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26 out of 32 people found the following review useful: See it once for the suspense, and again for the acting., 11 October 1999 Author: Scarlet-22 from Laurel, MD
MALICE is one of those movies that you simply MUST see more than once to believe. The first time through, MALICE is a great psychological thriller, with twists and turns through a plot that contains rape, murder, life-and-death trauma, and a fight to the death...all within the first 45 minutes. The second time through, though, provides a look at all the things you might have missed the first time around...and a chance to savor an outstanding performance from perhaps the most underrated actor in Hollywood, Alec Baldwin.Bill Pullman plays Andy Safien, an associate dean at a small New England college outside of Boston that's currently under siege by a serial rapist who claims his latest victim as the film opens. Nicole Kidman plays his wife Tracy, a volunteer in the pediatrics ward of St. Agnes Hospital. They're renovating a Victorian house and need $14,000 for the plumbing. Enter Alec Baldwin as Dr. Jed Hill, a former high school classmate of Andy's, who's brand new in town and needs a place to stay. Andy needs the money, Jed needs a room, so the two hook up and soon Jed is sleeping upstairs in the Safiens' home...usually not alone, and his sexual escapades are grating on Tracy's nerves. The rapes continue, Andy is fingered as a suspect, and in the midst of it all, Tracy collapses with a ruptured ovarian cyst. Jed operates to save her life (after a night of drinking and wild partying), but renders her unable to bear children...leading to a malpractice suit from Tracy and an incredible soliloquy on surgeons with a God complex from Jed during the deposition.But once the first half of the film is over, things really start to roll. Without revealing the rest of the plot, suffice it to say that as Andy, Tracy, and Jed all try to start their lives over again, their fates become inextricably entangled.The movie is worth seeing once as a thriller. But the second time around, Baldwin's mesmerizing performance is what stands out. Jed is charismatic, seductive, and as charming as a cobra as he weaves his spell over the Safiens. Baldwin's ability to jump from utterly charming to incredibly chilling in the blink of an eye is on full display here; it is truly the performance of a lifetime.See it once for the suspense, and again for the acting.
26 out of 34 people found the following review useful: Very underrated., 7 November 2005 Author: brettmajors_karaokeking from United States
I gotta admit that at first glance, I thought this movie would be exactly what it appeared to be on the surface- boring. But with its dense plot, which is seriously full of twists and turns, this movie is a winner. Don't expect anything on the lines of the end of The Usual Suspects, but this movie provides many shocking moments. The end product could not be achieved without a slow build, but still this movie is one of the best suspense movies out there. I'm a big Bill Pulman fan and Nicole Kidman is always a treat to look at. In closing, you really should consider checking this one out, especially if you think the person you love isn't who they appear to be.
17 out of 19 people found the following review useful: Terrific acting and great cast! ***SPOILERS***, 2 December 2001 Author: guil fisher from New York City, NY
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
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.
22 out of 29 people found the following review useful: Brilliant writing makes for an excellent film, 8 February 2003 Author: pompaj
This is one of the greatest mysteries of the past decade. It is, no question, the kind of movie that Hitchcock would be making today. Yes, there are flaws in some of the details, but nothing too major. The plot is still brilliant, the pacing perfect, and the characters lively. Especially Alec Baldwin who give the movie its spark, playing an egocentric doctor with a god complex. The best thing about this movie is the way that it unleashes a mystery, little by little, and lets it unfold into something tremendous. Intelligence is all over this script. Everything is done for a reason and great writing here, (by the screenwriter who wrote A Few Good Men), makes for a terrific movie.
11 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Slick, Supsensful, Mystery Thriller!, 25 January 2008 Author: jbartelone from United States
Malice is a very gripping mysterious thriller! The opening scene's haunting music will stay with you forever and draw you into a roller coaster ride of suspense, drama, and deceit.The film revolves around a couple who's lives become interwoven by a mysterious and arrogant surgeon who manipulates and cons his way into their lives with little surprises around every turn. Harold Becker's directing is superb in setting the mood and pacing of the film. There are dramatic moments and secrets in the story that will keep you captivated until the very end. Watch for outstanding performances by Alec Baldwin, Nicole Kidman, and Bill Pullman, as well as a powerful supporting role by Ann Bancroft.Malice is very difficult to review without giving away parts of the movie, so I will not go into great detail. It's the uncertainties in the movie that make it one to remember. See it, you will not be disappointed! The background musical score is one of the most memorable that I have heard in any movie. Malice is a tale of arrogance, power, mystery, and deception, that must be seen and will be long remembered after the final credits roll.This is a very fine film that does not get the credit that it deserves!
