Black and Blue

The film opens with the lead actress taking a shower. A lyrical sequence of closeups of hands and face, supported by endearing music of Jonathan Goldsmith. You expect great cinema to follow.

Instead the film has to depend on the strength of the subject alone: domestic violence. Masterson has a good presence but she is not a great actress. Nor is Shapiro a great director as he cannot connect the grand opening sequence with the rest of the film. His film meanders to the level of commercial cinema that depends on the good winning over evil. The end involving the son and aunt is not developed intelligently.

Apart from Goldsmith's music, I will applaud the performance of Robert played by Will Rothaar--a very convincing performance. The rest is "Sleeping with the Enemy" retold for TV.