"Exposed" is one of the oddest movies I have seen for a long time. It's so strange at times, it is hard to believe that a major Hollywood studio decided to bankroll and release it. It is easier to believe the reports that it was a box office flop. I wouldn't really call it a bad movie, because there are some good things here and there. The photography is very good, with rich colors and conveying the feeling of coldness when it's winter. The musical score by Georges Delerue is also nice, with also a few pleasant golden oldies thrown in here and there. And the acting is generally good. However, the story is a mess. The movie simply cannot make its mind up as to what it's about. It starts off as a look at a college student getting over a relationship with one of her professors, then moves to becoming a tale about a woman who becomes a heavily in demand professional model (overnight!), then moves to a relationship budding between the movie's heroine and someone somewhat older, then concludes by becoming a thriller about finding and terminating a terrorist! I know that what I just wrote may make the movie sound like something so-bad-it's-good for some bad movie fans, but they will probably find it the way I did - a mess, yes, but a slow moving mess that's not that much fun with any angle you may approach it with. It's not a surprise that the movie today is more or less forgotten.

All shots count - (see end paragraph)A hot blonde babe blows up a Parisian bistro in the very beginning of the movie. Seems a terrorist cell is in operation with models as the fuse. And the cell is run by Harvey Keitel. A great line in the movie is when Harvey tells Nastassja that the "revolution" is about fine cigars, a room in the Hilton, a nice car and women. Huh?Exposed has a slow and steady pace with plenty of culture in dance and music. Marxism and models were a very chic item in Europe in the 70's and 80's. Especially in Italy.One important unrecognized "actor" is the professor at the beginning of the film that makes a very awkward "awwwwkard" pass at Nastassja in the beginning. The "professor" is James Toback, the director and he is uncredited. Henceforth, Nastassja flees to Europe.I enjoyed this film despite some shortcomings and criticism. A great dancer(Nureyev), and hot actress (Kinski), hot models, and intrigue and culture...give it a chance. Bibi Andersson appears in a nice red leather pencil skirt in a bookstore encounter with Emily (Nastassja).This is perhaps the only movie that doesn't waste ammo and everyone is a marksman. Especially in the ending shoot out. You know the bullets are a flyn' everywhere in most movies, with the heroes and villains taking forever to hit their target. But here there is not one miss. And they are artists and models for goodness sake. These folks are economical and accurate shooters for sure.

Taken as an historical perspective of Nastassja Kinski, this is a relatively young Nastassja who totally dominates the screen. As the movie proceeds, it becomes more and more apparent that Nastassja has something called screen presence, meaning that whenever she is on screen there is the promise of something electric occurring that is extraordinary. Today, this movie may appear to be wooden and dated, especially with the performance or lack of performance of Rudolph Nureyev who is absolutely obliterated by Nastassja. The movie on its own cannot be taken seriously, but it maybe viewed as a celebration of Nastassja Kinski.

Looking back on this movie, I really think this was the most realistic of all the political movies Kinski has made. Paris is the home of internation terrorism. And I think another look at Kinskis' choice in making this will give her fans a better understanding of her artistic makeup.