Dead End (I) (1998)

After his ex-wife dies in a fall from her balcony, PoliceSgt. Henry Smovinsky gets custody of his troubled teenage son. Smovinsky soon finds out that his ex-wife was a high-class hooker, ... See full summary »

Director:

Douglas Jackson

Writer:

Karl Schiffman

Stars:

Eric Roberts, Jacob Tierney, Eliza Roberts

Cast

Credited cast:
Eric Roberts	...	Henry Smovinsky
Jacob Tierney	...	Adam Compton
Eliza Roberts	...	Maggie Furness
Jayne Heitmeyer	...	Katie Compton
Jack Langedijk	...	Lt. Lido
Lynne Adams	...	Sally
Frank Schorpion	...	Dennis
Larry Day	...	Burnett
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gouchy Boy	...	Arresting officer
Andy Bradshaw	...	Cop in Gym
Andrew Campbell	...	Pimp
Fernando Chien	...	Hawkeye
Guido Cocomello	...	Bip
Irene Contogiorgis	...	Kid at Convenience Store
Norris Dominique	...	Ticket Seller

Storyline

After his ex-wife dies in a fall from her balcony, PoliceSgt. Henry Smovinsky gets custody of his troubled teenage son. Smovinsky soon finds out that his ex-wife was a high-class hooker, her death was not a suicide and that the police have chosen him as their prime suspect. Maggie Furness is the only cop willing to help him protect his son and track down the real killer.

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Plot Keywords:

cop | independent film

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality, violence, language and drug use

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

False Pretense

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Allegro Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Maggie Furness is played by 'Roberts, Eric''s real-life wife, Eliza.

User Reviews

Eric - why waste your talent on this stuff?

This trash, which was given an equally meaningless title "False Pretense" for Australian television, could have been very good. To start with the leads are played by two excellent actors Eric Roberts and Jacob Tierney - and their sensitive portrayals of father and son make some scenes quite powerful. But then the cliches start to pile up and the plot becomes ludicrous. The cops are stereotypes, the prostitutes are stereotypes (all with hearts of gold of course), and there is a particularly offensive portrayal of a gay man that puts the work of the gay movement back 20 years. This man's attempted seduction of Tierney is so offensive to our hero Roberts that he beats the man savagely to the ground and kicks his head in with his boot. And of course later suffers no remorse (because the "f....t" deserved it?!?!).

The happy families conclusion is so absurd that any good work done by the actors is completely undermined. Shame, everyone, shame. Please someone give Roberts a really great role in a great film so we can see the old "Runaway Train" magic again.