfect Murder starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen and Michael Douglas"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_4635\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4635\" style=\"width: 371px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4635\" href=\"http:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/a-perfect-murder-starring-gwyneth-paltrow-viggo-mortensen-and-michael-douglas\/a70-15722\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4635\" title=\"A Perfect Murder starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. image via sinepil.org\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/a70-15722.jpeg?resize=371%2C520\" alt=\"A Perfect Murder starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. image via sinepil.org\" width=\"371\" height=\"520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/a70-15722.jpeg?w=371&amp;ssl=1 371w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/a70-15722.jpeg?resize=214%2C300&amp;ssl=1 214w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 371px) 100vw, 371px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4635\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Perfect Murder starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. image via sinepil.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Emily (<a href=\"http:\/\/factoidz.com\/3-happy-celebrity-couples-javier-bardem-penelope-cruz-gwyneth-paltrow-chris-martin-demi-moore-and-ashton-kutcher\/\">Gwyneth Paltrow<\/a>) is married to the older and successful businessman Steven (<a href=\"http:\/\/factoidz.com\/cheating-celebrity-trivia-8-male-celebrities-that-cheated-on-their-wives-or-spouses\/\">Michael Douglas<\/a>). From the outside, they are the perfect couple. However, the reality is very different. Steven is having serious financial problems with his business and Emily is cheating on Steven with a guy who couldn\u2019t have been more opposite: passionate, young and struggling- handsome artist David (<a href=\"..\/actors-and-literature-ethan-hawke-hugh-laurie-and-viggo-mortensen\/\">Viggo Mortensen<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Emily doesn\u2019t know that Steven knows. Steven knows all about the affair and David\u2019s shady past (another thing Emily has no idea about) so he comes up with the perfect plan that will rid him off his financial troubles and a cheating wife: he meets David and asks him to kill Emily, in exchange for half a million dollars. David is trapped: if he goes to Emily or police about this, Steven will prove how David uses rich women to get their money. Convicted before, David will face serious jail time and probably they wouldn\u2019t believe him anyway. So he agrees. Steven plans the night of the murder meticulously. However he might have underestimated David\u2019s feelings for Emily or at least overestimated his capacity to commit murder: things go wrong, Emily survives. Who will the game? David or Steven? And can Emily survive again?<\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p>1998\u2019s A Perfect Murder is a remake of Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s Dial M for Murder (1954). I haven\u2019t seen the original so I can\u2019t make comparisons. But despite the \u201cflaws\u201d of the characters (and I do realize that without the \u201cflaws\u201d, there wouldn\u2019t be the same story), I enjoyed the film. The music, direction, setting and the acting are all decent and the casting is just perfect. From the smart homicide detective <a href=\"http:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/foolproof-2003\/\">David Suchet<\/a> that forms a bond with the graceful Emily, to the absolutely gorgeous Viggo Mortensen, the cold \u00a0smart Michael Douglas.. This is a pretty film. It is not the smartest or the best thriller around, but it is enjoyable enough.<\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p>As for the \u201cflaws\u201d of these characters, well I actually mean stupid actions. So I am listing them below. Mind the spoilers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Emily<\/strong> (<a href=\"..\/shallow-hal-starring-jack-black-and-gwyneth-paltrow\/\">Gwyneth Paltrow<\/a>)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Well, I have seen younger women marry older men for money, but this younger woman is actually richer than the man- or at least will be. The age gap is huge, and from her lover and way of life, Emily doesn\u2019t seem like the girl to be attracted to Steven\u2019s type. But let\u2019s suppose Steven acted all sweet and seduced her in the beginning. Fine. You don\u2019t love the guy, you are loaded, you don\u2019t have kids and you are staying in the marriage because\u2026??? Oh, and if you are about to inherit $100,000,000, you sign a pre-nup! It is a no-brainer. I am a romantic but you just need to be an idiot if you are not signing something when that much is involved, even though your man seems rich on his own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Emily thought David didn\u2019t know about the money. Great. It is one thing thinking he is in love; it is another thinking he wouldn\u2019t have had a clue about who she is. She didn\u2019t need to think he was in it for the money, but she should have considered he had a clue. So Emily was gullible and stupid way before she got attacked.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>And so what David turned out to be a criminal? How does that justify her warming up to Steven, whose cold attitude drew her to David in the first place (I am not saying cheating is OK. But it is stupid to believe a guy who has been doing business illegally, is going bankrupt because of it, hid it from you and seems OK with your affair). No sane man will forgive Emily without at least one angry\/emotional tantrum, and definitely not Steven.