After you've given thanks, now indulge in... the tale of a psychopath kidnapping and abusing women. Hmm...I could have better timing, I guess.
This is 1997's Kiss the Girls, an adaptation of an Alex Cross Novel. Curiously, this is the SECOND Novel in the Series- which is now up to 26 (!!!). Oh well, I'm sure that won't be confusing when I watch the 2nd Film based on the first Book, right?
Right?!?
Anyhow, the Plot involves a twisted man named Cassanova who kidnaps women and keeps them, as opposed to a typical Serial Killer. To be fair, that kind of killer involves far less upkeep and less trips to Costco to get Milk for 'your ladies.'
Cross is on the case when it gets personal, and he lucks into a woman escaping Cassanova. Can they (without a Character from the Book that they excised for time) solve the case?
To find out, read on...
Alex Cross is a Psychologist who often works with the Police.
When we first see him, he talks down a suicidal woman who was beating beaten by her Husband.
I wonder if the Film will somehow bookend itself with a parallel scene, he asks himself knowingly.
Meanwhile, a man named Cassanova is kidnapping women who he 'loves.'
He really brings attention to himself, when he breaks his own rule and kills one of them when she, ironically enough, breaks his rules.
I guess we can expect hypocrisy from a psychopath.
Cross' Niece is among Cassanova's victims, but all signs point to her being alive.
His consultation on the case has him meeting with a few Red Herrings...I mean, suspects.
Cassanova makes his next move by kidnapping Dr. Kate McTiernan (no relation to Director John, presumably).
She runs from him, but crashes into a fish tank in her own house. That's...possible, but a bit weird of a thing to take her down. Did she just forget about it?
He keeps working the case, unaware of what just happened. I was kind of expecting a Scene of him or another Detective checking her place, but no.
On the plus side, you can date the Film by him using this old pay phone.
Kate escapes after a long ordeal and has to jump into a river to survive.
The drugs he used on her- combined with her trauma- will soon kill her, but, fortunately, Cross is here to figure out the right Medicine.
Granted- Psychology Doctorates would certainly know their medications, but I still find it odd that the Doctors needed his help here.
Kate works alongside Cross- although he keeps trying to keep her at a distance- as they go to California to follow a lead.
In the Book, it is because Cassanova published a letter- straight out of a Thomas Harris Novel. I'm probably not going to do a Fiction vs. Fiction on this one though, so don't get your hopes up.
Anyways, the clues lead to...of course, the guy from
Friday the 13th: Part 6 (oh right, also
Ghost and
Scandal)
He gets away- after shooting Jeremy Piven!!!- and they eventually track him down.
Right out of Scream (since everyone seems to think that they invented the Two Killers Twist), he's actually working with a different Serial Kidnapper/Killer on the East Coast. That one is actually Cassanova.
He shoots and- I think- kills Goldwyn- who is The Gentleman Caller and frees the ladies.
Of course, we didn't actually see Cassanova and he got away.
Cross figures out his identity from matching handwriting on a note to a report signed off on by one of the Agents.
He's a bit late as the guy- Cary Elwes- shows up and fights Kate. Both are wounded and the gas is leaking.
After failing to talk Elwes down- good prediction, earlier me- he shoots and kills him by firing through a carton of milk, leading to this accidentally hilarious death.
The End.
A good Film- surprisingly with no real caveats this time.
It is a very '90s Thriller, so you already kind of know how you feel about that Genre one way or the other, don't you? This one is solid.
I could certainly nitpick about a number of little things. For instance, I was not fooled by the false suspects, even when they brought one back. I also find it weird to look back in 2023 to see Jeremy Piven playing a guy named 'Castillo.'
In addition, while I'm not espousing guilt one way or the other in this case, seeing Piven (in a small role, mind you) as a guy trying to stop a creep might be awkward after all of the allegations.
That said, the Film was written, shot, edited and Acted well. It is easy to see why people like it.
I do wish that they could have maybe given Kate a better ending in which she saves herself, but I can forgive it.
As a bonus, here's this DePalma Shot.
Next up, the Sequel...that is actually a Prequel to this Story. Again- that won't be confusing. Stay tuned...
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