Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writer:

Howard Franklin (written by)

Release Date:

9 October 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

A classic thriller with a twist of romance.

Plot:

A married New York cop falls for the socialite murder witness he's been assigned to protect.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Murder | Socialite | Manhattan | Marriage

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Det. Mike Keegan
Mimi Rogers	...	Claire Gregory
Lorraine Bracco	...	Ellie Keegan
Jerry Orbach	...	Lt. Garber
John Rubinstein	...	Neil Steinhart
Andreas Katsulas	...	Joey Venza
Tony DiBenedetto	...	T.J. (also as Tony Di Benedetto)
James E. Moriarty	...	Koontz (as James Moriarty)
Mark Moses	...	Win Hockings
Daniel Hugh Kelly	...	Scotty
Harley Cross	...	Tommy Keegan
Joanne Baron	...	Helen Greening
Anthony Bishop	...	Waiter
David Berman	...	Cop #1
Sharon K. Brecke	...	Bimbo (as Sharon Brecke)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Norway:15 | Iceland:16 | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Canada:A

Filming Locations:

Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The nightclub scenes were filmed on board the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. The murder scene was filmed in the Queen Mary's pool area.

Goofs:

Continuity: The newspaper which Mike is carrying on his way to his first shift guarding Claire has the word "SUPERMEN!" on the back page. He is carrying an identical newspaper three or four days later.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Det. Mike Keegan: Hey! We got food back there, you know; all right? Hey, thanks for comin' - good to see ya. Come on in, get a drink. T.J...
T.J.: Yeah?
Det. Mike Keegan: Set 'em up with a drink.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Ebben ? ne andro lontana

Stylish drama/thriller

Brooklyn Detective Tom Berenger is assigned to watch over socialite Mimi Rogers after she witnesses a brutal murder where a high profile Mafioso is involved. Berenger gets caught between two worlds; the upper class one he takes a liking to and the normal one (with a wife and kid) in the slums of Queens which he seems to be tiring of.

Highly stylish drama/thriller courtesy of Ridley Scott, who directs with his usual visual flair and examines the world of the wealthy seen through the eyes of a middle class voyeur and mixes in some solid suspense to boot. The drama aspect is well handled, pitting Berenger in a dire situation where he must ultimately choose between a life he's already made for himself and a life that can seem very tempting from his perspective.

Suspense is also plenty with some fantastic sequences, particularly one inside Mimi Rogers' apartment, not too unlike Dario Argento's Opera in some respects (and even beat it by a year, I think).

Tom Berenger does well in the lead, displaying easily the conflicts his character is facing, Rogers is a stunner and gives a subdued and convincing performance. The usually intolerable Lorraine Bracco gives a forceful performance, and one the whole her relationship with Berenger is not only well played out but wholly believable.

Recommended.