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>What if Steven overpowered Emily in the last struggle and killed her? Yeah, confronting him like that usually only works in the typical Hollywood endings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Steven (Michael Douglas)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>So of all the contracted and professional killers Steven could have hired, he chose the boyfriend. Great but what about his feelings?\u00a0 Whether it is open to discussion David was in love with Emily or not, you can\u2019t trust your wife\u2019s lover to kill her!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>And again with Steven hiring David. Of course David doesn\u2019t trust him and will try to screw \u00a0over if he gets a shot.\u00a0 If anything, you cost the guy his lover and his chance to have much more money.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>And since he is capable of murder, he should have come up with a plan where he murders Emily and gets away with it. No honor among con men, Steven!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>David (Viggo Mortensen)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>And he should have either went in to kill Emily himself, or at least played the tape for her and beg her forgiveness about the con. And Emily could forgive him, with him being honest and all.<\/li>\n<li>Great job making a deal with a man who wants to kill his own wife for money. And great job trying to con a man without letting know he will be busted if he kills David anyway.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>6\/10 for the overall movie.<\/p>\n<p>7\/10 for actors.<\/p>\n<p>Currently 6.4 on IMDB<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fun note: <\/strong>Viggo Mortensen is one talented man. He is also a jazz singer, poet, horseman and a painter. The paintings in David\u2019s studio were done by him. Oh, and he also speaks multiple languages frequently: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Danish, Spanish and French. He is also pretty good with Swedish and Norwegian too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Posts on Viggo Mortensen<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/factoidz.com\/handsome-actors-to-play-villains-viggo-mortensen-tom-cruise-xavier-samuel-kevin-bacon-and-kevin-costner\/\">Handsome Actors to Play Villains: Viggo Mortensen, Tom Cruise, Xavier Samuel, Kevin Bacon and Kevin Costner<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Permanent Link to ACTORS AND LITERATURE: Ethan Hawke, Hugh Laurie and Viggo Mortensen\" href=\"..\/actors-and-literature-ethan-hawke-hugh-laurie-and-viggo-mortensen\/\">ACTORS AND LITERATURE: Ethan Hawke, Hugh Laurie and Viggo Mortensen<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Post on Gwyneth Paltrow<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Permanent Link to Shallow Hal starring Jack Black  and Gwyneth Paltrow\" href=\"..\/shallow-hal-starring-jack-black-and-gwyneth-paltrow\/\">Shallow Hal starring Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Permanent Link to Iron Man\" href=\"..\/iron-man\/\">Iron Man<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Permanent Link to Iron Man 2 starring Robert  Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johannson, Mickey Rourke and Don  Cheadle\" href=\"..\/iron-man-2-starring-robert-downey-jr-gwyneth-paltrow-scarlett-johannson-mickey-rourke-and-don-cheadle\/\">Iron Man 2 starring Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johannson, Mickey Rourke and Don Cheadle<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/factoidz.com\/3-happy-celebrity-couples-javier-bardem-penelope-cruz-gwyneth-paltrow-chris-martin-demi-moore-and-ashton-kutcher\/\">3 Happy Celebrity Couples: Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher<\/a><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe style=\"width:120px;height:240px;\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&#038;OneJS=1&#038;Operation=GetAdHtml&#038;MarketPlace=US&#038;source=ac&#038;ref=tf_til&#038;ad_type=product_link&#038;tracking_id=pinartarhanco-20&#038;marketplace=amazon&#038;region=US&#038;placement=B002AT8KAG&#038;asins=B002AT8KAG&#038;linkId=WB4DU7VO4PJOVI4V&#038;show_border=true&#038;link_opens_in_new_window=true\"><br \/>\n<\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow) is married to the older and successful businessman Steven (Michael Douglas). From the outside, they are the perfect couple. However, the reality is very different. Steven is having serious financial problems with his business and Emily is cheating on Steven with a guy who couldn\u2019t have been more opposite: passionate, young and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[2180,126,2181,2182,1252,2179,337,941,1117],"class_list":{"0":"post-4607","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-movies-and-actors","7":"tag-a-perfect-murder","8":"tag-david-suchet","9":"tag-dial-m-for-murder","10":"tag-dial-m-for-murder-remake","11":"tag-gwyneth-paltrow","12":"tag-michael-douglas","13":"tag-movies","14":"tag-thriller","15":"tag-viggo-mortensen","16":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pI4PB-1cj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4607"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10065,"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4607\/revisions\/10065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pinartarhan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}