One Hot Summer Night (1998) (TV)

Director:

James A. Contner

Writer (WGA):

Michael O'Hara (written by)

Release Date:

12 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

When a wealthy businessman is murdered by a hired assassin, suspicion falls on the victim's abused wife and her lover. |

Plot Keywords:

Flashback Sequence | False Confession | Witness | Domestic Violence | Adultery

Cast

Erika Eleniak	...	Kelly Moore Brooks
Brian Wimmer	...	Richard Linsky
Tobin Bell	...	Vincent "Coupe" De Ville
Stephen Macht	...	Abel Ganz
Anne De Salvo	...	D.A. Pina
Lochlyn Munro	...	Detective Eddie Beltran
Christopher Darden	...	Detective Mingus
Barry Bostwick	...	Art Brooks
Alannah Ong	...	Lisa
Corrie Clark	...	Jenna Brooks
Ken Roberts	...	Gene Walsh
Jerry Wasserman	...	Judge Block
John R. Taylor	...	Minister
Maria Herrera	...	Clerk

Also Known As:

The Trophy Wife's Secret (USA)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

O'Hara-Horowitz Productions

A so-so movie ruined by the ending

It was great to see former O.J. Simpson prosecutor Chris Darden playing a cop here - I knew he looked familiar but I couldn't figure out where I knew this actor from. I'd missed the opening credits, and when I looked them up on IMDb I was very pleasantly surprised to see who it was. I really liked him a lot in this role and found myself wishing that he had done more acting. Unfortunately, despite the added involvement of other talented actors like Brian Wimmer, Barry Bostwick, Anne DeSalvo and Tobin Bell, this movie isn't much to write home about. The murder mystery is interesting enough, and there is a refreshingly un-melodramatic approach to the proceedings (fairly unusual for something shown on Lifetime), but ultimately the story doesn't wash. It's one of those complicated conspiracy plots that are never believable because they always hinge on everyone who's NOT involved in the conspiracy behaving exactly a certain way at each key moment in order for things to work out - which is a very big chance for anyone involved in a criminal enterprise to take. The ending is rather predictable, but the script does manage to do a pretty good job of not telegraphing it. But consequently one is left feeling that it hasn't been set up well from a character standpoint, so it doesn't ring true. And the one revelation/twist that's really an out-of-left-field surprise is completely unmotivated and implausible, given all that went before. All in all, this film is not recommended, except to see Chris Darden in an acting role.