Under Suspicion (2000 film)
Encyclopedia
Under Suspicion is a 2000 American film directed by Stephen Hopkins
. It stars Gene Hackman
, Morgan Freeman
, Monica Bellucci
and Thomas Jane
. The film is based on the 1981 French film Garde à vue
and the 1970s British novel Brainwash, written by John Wainwright
. It was screened out of competition at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival
.
, Puerto Rico
investigate the rape
and murder
of two young girls. Captain Victor Benezet (played by Freeman) questions Henry Hearst, an upstanding lawyer (played by Hackman) about the crime, turning a ten-minute interview into a grueling interrogation.
Hearst has a strained relationship with his beautiful young wife Chantal Hearst (Bellucci). A wealthy, influential man, Hearst has become the prime suspect, but the evidence against him is circumstantial. As the city celebrates the San Sebastian Festival, the police captain brings in Hearst for questioning, at first politely, and then less so, as he and a younger detective chip away at the suspect's alibi. They interrogate him for hours while Hearst's most private secrets are exposed one by one.
, 50% of critics gave Under Suspicion a positive review, with an average rating of 5.3/10.
The film was given limited release to only 19 theaters in North America grossing a total of $260,562 during its theatrical run. The film was also given limited release internationally grossing $752,783 in Mexico, $17,222 in Taiwan, and $277,675 in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta.
The film was nominated by the Mystery Writers of America
for the 2001 Edgar Award
for Best Motion Picture.
Stephen Hopkins (director)
Stephen Hopkins is a Jamaican-born film director and producer. He is best-known for his continuation of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise with A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and the Predator franchise with Predator 2...
. It stars Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and novelist.Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, Hackman has also won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs in a career that spanned five decades. He first came to fame in 1967 with his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde...
, Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
, Monica Bellucci
Monica Bellucci
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci is an Italian actress and fashion model.-Early life:Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy as the only child of Luigi Bellucci, who was born in the British protectorate of Zanzibar, East Pakistan...
and Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist...
. The film is based on the 1981 French film Garde à vue
Garde à vue
Garde à vue is a 1981 French film directed by Claude Miller and starring Romy Schneider, Michel Serrault, Lino Ventura and Guy Marchand. It was based on the British novel Brainwash, by John Wainwright....
and the 1970s British novel Brainwash, written by John Wainwright
John Wainwright (author)
John William Wainwright , was a British crime novelist and author of 83 books, four of which have been published under the pen name Jack Ripley...
. It was screened out of competition at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival
2000 Cannes Film Festival
The 2000 Cannes Film Festival started on May 14 and ran until May 25. The Palme d'Or went to the Danish film Dancer in the Dark by Lars von Trier.-Jury:* Luc Besson, President * Jonathan Demme * Nicole Garcia...
.
Plot summary
The police in San JuanSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
investigate the rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of two young girls. Captain Victor Benezet (played by Freeman) questions Henry Hearst, an upstanding lawyer (played by Hackman) about the crime, turning a ten-minute interview into a grueling interrogation.
Hearst has a strained relationship with his beautiful young wife Chantal Hearst (Bellucci). A wealthy, influential man, Hearst has become the prime suspect, but the evidence against him is circumstantial. As the city celebrates the San Sebastian Festival, the police captain brings in Hearst for questioning, at first politely, and then less so, as he and a younger detective chip away at the suspect's alibi. They interrogate him for hours while Hearst's most private secrets are exposed one by one.
Cast
- Gene HackmanGene HackmanEugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and novelist.Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, Hackman has also won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs in a career that spanned five decades. He first came to fame in 1967 with his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde...
as Henry Hearst - Morgan FreemanMorgan FreemanMorgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
as Captain Victor Benezet - Thomas JaneThomas JaneThomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist...
as Detective Felix Owens - Monica BellucciMonica BellucciMonica Anna Maria Bellucci is an Italian actress and fashion model.-Early life:Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy as the only child of Luigi Bellucci, who was born in the British protectorate of Zanzibar, East Pakistan...
as Chantal Hearst - Nydia CaroNydia CaroNydia Caro is an American & Puerto Rican actress and singer. Born in New York City to parents from Rincón, Puerto Rico, she initiated her career in the arts at a very young age while living in New York...
as Isabella - Miguel Ángel SuárezMiguel Angel SuarezMiguel Ángel Suárez was a Puerto Rican soap opera and movie actor.-Early years:Suárez and his sister were born into a middle class family and raised in the Santurce section of San Juan, Puerto Rico. His father worked at a local supermarket and his mother was a housewife. When Suárez was a child,...
as Superintendent - Pablo Cunqueiro as Detective Castillo
- Isabel Algaze as Camille Rodriguez
- Jacqueline Duprey as Maria Rodriguez
- Luis Caballero as Paco Rodriguez
- Patricia Beato as Darlita
- Sahyly Yamile as Reina
- Hector Travieso as Peter
- Marisol CaleroMarisol CaleroMarisol Calero is a Puerto Rican actress and singer.-Early years:Calero was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on September 13, 1963. Since she was a child, Calero participated in school performances at the Academia del Perpetuo Socorro. As a child she participated briefly in the San Juan Children's Choir...
as Sergeant Arias - Vanessa Shenk as Sue Ellen Huddy
Reception
Based on 44 reviews collected by Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, 50% of critics gave Under Suspicion a positive review, with an average rating of 5.3/10.
The film was given limited release to only 19 theaters in North America grossing a total of $260,562 during its theatrical run. The film was also given limited release internationally grossing $752,783 in Mexico, $17,222 in Taiwan, and $277,675 in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta.
The film was nominated by the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
for the 2001 Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
for Best Motion Picture.