The Long Kiss Goodnight

Fun and entertaining action flick. Sure, the effects look dated and a few unintentionally funny moments, but Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson were good together. 3.5/5

A good action and suspense film, although with several flaws to point out.

This is a pleasant thriller, which presents us with a story that does not seem original or unusual, but that works perfectly and pleasantly entertains the audience. It all starts when a young suburban teacher, married and mother of a girl, begins to have particularly violent flashes of memory. She has amnesia, she doesn't know who she is, and the increasingly palpable prospect of a dark past leads her to investigate things further, fearing the consequences that could come to her family. In order to carry out her inquiries, she hires a private detective, who appears to be just trying to charge her as much money as possible.

I prefer not to reveal much more about the script, in order not to spoil it, but the truth is that I felt, when I saw the film, that the ideas were not at all original and that I have seen some films that sound similar. Of course, considering the number of films made per year, it is a reasonably minor problem and the most important thing is whether things work as they should. In this case, the film is effective and offers the audience what it promises.

Director Renny Harlin is competent enough for the job at hand, and ensures capable direction, but not without flaws. For example, he was unable to realize that the plot sounded excessively far-fetched, after a certain point, and that the film was a little long for its genre, making it advisable to make some surgical cuts in the editing room to remove fifteen or twenty minutes without notable damage. Somewhat as a result, the film has an uneven pace and sometimes wastes too much time, immobilizing the action and damaging the build-up of suspense.

Considering that it is a film with a lot of action, I believe it is fair to give special praise to the work of the stunts and also the makeup, special and sound effects teams. They are the ones who help create the chases, the shootouts, the explosions and all the other incredible scenes that put the audience on the edge of their seats. Without originality, but with effectiveness and professionalism, these artists made a magnificent contribution to the film, and it must be said. Without much original material (just one or two melodies), the soundtrack includes a series of quality themes that include Muddy Waters, Patti & Labelle and other artists, as well as a beautiful song by Neneh Cherry as the final theme. The cinematography, sets and costumes are standard and only give what they have to give.

Geena Davis heads a cast full of good actors. She is a creditable protagonist and a good bet, giving us a consistent interpretation. However, she is much more insecure when the plot enters the romance. She is not a good romantic actress, and does not seem to have established a very good partnership with Samuel L. Jackson. This actor, who has no difficulty with action scenes, also seems like a fish out of water if things take a turn for romance. Luckily, the film doesn't require much of that, and the actor does an essentially positive job. Craig Bierko is a competent villain, and David Morse is a good addition, even if he has little time to do anything. Brian Cox didn't have time for anything, and I honestly think he was wasted.