A Kiss Before Dying

April. 26,1991      R
Rating:
5.7
Trailer Synopsis Cast

Infatuated with the idea of becoming rich, college student Jonathan Corliss secretly dates Dorothy Carlsson to gain the approval of her wealthy father. When Dorothy tells Jonathan that she is pregnant and that her father will deny her inheritance if he finds out, Jonathan murders her, but he stages her death as a suicide. As Jonathan works his way onto Mr. Carlsson's payroll, Dorothy's twin sister, Ellen, investigates the apparent suicide.

Matt Dillon as  Jonathan Corliss
Sean Young as  Ellen / Dorothy Carlsson
Max von Sydow as  Thor Carlsson
Diane Ladd as  Mrs. Corliss
James Russo as  Dan Corelli
Adam Horovitz as  Jay Faraday
Martha Gehman as  Patricia Farren
Ben Browder as  Tommy Roussell
Briony Glassco as  Waitress
Galaxy Craze as  Susie

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Reviews

WasAnnon
1991/04/26

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

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Moustroll
1991/04/27

Good movie but grossly overrated

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Comwayon
1991/04/28

A Disappointing Continuation

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Zandra
1991/04/29

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

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jbartelone
1991/04/30

A Kiss Before Dying is a remake, telling the story of a driven successful executive who murders a wealthy young girl, and than plots to marry and than murder her twin sister so that he can inherit a fortune from her father's huge cooperation.Matt Dillon does a wonderful job as as the sinister youthful executive, who uses good looks, charm, and incredible manipulation to lure unsuspecting victims into his next con game. Dillon gives all the right moods and tone settings to his character. Matt makes the movie. The problem is the acting by the other characters, even the very talented Max Von Sydow is wasted and superficial. Sean Young, who plays the roles of both twin daughters doesn't bring enough suspense or energy to the part. Her vulnerabilities and weaknesses are demonstrated early on, making her even easier pray for Dillan's character.However, the movie isn't as bad as some of the other reviewers have mentioned. It's a good little mystery flick to watch once or twice when it comes on just to see Matt Dillan's excellent performance. However, the lack of energy or suspense from the other characters indicates that they would rather be somewhere else than in this picture.A Kiss Before Dying is a pretty good movie, but nowhere near what it could have been.

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gcd70
1991/05/01

Remake of the Fifties 'film noir' of the same name, this movie from the writer of "Fatal Attraction" turns out to be an entertaining and tense thriller about a young man (Matt Dillon) obsessed with a family's wealth and power. Dillon's character, Jonathan Corliss (a part that perhaps could have been played a little 'darker'), proceeds to infiltrate the family via relationships with twin sisters, played well by Sean Young.Although the ending is all too brief, and shock misused where intrigue may have been better, the plot is well handled by James Dearden; especially the first murder, which may surprise those not familiar with the book.Sunday, June 23, 1991 - Knox District Centre

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bronty
1991/05/02

Poor Sean Young. Once upon a time she was an actress with such a bright future, poised, seemingly, for great stardom. She even had a quality that recalled some of the glamour and allure of the 40's and 50's. Put to good use in such films as "Blade Runner" and "No Way Out", there seemed nearly no end in sight. And then her "difficult" personality got in the way and Oliver Stone fired her from "Wall Street", in which she was to have a major part; then her alleged relationship with former co-star James Woods, and subsequent "Fatal Attraction"-style antics against him, in addition to her amusingly disturbing all-out efforts to snag the role of 'Catwoman' in the first sequel to "Batman", seemed to have a snowball effect, effectively curtailing her trajectory and reducing her to such projects as "Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde" and numerous direct-to-cable/video duds. While "A Kiss Before Dying" has a much better pedigree than "Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde" ever could, thanks in part to being based on a solid, little Ira Levin book and blessed with at least two respected actors (Diane Ladd and Max Von Sydow), it, too, is a near-total failure, and Sean Young is, sadly, a major factor as to 'why'. With a strong director and viable material, she has proved to be a good actor and oddly charismatic, even when the film didn't warrant it (see "Blade Runner"). She was never a GREAT actress, mind you, but had an unmistakable appeal. Here, however, even that appeal seems gone, for nothing can disguise her sleepwalking performance in a dual role as twins, one of whom is murdered (her death scene is brutal), the other of whom decides to investigate the death, never believing it was the suicide it was assumed to be. Soon after her investigation begins, she meets the man who, unbeknownst to her, murdered her sister. This man is played by Matt Dillon, who is supposed to be charming, seductive, secretive, elusive, and ruthless. While one can easily imagine an actor as physically pretty as Robert Wagner - he wasn't just 'handsome', he was 'pretty', let's face it - Matt Dillon is simply wrong, in every manner, for this part. Totally miscast, he is neither particularly charming nor seductive, and seemingly unable to register the ruthlessness and danger the part calls for. His thick, New York accent is also a distraction, at least in this role. That he and Young have absolutely no chemistry doesn't help matters any, making yet another major quibble a minor one: both seem a bit too old. In supporting roles, as Dillon's mother and Young's father, Diane Ladd and Max Von Sydow provide much-needed class to the potboiler/neo-noir proceedings, though Ladd comes off more successfully; Von Sydow is utterly wasted. ANY actor could have done his role - why choose someone SO spectacularly talented for such a thankless part? As for the screenplay, though based on the book, it seems to be stuffed with every cliché from every modern-day thriller, right down to the routine and predictable climax (apparently reshot after test audiences didn't approve) and the pointless, if limited, sex scenes, which might titillate some (thanks to mild nudity) but do nothing to further the plot or add to the tension. The direction, too, is at fault: since everything here is something you've seen before (and in much better films), and nearly each moment is telegraphed well in advance, there are practically zero chills or thrills to be had. Strong actors may have been able to smooth over these problems, but again, the film is done no service by its leads, particularly Young, who is plain AWFUL. It surely stands with Demi Moore in "The Scarlet Letter" and Elizabeth Berkley in "Showgirls" as being one of THE worst performances in a major motion picture - and, perhaps, even WORSE because Young is playing TWO parts. She rightfully won her 2 Razzies (for Worst Actress and Supporting Actress). But, as said, Dillon's not too much better. A little bit but not much. HIS line readings, at least, don't suggest a coma. Unfortunately, for the audience, a coma might just be preferable to sitting through this lot.

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uroskin
1991/05/03

The large part of the fun of watching A Kiss Before Dying is looking out for the number of Hitchcock movie moments the film is paying tribute to: from Psycho's shower shots and the lonesome mother's house our Norman Bates has escaped from, to the bleaching of the heroine and taking the Kim Novak role a la Vertigo with possibly lethal consequences. I was hugely amused and never mind the creaking plot. On a technical level, I loved the Technicolor hue of the film, very Hitchcock period too. I'm not sure why the lead actress, Sean Young, got a double Razzie award for her dual role. It seems undeserved. I'm sure there must have been far worse performances in 1991 to choose from.

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