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Plot

In this high-tension thriller, Christopher Reeves plays Dempsey Cain, a paralyzed detective (ironically, it was filmed a year before the tragic accident that would make him a quadriplegic) whose arrogance and penchant for perfectionism has alienated his family to the point that his wife Gail (Kim Cattrall) turns to his brother Nick (Edward Kerr) for love. Nick is also a cop, but unlike Dempsey, he tends to be irresponsible and sloppy. It was he who was responsible for Dempsey's paralysis. Dempsey knows that Nick and Gail are trysting. This coupled with his disability makes life unbearable. Wanting to end his life, but knowing that his million-dollar life insurance policy will not cover his suicide, he approaches Nick and Gail with the perfect solution -- to murder him and make it look like a burglary. Dempsey plans his demise to the nth degree. Unfortunately, despite his careful scheming, Dempsey makes one fatal flaw -- he did not include his suspicious, resentful and jealous colleague Allan Rhinehart (Joe Mantegna) into the equation and things go horribly awry.
MPAA Rating:
R for strong sex scenes, language and violence.
Genre(s):
Action
Run Time:
92min.
Theatrical Release Date:
02/27/1997
DVD Release Date:
01/07/2003
Distributor(s):
No Studio
Director(s):
Steven Schachter
Themes:
Infidelity,Living With Disability,Treacherous Spouses,Suicide,Inheritance at Stake
Tone:
Cynical,Menacing,Paranoid,Tense
Keywords:
alienation,brother,detective,insurance,investigation,love-triangle,murder,paralysis,suicide,suicide-attempt
Language:
English