A Kiss Before Dying

As thrillers go, A Kiss Before Dying isn't. Based on Ira Levin's early novel, the film opens with yuppie climber Jonathan Corliss (Matt Dillon) offing his co-star Sean Young, who plays Dorothy Carlsson, daughter of copper magnate Thor Carlsson. Admittedly, this is an interesting opening twist, but the catch is soon revealed: Dorothy has a twin sister, Ellen. Ellen (the return of Sean Young) is convinced that her sister's death was not a suicide as the evidence suggests, but a murder. In a series of implausible moves, Jonathan manages to stay one step ahead of the dogged Ellen (he eventually woos and marries her) until the end of the film. Although the bare bones of the plot seem to add up to a good story, the fatal flaw of A Kiss Before Dying is in the exceptionally lackluster performances of Dillon and Young. As the body count begins to climb, nothing in Dillon's character suggests that he's anything other than an average guy--lines that should have been chilling are delivered deadpan. And Young's acting is about as close to being legally dead as I've seen in recent films. Except for some inadvertent humor in the way the dialogue is delivered, A Kiss Before Dying is nothing more than a rather expensive sleeping pill. Not recommended. (R. Pitman) [DVD Review--January 25, 2005--Universal, 94 min., R, $9.99--Making its debut on DVD, 1991's A Kiss Before Dying is presented in an anamorphic widescreen transfer (with some minor dirt and scratches, but a good image overall) and a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack, but with no extras (or even a DVD menu). Bottom line: age hasn't much improved this clunky thriller with two of the least electrifying thespians to ever grace the silver screen in Dillon and Young. Very optional.]