Undue Influence (1996) (TV)

Director:

Bruce Pittman

Writers (WGA):

Steve Martini (novel)
Philip Rosenberg (teleplay)

Release Date:

15 September 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Lawyer Paul Madriani becomes embroiled in his most baffling case at a most difficult time. His wife Nikki has died of cancer...

Plot Keywords:

Trial | Two Part TV Movie | Murder | Defense Lawyer | Based On Novel

Cast

Brian Dennehy	...	Paul Madriani
Patricia Richardson	...	Laurel Vega
Jean Smart	...	Dana Colby
Alan Rosenberg	...	Harry Hines
Joe Grifasi	...	Clem
Richard Masur	...	Jack Vega
Eric Michael Cole	...	Danny Vega
Allison Mackie	...	Melanie Vega
Doren Fein	...	Sarah Madriani
Rosemary Dunsmore	...	Carla Morgan
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Falconer Abraham	...	Security Guard
Michael Anderson Jr.	...	Funeral Priest
Yank Azman	...	Jack's Lawyer
Brenda Bazinet	...	Nicole Madriani
Zachary Bennett	...	Teenage Gang Leader
John Boylan	...	Postal Worker
David Calderisi	...	Coroner
Roger Dominique	...	Fitness Guy
James Downing	...	Uniformed Cop
Jayne Eastwood	...	Mrs. Miller
Victor Ertmanis	...	Colin Demming
Ancile Gloudon	...	Jamaica Priest
Donna Goodhand	...	Kathy Merlow
Linda Goranson	...	Elevator Passenger
Barbara Gordon	...	Custody Judge
Paul Gordon	...	Maitre D'
Nicky Guadagni	...	Postal Supervisor
Kevin Hare	...	1st Cop
Heidi Hatashita	...	Clerk
Meg Hogarth	...	Grace
Peter Krantz	...	Fred Travis
Peter Langley	...	Fire Captain
Karen LeBlanc	...	Aisha
Gord Martineau	...	Newsman
Kari Matchett	...	Marcie Reed
Wayne McNamara	...	Court Technician
Tom Melissis	...	Lawyer
Frank Moore	...	Mail Carrier
Tedde Moore	...	Corrections Officer
Panou	...	Rescue Worker (as Panou Mowling)
Arnold Pinnock	...	Paramedic
Laura Press	...	Jenny Lang
James Purcell	...	Detective Jimmy Lama
Claire Rankin	...	Cindy
Michael Ricupero	...	George Merlow
Ken Ryan	...	Male Reporter
Alwyn Scott	...	Jamaican FBI Man
Anthony Sherwood	...	Charles Franklin
Marc Strange	...	Judge
Ola Sturik	...	Female Reporter
Catherine Swing	...	Television Announcer
Tim Weber	...	Commentator
Scott Wickware	...	Fireman

Also Known As:

Steve Martini's Undue Influence (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

240 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Hallmark Entertainment

Short and Sweet... : )

Okay, since at this time there are only 2 reviews of this film and because of the specific nature of this film I felt that I really should leave a brief comment.

First off, for what it's worth, to the fellow who is all worked up about Jean Smart... Yeah, she looks okay... HUGE breasts, scrawny legs, so you call it... : ) Personally I kind of liked Patricia Richardson better. Cuter, less gamy (Yes, I think I could tell she had had work done; it looked pretty tight around the eyes...) None the less, cute in a kind of perky almost Tom boyish kind of way.

Anyway, sorry about that... Back to the film. All right, let me state right off (well, ALMOST right off) that within the first 30 minutes or so the acting and direction were SO friggin' poor that I took the discs out of my player and threw them in the trash cursing all the while. Because up till NOW I had yet to see any film with Brian Dennehy in it that I didn't like, especially the many where he has played either a cop or a lawyer. Lame, Lame, Lame... However, after I settled down a little and did a BIT more reading here on IMDb I thought, okay the damn thing is 240 minutes long, of COURSE there's gonna be LOTS of padding at the beginning and I was curious as to what was really going on.

So, I steeled myself, took the discs BACK out of the trash and cleaned them off and continued with the movie (BTW, I stopped when Brian Dennehy was meeting the dubiously lovely Ms. Smart in the fancy restaurant (GEEZ, the dialogue and delivery were getting SO damn clichéd I just couldn't take it any more) But, I tried to ignore the amateurish direction, which I feel was the main culprit and just see how the plot was gonna develop.

Okay (I guess this really ISN'T very 'Short & Sweet' after all, is it : ) Here is the Bottom Line:

1. You have to endure the first 30-45 minutes at least due to LAME direction, some amateurish acting and padded script.

2. BUT, and it's a BIG BUT like Mariah Carey's, IF you can hold out until the LAST 30-45 minutes THEN the story itself actually does indeed get fairly involving and there are a couple of decent twists.

So, that's about it; still quite sub-par overall for a film with Brian Dennehy and in my opinion probably the poorest one out of all of his. The STORY was not bad, it is just the WAY it was told could have been a LOT better...