BODY OF EVIDENCE (1992)

Directed By: Uli Edel 
Written By: Brad Mirman 
Cinematography: Douglas Milsome 
Editor: Thom Noble 


Cast: Madonna, Willem Dafoe, Joe Mantegna, Julianne Moore, Anne Archer,  Frank Langella, Stan Shaw, Richard Riehle, Michael Forest, Charles Hallahan, Mark Rolston, Jurgen Prochnow, Jeff Perry 


A millionaire is found dead of heart failure handcuffed to the bed with a home video tape of him and his lover. When cocaine is found in his system, and his will leaves $8 million to his lover, they arrest her on suspicion of murder. Her lawyer succumbs to her charms, and he begins a torrid and kinky affair with her. As new evidence turns up during trial, he begins to wonder if he's defending a murderer.

Obviously erotic thrillers were big at the box office st a certain time. Especially after the hot film BASIC INSTINCT. So it made sense to get one of the biggest superstars and bombshells at the time to star in the film, Madonna. As even though she was a singer she always had acting aspirations. So they gave her the starring role where she is accused of murder. The weapon? Her body and Insatiable sexual appetite.

Though filmed more like an episode of TALES FROM THE CRYPT. Where everything looks and everyone dresses like it’s the 1940’s and is filmed more like a noir from that period of time, with lighting In everybody’s eyes while the rest of their faces stay in shadows. Even the pharmacy in the movie seems like a classic.

Apparently in the 1990’s old wealth in that town the movie takes place in. Everyone dresses classically when clothed.

Willem Dafoe is the leading man here not classically leading man handsome, but he does have a camera ready body. He was personally picked by Madonna to co-star in the film.

The film feels like it was scripted back in the 1940’s as the screenplay and acting feels it feeds into every cliche. Then expects them to be shocking the only difference is here the sex is on display.

Madonna gives a performance that is really abrasive. As the way she speaks is more pronounced like she Is trying to perform in a show rather then act. While she has a nice body to look at. she isn’t even that believable in the sex scenes.

In movies such as this they try to be a fantasy and somewhat identifiable. Yet also shocking so that it adds up to shock and titilate the audience. The film is supposed to be built as the reveal of Madonna naked and in sex scenes after years of reading and being on the edge. The problem is that months before she had released her coffee table book SEX which did just that. Against the wishes of the filmmakers. So this film felt late to the party and more as overkill.

Her constant baritone voice. It always sounds like she is narrating when speaking. Her thinly plucked eyebrows become distracting usually under the better she usually wears throughout the film. Which might be understandable as The way the movie plays, acted, filmed, and scripted even the outfits feel inspired from better film noir classics. So it always tries to feel like an homage. Yet feels off and a copy or parody of a better film only here with sex scenes to keep the audience interested with a recognizable cast.

It’s not even that hot or erotic by 1992 standards. Though It fulfills it’s promises of seeing all of Madonna. Though nice not necessarily what it’s was built up to be. Falls short of anything many might have imagined. Though that truly seems to be the movie’s message and what it is built upon.

The film ends up entertaining in a bad way. As everything seems ill conceived. As that is the most entertaining part. Not surprising as Uber producer Dino De Laurentiis produces it. So everything is overblown, big and epic. Though it explains the respectable cast. And non subtlety. Even in the presentation of donuts. It just feels like it is trying to copy and somewhat outdo BASIC INSTINCT

The film is over the top yet seeks to try and make it all seem nonchalant. Though ends up being run of the mill, silly and soft core film that Cinemax was built on and makes little sense. Where lust can never be contained by rational thought. Except here the sex is more S & M type. And the leads didn’t use stunt doubles in their sex scenes.

This was supposed to be her peak. Not a misstep but a year if big screen busts between this and her independent film A DANGEROUS GAME directed by provocateur Abel Ferrera. It might be since she has been a sex symbol she has more talent in performing and not necessarily in emotions. Which is why she hard to get into with on screen as a character when not playing herself or a role of her own creation or a kind of one note cliche. As she is always interested in pushing boundaries and the envelope but while she goes for shocks here. It’s also contrived and something we are used to.

It’s just stupid, it’s slow takes it’s time to build to what it Believes to be it’s more surprising aspects. which is way too long.

Supposed to be a kind of release for fans of Madonna for her to reach her sexual peak but dragged on a bit too long. As this was always going to be disappointing but could have been a hit for people just wanting to see her naked and in sex scenes even if just for the opening weekend.

It’s all filmed relatively plainly even when it feels it should be more sensationalistic or exploitive everything happens more matter of factly. The case just seems so silly it’s hard to get into it to really care. It’s never quite as titilating as it wants to be and feels like a rip off maybe the soft jazz ruins the mood.

Madonna seems to be a gold digger into older men. Yet wants them to have the stamina of a teenager. We really don’t get any info about her past. Other then the script demanding it, it also makes no sense for her relationship with her lawyer other then the script says so and at the end it explains a little and there is way too much soft jazz on the soundtrack constantly.

The book sex was more imaginative and sexier as were her music videos more sexy and fun. Here everything is shown and spelled out. No sense of mystery as you don’t care as when in doubt the film presents another sex scene. Where he wakes up someplace completely different where at first tot wonder if it was just a Dream of fantasy then evidence shows it was real but he had enough energy to still go somewhere else after.

She’s the attraction the bombshell even on the poster. A thriller ending piled in there for no reason with a Hayes code kind of ending where crime doesn’t pay why no one can seem to resist her.

Grade: F