10 out of 12 people found the following review useful: I'm really surprised at all of the low opinions of "Malice", 2 February 2005 Author: wfc33 from United States
I really liked this when it came out. I didn't think that it was predictable at all like a lot of filks have commented. I mean some things were obviously, but that's fairly true on most things these days.Especially TV (but that's another topic). Spoilers below:I admit that the rapist story line was a bit odd but I think it was well done in that it lead you in one direction when the real story went another. I thought it was a good way to twist it a little. And remember, that is how Andy finds out that he couldn't have fathered the baby, if he hadn't had to provide a sample to the police, he wouldn't have known that and probably would not have kept probing into what Nicole was up to.Another thing that I think people dismiss is the great acting by several cast members. Remember the scene when Baldwin had just moved into the house and he had the girl upstairs?There is one shot where Nicole looks up there and has this look of anger on her face that suggests she peeved at more than the noise. I didn't catch it the first time but on later viewing I did. Nicole and Baldwin had been plotting this long before he moved in.I digress, though, but the movie is full of little gems like that which I think makes it good.Others have mentioned the scene where Andy goes to see the mother. That is a great scene and the setting and scenery are great too. The rain, the cramped, dingy apartment; gives you the feeling that old lady never leaves there.I could go on, but I think I've said enough;if you haven't seen this, check it out.
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Full-bodied and satisfying nastiness, 25 August 2006 Author: Terrell-4 from San Antonio, Texas
Take a surgeon with a God complex, a perfect young wife who loves kids, add a sincere doofus of a husband and you will have Malice, an intricate insurance-murder mystery that leaves a satisfyingly full-bodied, nasty taste in your mouth. Andy Safian (Bill Pullman) is a decent, sincere dean at a picture-perfect small college in a picture-perfect New England town. His wife, Tracy (Nicole Kidman), volunteers at a children's center five days a week. They've just bought an old, rundown Victorian house they plan to remodel and fill with kids of their own. In to town comes Dr. Jed Hill (Alec Baldwin), the hospital's new surgeon and a hot shot cutter. Andy and Jed meet the same day and Jed winds up renting Andy's and Tracy's third floor room. Jed needs a place to stay temporarily and Andy and Tracy can use the extra income for remodeling expenses. And then Tracy starts to have abdominal pains. One night she's rushed to the hospital, where Jed operates after getting Andy's permission. Jed removes an ovary he says was cancerous. It turns out Tracy had been pregnant and the ovary was healthy. A medical hearing is held. The result is that Tracy is awarded $20 million, but she is so angry with Andy that she leaves him. Ah, but there's more. To say what would ruin a good mystery. Let's just say that there are a lot of twists and that things very often aren't what they seem. There is some really unpleasant manipulation going on, plus a degree of sexual ruthlessness that would make a fine entry into Krafft-Ebing's Psychopathia Sexualis. The most serious drawback to the movie is a major red herring involving a serial criminal that goes nowhere. The purpose seems only to give Andy a reason to spend the last half of the movie with a seriously bruised face. There also is a semi-red herring involving a doctor in another town that, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out. I think it was most likely a plot point that became a loose string the director figured the audience would forget about. The movie features fine performances by all. Pullman's decent guy persona drives the second half of the movie. Two one-off cameos by George C. Scott as a respected surgeon and Anne Bancroft as...well, you'll need to see the movie...are both important to the plot. Bebe Neuwirth as police detective Dana Harris, a friend of Andy's, nearly steals every scene she's in. She uses an accent that reminds me of Maerose Prizzi, but even so she radiates no- nonsense common sense and a real concern for Andy. Nicole Kidman is what the movie is all about. She gives a performance that is subtle and forceful. Amazingly, 16 years after she made this movie her forehead still has no trace of a wrinkle. Alec Baldwin has spent the latter half of his movie career specializing in unlikable egoists. Here he's interesting and at least a little likable. And does his character, Dr. Jed Hill, really have a God complex? Here's what Dr. Hill has to say for himself: "I have an M.D. from Harvard. I am board certified in cardio- thoratic medicine and trauma surgery. I have been awarded citations from seven different medical boards in New England, and I am never, ever sick at sea. So I ask you: When someone goes into that chapel and they fall on their knees and they pray to God that their wife doesn't miscarry or that their daughter doesn't bleed to death or that their mother doesn't suffer acute neural trauma from post-operative shock, who do you think they're praying to? Now, go ahead and read your Bible, and you go to your church...and, with any luck, you might win the annual raffle. But if you're looking for God, he was in operating room number two on November 17, and he doesn't like to be second guessed. You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something: I am God." On balance, Malice is a nifty piece of complex nastiness.
