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Perfect Stranger (2007) DVD Review
Perfect Stranger (2007) DVD Credits:
Perfect Stranger (2007) Directed by:
James Foley
Perfect Stranger (2007) Written by:
Jon Bokenkamp, Todd Komarnicki
Perfect Stranger (2007) Cast:
Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, Giovanni Ribisi, Gary Dourdan
Perfect Stranger (2007) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
Perfect Stranger (2007) DVD Release Date:
20th August 2007
Our Rating: Extras Rating:

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Perfect Stranger (2007) Synopsis:

Tells the story of a woman (Berry) who gets caught up in the world of obsessive love and death online when she goes undercover to investigate a friend's murder.

Perfect Stranger (2007) DVD Review:

The argument has been made countless times that there is no original concept remaining for a film. All stories have been told and all that remains is the ability to shape these stories differently so that they appear fresh and new. Whether you believe this theory to be true or worth even less than most film theories is irrelevant in the case of many films. Even if there are still remaining tales to be told, Perfect Stranger is certainly not one of them. This isn’t to say that it is a bad film merely for telling a story very similar to many others, but what does make Perfect Stranger somewhat disappointing is the combination of several well-worn stories. Too much is attempted and too little works.

What does seem to work quite well in the film is the acting, from several talented and veteran actors who fit perfectly into these roles. The performances from the three lead actors are riveting and easily convincing, but the script doesn’t always match their dedication. There are more than a few moments specifically contrived in order to allow twists which are expected, but the amount of information withheld makes the twist even more absurd once finally revealed. If only there were only more enjoyable moments within the film the forced ending might be easier to forgive, but the journey is all reliant very heavily upon the final result.

Halle Berry is particularly engaging as Rowena Price, a journalist dedicated to the truth, as we see in the opening sequence when she attempts to expose a politician who has long opposed same-sex marriage despite his own tendencies towards relationships with his temporary employees. Using gossip column sleaze to catch men in power and expose them, Rowena is at the top of the world until her boss refuses to run the story because of political support to the paper. This infuriates Rowena enough to quit, but when a childhood friend shows up to see her and is murdered days later, Rowena decides to use her ability to find the killer. The main suspect in Rowena’s mind is a married advertising executive, Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis, whose smile makes him a perfect fit for an ad man), so she begins working as a temp under an assumed identity.

Rowena brings along the help of a newspaper researcher friend (Giovanni Ribisi) who is able to hack into the computers as well as help Rowena also create a fake online personality to help flirt with Hill, although he seems to have some hopes for a relationship with Rowena by helping her. Soon everyone is suspect and none are likeable, at which point all that is at stake in the thriller becomes less weighty. By the time there is any chance of suspense it is ruined by the fact that the well-being of the characters is not nearly as important as a resolution. The DVD contains a making-of featurette.

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Perfect Stranger (2007) DVD review written by: Ryan Izay

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