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Killing Me Softly [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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The fact that Alice sleeps with a stranger at the drop of a hat makes for a shaky premise, but what ensues can only be described as complete nonsense, with the plot twisting its way to a ludicrous climax. Smirking his way through the film, Fiennes is as miscast as Graham, who's clearly there for the soft porn love scenes and not the ones where she's a reporter replete with big spectacles. Graham in the buff is certainly going to attract a few viewers, but for the rest of us Killing Me Softly is just too plain daft to bother with. On the DVD: Killing Me Softly offers a sparse set of extras, including a featurette that repeats most of the footage seen in the trailer, also included. Short interviews with cast members Graham, Fiennes and McElhone can be found here alongside comments from director Kaige and some footage of the shoot itself, all of which add little to the overall package. --Laura Bushell
Our Price: £3.95 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Any film aiming to be Hitchcockian has a lot to live up to: with its blonde heroine, eerie atmosphere and sweeping score, Killing Me Softly sets itself up for a fall even before the plot kicks in. Stylishly filmed by Chen Kaige (the Chinese director's first English feature), this London-set thriller is based on Nicci French's novel about a young American woman, Alice (Heather Graham), and her passionate affair with the mysterious stranger Adam (Joseph Fiennes). Leaving her partner and surrendering herself to Adam's sexual experimentation, Alice only begins to suspect something's not quite right once she's married him and a series of ominous notes arrive through the post. Add to this Adam's mysterious first marriage, an intriguing locked cupboard and enigmatic sister (Natasha McElhone), and Alice begins to look for a way out, in fear of her life.
Strange sort of love story...
Review date: 2006-06-06 Rating: 8 out of 10
This is a really weird film for me. I've only ever seen it twice, and it having been some time since I saw it the first time around, I was surprised to find that on my second viewing, I'd only really remembered about the first twenty minutes or so - a part which had stuck in my mind quite vividly.
Despite its suspense-type thriller content, along with some really explicit scenes featuring 'kinky' sex, ironically, the most memorable moments in this film for me are the romantic ones. The movie gets off to a great start, and gives the viewer the misconception they're in for a real soppy love story, about two complete strangers falling in love at first sight - but it's far more complex than that - and a lot more exciting too; falling for a strange dishy guy with kinky sex fetishes and then marrying him - all in a space of a few days! The haunting soundtrack also helps this movie along. I've not read the book and so know nothing about the author, but the whole story is a little mixed up and has a distinctly 'unclear' ending, but somehow the film is memorable for more simpler reasons.
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Reviews
Return the film, buy the book
Review date: 2006-01-09 Rating: 2 out of 10
After reading "Killing Me Softly", the book by Nicci French I was intrigued about seeing the film, since the book was so good. It really wasn't worth any anticipation. The film doesn't stay true to the book, by a long way, and the ending is completely changed into something so preposterous you wonder what the scriptwriters were thinking. The acting is pretty dire, and the development of the relationship storyline is inadequate (and i'm pretty sure the only reason heather graham is in this is for titillation, because she doesn't do a lot of acting, and joseph fiennes isn't much better). All in all, don't bother if you liked the book.
London is beautiful for passionate love
Review date: 2004-12-09 Rating: 8 out of 10
This film is quite gripping in many ways, but particularly so in one : it tricks us into believing something that is nothing but a preconceived idea. Love may be a very strong, sudden and even violent passion. It is shown in all its splendor and beauty. When love becomes passionate it can lead to extreme adventures, and in this film it does, though moderately for the audience not to be unsettled too much. Just enough for the audience to believe that this passion can lead the man, who is becoming suspicious and jealous, to dream of, and to have dreamed of and even performed, a crime or even several to prevent a woman, or maybe several, from going away, abandoning him. So why not another one. The present wife of this man galops into this avenue without even thinking or pondering the issue one single minute : after all it is nothing but the rewriting or the remake of Blue Beard. Panick and fear. And of course she runs into the arms of the real criminal, the one who has really eliminated so many women, out of jealousy of course. But the real end is more than ambiguous. Passion is transient and cannot last very long. Sooner or later it wears out and it does in this case, of course, after such a fright. So the ending is sad though we may feel relieved. Such men who inspire extreme and total love must be rejected and isolated. A sign that our world is not standing on its feet. But the suspense is quite well built if you just try to let yourself be taken along by the story and not to anticipate what may be coming, the end in other words.
Killing me Slowly's a better title
Review date: 2004-08-22 Rating: 6 out of 10
This movie was not the worst I have seen, as the storyline had a good basis, but the casting was terrible! I've always thought Heather Graham was a poor actress and this just proved it! Joseph Fiennes makes an unconvincing "baddy", and he doesn't do much in the totty factor! overall, good story, bad acting! the Stars are definitly not for the cast!
killing me softly, a wonderfully filmed story
Review date: 2003-12-12 Rating: 10 out of 10
I must admit i only brought this at first because i wanted to see heather Graham get her kit off. The film has recieved some poor ratings and press. However i was i admit surprised by this film. It was wonderfully filmed. The cinematography was often wonderful. Some lovely countryside featured etc.
Further Joseph Fines and Heather Graham, Both put in wonderful performances. I really enjoyed this film. I would say that this is a rare and often overlooked Gem which i am happy to add to my collection. The Director is to be congratulated.
To conclude, this film beautiful. As i mentioned some scenes with Heather Graham (Alice) and Joeseph Phines are srikingly photographed and endearing. Nice one heather
Because of the responses from others ive been asked to update: Thus i will : Update Juliet 2006 : Most critisisms of this film seem to come from those who had read the book before. And its always difficult to get the same pleasure. Ben Hur and the name of the rose and films of there ilk being the exception. I have watched the film again and still think Phines and heather Graham are wonderful. I will however concede that the english girl playing Phine's sister is extremely wooden and wrongly cast for her role. But it does not stop you enjoying the film. And anyway i never grow tired of seeing Heathers chest. Pete
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Joseph Fiennes
Natascha McElhone
Heather Graham
Ulrich Thomsen
Ian Hart
Creators:
Heather Graham (Primary Contributor)
Joseph Fiennes (Primary Contributor)
Anna Chi (Producer)
Daniel Goldberg (Producer)
Donna Grey (Producer)
Ivan Reitman (Producer)
Joe Medjuck (Producer)
Kara Lindstrom (Writer)
Sean French (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: MGM
Manufacturer: MGM
EAN: 9780792854883
Binding: DVD
ISBN: 0792854888
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC,
Release date: 2003-03-25
Universal product code (UPC): 027616885135
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2002
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)