13 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Jed,Andy,Tracy and the jack of clubs., 26 January 2005 Author: dbdumonteil
The first thing to bear in mind is that there are (like in Hitchcock's "family plot",there the comparison ends)TWO distinct plots : -The threesome Baldwin/Pullman/Kidman and the ominous plans of some of them.-And then a serial killer who hangs about the campus ,in the college where Andy works.There's a very thin ,very thin connection between the two stories,and it's a question of ...well I will not write a spoiler.The screenplay is far-fetched,but has enough unexpected twists to sustain the interest till the very end (yes,even the very last sequence contains a "revelation") But the real meat lies in one sequence.A bewildered Andy pays a visit to an old alcoholic shrew ,played by Mrs Bancroft.Had she had a more important part,she 'd have stolen the show hands down.Every minute of this sequence is a lesson young actresses should pay attention to.Dig the way she delivers the line :"welcome to the club"."Malice" is fun to watch,after a hard day's labor.Not much food for thought,but entertaining throughout
15 out of 25 people found the following review useful: One Time Watch, 11 September 2003 Author: Enosh Sunny (enoshsunny@hotmail.com) from New York, United States
Malice is a movie for a change in the mood; a nice and slow plot is enough to keep you seated. But the ending twist in the movie is what raises you eyebrow. A good story by Aaron Sorkin and Jonas McCord. They really used their brains. A nice performance by all three actors, Bill Pullman, Alec Baldwin and Nicole Kidman. The dialogues were not as good as they were needed in the movie though, and the director Harold Becker wasn't good enough for this movie; it had a poor direction. But good for a one time watch.A couple Tracy & Andy Safian (Bill Pullman & Nicole Kidman) lives in a small town, happily but tight on money. They rent a room to a surgeon Jed Hill (Alec Baldwin) who is new in the town. As their life goes on, Tracy gets some abdominal pain attacks occasionally, one day it gets worse and she is taken to the Operation Theater. Jed does the operation and cuts down the organ causing those pains. But when the reports come, it says that the organ was a healthy organ, and Tracy sues Jed. The twist in the story comes after this. So it would be better for you to see it for yourself.The main subplot is good, overall I give it 6 out of 10 stars and that's because there were some scenes that weren't needed in the story but they were there. So go on, it's okay. But it's good for one time watch.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Ain't no wonderland, 27 September 2008 Author: Grann-Bach (Grann-Bach@jubii.dk) from Denmark
This is pretty dark. In the very literal sense, as in, the lighting can hardly be described as being overpowering, and figuratively, since it's not exactly a Disney-fied fairy tale. It may require, if not necessarily multiple viewings, then at least attention paid. The plot is well-written, and takes some serious turns. It should throw most viewers for a loop, and it manages to retain a level of believability that not all recent twist-flicks can boast. The cinematography and editing are of high quality throughout, with no exceptions. The acting is spot-on almost invariably, everyone turns in a solid performance... Kidman, Baldwin, Pullman, Scott, Bancroft, not a disappointment to be found among them. The supporting players, as well. The writing leaves rather little(if not nothing) to be desired, and remains excellent for the duration. The pacing is appropriate. The three attempts at doing a proper accent are appreciated, and this is by no means the only film to lack in that department. There is a bit of sex in this, if not that much nudity, considering. There is a moderate amount of language, and it can be fairly harsh. The DVD holds cast biographies(yes, *yippie*) as well as a trailer, which I would not suggest you watch before the movie itself, as it could give stuff away. I recommend this to any fans of the people involved in making it, as well as the genres of crime, thriller, and/or mystery. 7/10
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