This was resurrected by Netflix and seriously, they should have left it undisturbed in its grave.All performances were uneven and cringe-worthy. And how the stellar cast were talked into making this drivel should have been filmed as a documentary.The script was abysmal and unrelentingly unbelievable.And I haven't mentioned the "sex" scenes.1/10

Martha Horgan, a naive woman with an intellectual impairment who lives with her aunt Frances in a small town, is known for always telling the truth. She works at a dry cleaner, where her compulsive truth-telling leads her to report to the boss that another employee has been stealing from the cash register.Janet Maslin wrote, "A Dangerous Woman is soap opera... With Ms. Winger's eerily convincing performance as its centerpiece, the film creates a world of sexual chicanery that would do any television series proud... The film has been given an appealingly languid and intimate mood by the director, Stephen Gyllenhaal." This is pretty much it. Winger does a fine job in the lead role, but she seems to be too good for the movie they have put her in. The plot is not very exciting, and once we get to a point where it has potential everything is already winding down. Gabriel Byrne is a good actor, but does not seem to be really giving much effort here. Did this have a theatrical release? It seems more like a made-for-cable movie.

Never saw the film when it was released, but it was a surprise when it was shown on cable recently. Stephen Gyllenhaal directs with great style. He is helped by the adaptation Naomi Foner crafted out of the Mary McGarry Morris' novel. This is a story about the cruelty inflicted to an innocent woman who is mentally retarded.The film is set in California. Martha, the troubled soul at the center of the story has mental problems. She is an honest woman who tells it like it is, but because of her condition, people will always try to take advantage of her. Martha probably doesn't know what's happening with her own sexuality, yet we witness a night when she is engaging in satisfying herself in the only way she knows how."A Dangerous Woman" is an engrossing tale that involve us from the beginning. Martha is a complex character that in Debra Winger's interpretation shows she is a woman that has been dealt a bad hand by life. Yet, Martha is able to function by herself without any supervision. This is a confused woman that will win the viewer's heart.Debra Winger doesn't appear often in movies these days. It's our loss! Ms. Winger projects such intelligence as she approaches her role of Martha that suddenly, the actress and the part she is playing become one. The rest of the cast is excellent. Barbara Hershey is always a welcome addition to any film. Gabriel Byrne is credible as the handy man. David Strathairn plays a pivotal role that brings the film to an unexpected conclusion. Laurie Metcalf is only seen in a couple of scenes. Mr. Gyllenhaal and Ms. Foner should team up more often because they work well together as proved by this film and the previous ones.

Not a bad film for one i saw at 1.30 in the morning. Debra Winger is convincing as a mentally challenged woman who only wants to understand why being truthful doesn't work in the world around her. The fact that she has her own apartment testifying to this. Gabriel Byrne was restrained as was needed in the opposing role to the central character and gave the movie some essential compassion which worked nicely. The sex scenes were a bit graphic but i think it was necessary as the controversy between rape/consentual sex in this case was in dispute. A point not overplayed or simplified, thankfully so credit to the writer and director for that.Overall it raised some interesting themes in societies treatment of the mentally disabled and followed through with a realistic ending. 3 out of 5.