Have seen this film several times and am hooked. Even though I know the outcome, who cares. It's worth it just to see these fine actors do their thing as they do best. Alec Baldwin, who never ceases to amaze me in his work, is splendid as the doctor/villain [and what a smoothie he is]. His God "complex" speech is one of the highlights. Then there's the delicious Nicole Kidman, as the demon wife of a mild schoolteacher, who goes for the icing on the cake by knocking off anyone that gets in her way. What makes her performance stand out to me is that, as wild and evil as she can be, there's also a vulnerability in her portrayal. You actually care what happens to her, even though you know she deserves to get caught. This is the worst kind of a villain. One that you hope won't get caught. I loved the scene in the bar where she confronts her husband with smiles and flirting only to realize it won't work. The change of expression and attitude was delightful. Thanks, Nicole. And Bill Pullman, being given a sort of wimpish character to play, brings it way up to the same level as the stronger characters with his performance. He does an outstanding job in this flick. I've not seen his work before, but will surely look for more roles in the future. Playing smaller roles are Bebe Neuwirth as a cop who helps our professor solve the case, and Gwyneth Paltrow, in one of her earlier roles playing a bimbo student under Pullman's tutelege who unfortunately becomes a victim of a serial rapist. George C. Scott appears, quite briefly, as a sort of chief surgeon defending Baldwin's reputation in the medical profession, Peter Gallagher [that handsome devil] appears as Kidman's lawyer in two scenes and that incredible Anne Bancroft in one scene, but she almost steals the picture with her alcoholic card tricks. Annie's the best! Director Harold Becker does a good job with his stellar cast, but sometimes the film is too dark. At least on television it comes off hard to see. But I loved the scene when Nicole is waiting in her car for Pullman to leave so she can move in on the little boy next door in the window. The lighting coming from behind her gave her curley red hair a kind of glow. Terrific shot. This is a story by Aaron Gorkin and written for the screen by Jonas McCord. They say it's a copy of another story, however, I don't know about that. I enjoyed this one, but my hat's off to the performers. They brought this one up to the high place of good ensemble acting.
