Alan Rudoph started out as something of a protégé of Altman's in the 1970's, assistant directing on The Long Goodbye, California Split and Nashville. Since then he's made a good number of movies of his own that, from what I've seen, tend to be rather uncommercial, slow, serious, painstakingly realistic, sometimes maybe a little dull, but often very interesting films. This is certainly a high point, very interesting indeed and very far from dull. It's a really first rate crime story comprising a long conversation between a detective, played by Harvey Keitel and the central character Cynthia, played by Demi Moore in one of her best performances. The story she has to tell is relayed to us in flashback and deals with her best friend Joyce (Glenne Headly, another excellent performance) and her truly horrible, brutal bully of a husband James (Bruce Willis, also excellent - hateful and frightening but very believable); how Joyce always liked to fantasize about killing James off; how one day he does indeed end up dead; how they agree to lose the body and say nothing to anyone, how their relationship then bends and breaks under the strain; and what happens next.The film however does have one major flaw. After slowly revealing its cards with tense interrogation scenes the ending is a complete cop out. Without giving anything away, I will say that after working so hard on revealing the facts in the detective's questioning, the truth is unveiled by us seeing the thoughts of one of the major characters. This is not only cheating, but it also leaves a second major crime unresolved. Despite this, I highly recommend you see this film.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

I'm not a big fan of Demi Moore but I have to admit that her performance in this film is very good. Bruce Willis does what he does best; that is to say, he's annoying to the point where I was hoping someone would kill him and put us all out of our misery, even though I thoroughly enjoyed his character when he wasn't being mean to his wife. Glenne Headly was amazing and Harvey Keitel, one of my favorites, was once again the consummate cop.But the best part of this movie, for me, was the realism. The New Jersey accents sounded natural and unaffected, especially Harvey Keitel's pronunciation of Joyce's name as "Jerce". The homes looked like regular folks lived there, not like designer-inspired movie sets. The clothes were real, the hairdos were real, and the way the characters behaved was real.I've seen this film a couple of times and I haven't found any glaring plot holes; everything follows a believable and sensible course. If Demi Moore's character is lying, she's doing a damn good job of it.The only problem I have with the story -- and it is a problem I have with many stories -- is that at some point the characters completely abandon their day-to-day lives. After Jimmy's funeral it seems that Joyce never returns to the beauty shop that she owns and Cynthia and Cookie never work another day in their lives, even though all three women depend on the income from their jobs. I would have preferred to see how Joyce's alleged descent into madness affected her business, how her customers reacted to her, and how she and the other stylists interacted during working hours.Overall I give this film an 8 out of 10. Great performances by the main characters, solid storyline, and nothing fake to distract from the story.

When I first rented this film (I don't remember it being in movie theaters) I was excited to see what Alan Rudolph, who I associate with looser style character studies, would do with the taut, slick format of a thriller. Indeed, the whole presentation of the film is very different from the funky CHOOSE ME, one of my favorite films. The music, the pacing, the INTENT of the film-making are markedly different from this director's other works.MORTAL THOUGHTS is not a wholly satisfying film, but I am humbled to say that I was amazed by Demi Moore's performance. I have never sought out a film starring this husky voiced pinup, and have found her off-screen persona to be arrogant and grating. In the big films of hers that I'd seen, I considered her adequate...striking to look at, but slightly mechanical and hollow. Here, playing a working class beautician from New Jersey, her emotions are very real and she has a human warmth and vulnerability. Plus, with the tricky lighting and creamy lenses of big budget cinematography taken away, one can see what a natural, diminutive beauty she really is.Moore's interaction with the rest of the cast is never false. This is understandable with Bruce Willis (as he was her husband at the time) but she plays equally well with respected "serious" actors Glenne Headley and Harvey Keitel. In fact, in one midpoint interrogation scene in which he's slow coming in on a few cues, Keitel actually seems to be holding Moore BACK! Who would have thought?Maybe the surprise of seeing Moore be so convincing makes the performance seem stronger than it actually is, but I truly was deeply impressed with her work here. Perhaps playing a woman close to her own roots (Moore was raised in a series of trailer parks) unleashed something in the actress and let her relate to the role on a more personal level. Maybe having Rudolph, who is famous for drawing tender, intimate performances from his actors (see AFTERGLOW!), at the helm is the explanation. Whatever the reason, Moore is a knockout here, and the film gave me new respect for her. She is very affecting, and unforgettable.

I'm not a big fan of the genre but this one is very well done. The flashback technique works beautifully. The acting is good by Headly, an awesome actress who should be A-list by now. Willis, who is a bit underrated because of the action blockbusters but does comedy well, is pretty believable here in a stereotypical type character that he manages to get something more out of than your average actor. Keitel is marvelous and you have to appreciate the nuances he brings out as the pro that he is. John Pankow is good and should be working more than he is. Moore has the largest role and as usual, she's the weakest actor, but decent enough to carry off the role. The story is riveting; you always can't wait to see what happens next. The touches of humor are really funny and come naturally from the characters and situations rather than being jokes. The plot has plenty of twists. The ending, while a little unsatisfying to me, does leave it up to the viewer to make the moral decisions. If you like suspense movies and great acting, you'll love this and even if you don't, you'll enjoy it anyway.