Striptease

How does it bode for Demi Moore's career that audiences won't pay to see her act (The Scarlet Letter) or to take off her clothes? Even though Striptease was a bust in theaters, you can count on prurient interest in the video release. Andrew Bergman's flashy film of Carl Hiassen's pulpular tale of blackmail, greed and murder could have used a star with a sense of humor and that is not one of the assets that Moore displays here as Erin Grant, a single mother and reluctant stripper desperately trying to raise the money needed for the court fight to regain custody of her daughter. Burt Reynolds briefly revitalized his career as the corrupt and amoral congressman who becomes obsessed with her. Upstaging them both is Ving Rhames (Marcellus in Pulp Fiction) as taciturn bouncer Shad. Still, this show's not worth the cover charge. (K. Lee Benson)