I love this movie so much

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

After the high profile, but at the time commercial unsuccessful Bladerunner, Ridley Scott's meteoric rise into Hollywood juddered to a halt. Nevertheless Scott decided to head in a different direction with this small scale, archetypal and relationship oriented drama about how a committed but inexperienced working-class detective (Tom Berenger), under pressure to protect a charming and beautiful New York socialite (Mimi Rogers) as part of witness protection team plays out in circumstances of growing pressure and danger. Berenger's character is working in shifts with two much more experienced detectives (well played in smaller parts by Tony DiBenedetto and James E Moriarty) and watching him develop a repressed human affection for Mimi Rogers character, who plays her character as vulnerable but also charming and assertive is involving and enjoyable. One event then tips this friendship over into a full blown affair, and the rest of the film deals head on with the consequences of this decision in the context of Venza's growing determination and finally desperation not to be identified as the murderer. Alongside this is how the relationship between Berenger's character and his family, well played by the relatively new to Hollywood Lorraine Bracco as his wife and child actor turned businessman Harley Cross as his son changes as the affair becomes public. This change is well realised, though the film's ending does feel a little too convenient, even if it is emotionally satisfying. However the progression of the story works well as Mimi Rogers portrayal of her character means the viewer ends up being sympathetic to the tragic circumstances unfolding of two individuals caring for the welfare of each other being placed in an ever more intense situation. While hardly a success at the box office, (around $10 million in US takings against at $10-$15 million budget) as a film is was Scott's most human and relationship driven film at this point in his career. He coaxed solid performances from the cast, and despite a focus on characters he still produced a visually impressive film, making New York look fabulous. Technical credits are solid all round with a particular nod to Steven Poster's excellent photography. Overall a fascinating and involving film.

There is no doubt that Someone to Watch Over Me is a smoothly paced and extremely well made film. It is directed by Ridley Scott after all. There is also no doubt that the cast is fully capable and gets into their roles with a much needed grit and determination. Sadly, there is also no doubt as to just how unmemorable the film is. Here you have Scott genre hopping once again, with a story that has potential if told right and a talented cast that lend an air of believability to the cop genre when it is usually so overblown. Therefore it is so striking to me that so little of the film stays with you. It's almost as if those involved where intrigued by the premise but simply grew weary and bored the longer they were involved.Said premise is effectively that family man cop Mike is assigned to protect wealthy socialite Claire after she witness a murder and the mobster who did it vows to come after her. The problem here is that you know exactly where this story is going and if you think there's going to be any twists or changes to the formula then you are sadly mistaken. Mike's wife seems trusting at first and Claire seems to appreciate how much he cares for his family. Yet after some encounters bring them closer they become more attracted to each other and Mike's wife begins to become suspicious. It's a shame that so little comes of this. Mike's wife and Claire have almost no contact so we don't get any feisty scenes or morality questioning ones.Then you have the romance and it just doesn't work. Most of that comes from the fact that the actors have zero chemistry together. Though it's not that their performances are bad. Tom Berenger is one of the few serious actors of the time who could convincingly play a tough cop and Mimi Rogers does her best at giving Claire a gentle, attractive personality. The romance itself is just on autopilot throughout. They have a few close calls, he gets more protective and their suddenly head over heels. To the film's credit it is done with subtlety and isn't completely rushed, but for it to work you really must believe that these two characters are genuinely in love with each other and I never got a sense of that.Lorraine Bracco performance as Mike's wife Ellie is one of the films best features. She brings a much needed liveliness and aggression to the film, as well as providing the dialogue with the punch it calls for. The character is believable as a wife who has stuck by her husband through thick and thin, whilst her more grounded beauty is a nice contrast to high glamour of Claire. I also think the scenes Berenger and Bracco share are always engaging and well-acted.There is a distinct lack of danger and intensity throughout the film that is really noticeable. There is a sort of shoot-out at Claire's apartment that lacks any sense of threat and the would-be assassin looks very similar to Berenger, almost to the point where you can't tell who is who. The villain of the piece is so one-note, uninteresting and underdeveloped that he's barely worth a mention. While the climax certainly gets across that the stakes are high, it's a boring situation and one that is entirely predictable.Scott's visual flair is evident throughout the film. Its warm atmosphere and subdued lighting scheme fit the image of New York it creates. The opening credits sequence, featuring Sting's title track, floats over New York at night and it is a beautiful way to open the film. In a way the film restricts Scott somewhat and it's a shame that the films grittiness limits his eye here, even if he does make the best of what he has. Michael Kamen's score is appropriately subdued and ambient, suitably lurking in the background instead of jumping out at you. Questions have to be asked over the sets however, with Claire's apartment appearing to be never ending.In reflecting on the film, Someone to Watch Over Me becomes something curious. A film that is clearly well made and directed, but one that is mostly unengaging and leaves very little impact when it's finished. It sticks rigidly to a well-worn formula when it should attempt something fresh. It tries to convey a convincing romance without any chemistry. It comes to the conclusion you knew it would from the moment the story was set in motion. There is no questions over Ridley Scott's ability, I just wish that he'd have attempted to go against the grain with a story like this. In a way it is a testament to Scott's expertise that he was able to make the film as watchable as it is.

