BEFORE: We're spending some time on the analyst's couch this week - and Barbra Streisand carries over from last night's film, because that's how I roll. But I think two appearances by Babs in a row is all that I can handle.
THE PLOT: A high-class call girl accused of murder fights for the right to stand trial rather than be declared mentally incompetent.
AFTER: This really belongs in the category of "legal dramas", but I really don't have many of those on my list. Anyway, it's the sanity of the defendant that's the issue, so it sort of fits here.
Unfortunately this is one of those "screamy" movies, where people yell whenever they need to make a point - which is a quick way to induce dramatic moments, particularly during courtroom scenes. Some would say it's a sign of overacting, and a dramatic shortcut - I think this movie came close to that a few times, but in the end there was enough actual drama to back it up.
In contrast to last night's film, tonight I saw the "reveal" coming a mile away...maybe because it was sort of similar. The difference is, last night Streisand was the therapist, and tonight she's the one who needs professional (and legal) help.
I'm not really sold on Streisand as a "high-class" call girl, not at her age. It's been a long time since "The Owl and the Pussycat". But I do buy the character's back-story, it seems quite plausible.
But can I put the image of Leslie Nielsen, wearing tiny briefs, beating up a hooker into the "Things You Can't Un-See" file? Now I need some mental floss...or some kind of palate cleanser.
What a cast, though - Richard Dreyfuss, Karl Malden, Maureen Stapleton, Eli Wallach and James Whitmore. Collectively, I think that helped elevate much of the material here.
RATING: 5 out of 10 objections overruled
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