"Someone To Watch Over Me" is a visual treat with some exceptionally beautiful shots (such as those of New York City at night and a number of stunning interiors) which together with a marvellous musical score contribute strongly to the movie's incredibly rich atmosphere. Murder, adultery and class distinction are at the heart of the story and interestingly, no gloss is applied to the depiction of any of these subjects. Instead, the focus is on the powerful impact they all have on the various people involved.Newly promoted police detective Mike Keegan (Tom Berenger) is given responsibility for protecting a wealthy Manhattan socialite Claire Gregory (Mimi Rogers) whose life is in danger because she was the only person who witnessed the brutal murder of one of her close friends. The job involves Mike spending time in Claire's luxurious apartment and accompanying her to a variety of social events. He soon becomes attracted to Claire and her glamorous lifestyle; she appreciates the level of security his presence provides and soon the unlikely couple fall in love.Mike's wife Ellie (Lorraine Bracco) becomes suspicious about the nature of his relationship with Claire and his tacit admission about their affair leads to the break up of his family. Mobster Joey Venza (Andreas Katsulas) who had attempted to kill Claire immediately after she witnessed him killing her friend, then takes Ellie and her son hostage and what follows leads to the threat on Claire's life being removed permanently.Claire's comfortable existence changed radically after she witnessed the murder as she became more fearful and had her life threatened by the psychotic killer. The level of freedom she'd previously enjoyed also became considerably more restricted and her affair with Mike led to her stuffy fiancé being dumped and Mike's wife being emotionally devastated by what had happened.Mike's first assignment as a detective led to his life being put in extreme danger and also to him experiencing a great deal of emotional turmoil over his relationship with Claire. The effect this had on his marriage (which had always previously been a happy one) was also painful and his conduct and handling of the case drew severe criticism from his superiors. Ultimately the intensity of Mike's anguish and Claire's desolation are both incredibly profound."Someone To Watch Over Me" is a romantic thriller which is beautifully directed by Ridley Scott and features consistently good performances by its talented cast. Lorraine Bracco provides the stand out performance as Mike's feisty, down-to-earth wife whose instincts are totally reliable and Andreas Katsulas' physiognomy and bearing make him the perfect choice for the story's villain.

A good plot premise from Howard Franklin and a likable performance from Mimi Rogers are about the only things going for this Ridley Scott film, "Someone to Watch Over Me".The script is slow and sadly predictable. The usual visual splendour and fantastic cinematography that we have come to expect from Scott as a director of such fine films as "Alien", "Bladerunner" and "Black Rain", are all missing here.Although there was little scope with which Ridley Scott could have worked, he has only done enough to make this 'thriller' just entertaining. Just.Thursday, June 27, 1991 - Video