FINAL ANALYSIS
US, 1992, 125 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Uma Thurman, Eric Roberts, Paul Guilfoyle, Keith David, Harris Yulin.
Directed by Phil Jouanou.
Final Analysis an entertaining murder thriller with some twists - although most viewers may well predict what turns out. However, the interest is in watching the conventions of the old film noir work themselves out, even when clues are given and when the style of photography, music is quite melodramatic.
There is quite a deal of plot in the screenplay by Wesley Strick (Cape Fear, Batman Returns). Richard Gere is a psychologist and an expert for forensic law. The film is critical of the psychologists, patients and prisoners bluffing with their knowledge of law and their ability to get themselves declared temporarily insane. Gere falls in love with Kim Basinger, seemingly gentle but quite a tough femme fatale. Uma Thurman is her calculating sister. (Feminists will not enjoy the film and make the same criticisms of it as Fatal Attraction, where the poor male is seduced and almost destroyed by the wicked women.)
The film was directed by Phil Jouanou, whose credits include 3 O'Clock High, the documentary on U2, the gangster thriller State of Grace as well as the American documentary on American children at the age of seven, the American version of Michael Apted's Seven Up series.
The film relies on melodrama, coincidences, the atmosphere of San Francisco - all in the old-style vein. Eric Roberts gives a solid cameo performance as the obnoxious husband who is murdered.
1.Interesting and entertaining thriller? The film noir of the past? Genre and its conventions? Adapted to the '90s?
2.San Francisco locations, the darkness of the city, of the rooms, court, apartments, restaurants? The prisons? The city, the bay, Golden Gate bridge, the eerie and literally creaky lighthouse? Special effects and storms? Musical score and its atmosphere?
3.The perspective of men, the perspective of women: the battle of men and women, the man tricked and seduced, the wicked women? The battle of wits?
4.The range of clues, many of them signalled quite obviously, others subtle? How well used, raising expectations, audiences checking them off as they were fulfilled? The editing and pace?
5.The title, psychiatry, the case study of Diana, of Heather? The psychoanalysis? The final legal analysis and the truth of what happened?
6.Diana, the credits and the flower arrangement, her dream and its repetition, her hesitancy, her relationship with Isaac in therapy? Praising her sister, recommending that she give more information? The stories of the family? Diana's continuing therapy, seemingly detached from Heather? Concerned at the court case, the visits to prison, taking the barbell from the safe? Her story compared with that of Heather? Her betraying her sister, changing places with her in prison? The court case and her being freed? Going to New York - and imitating Heather's technique?
7.Isaac and his meeting with Heather, listening to the information and the stories, attracted to her? The dinner, the end of the affair - and the beginning of the affair? Her visit to the office, his partner's attraction to her? The visit to the lighthouse - and the signalling of the clues? Heather at home, her relationship with Jimmy? His brutality, sexuality? The drinking, her collapse, pathological intoxication? Her behaviour at the restaurant, at the hospital? The final confrontation with Jimmy - and her killing him?
8.Isaac, Richard Gere's style, his practice, his friends and their chatter, the bars? His detective friend's preoccupation with sex? Workaholic, going to the prisons, giving expert testimony in court, getting Pepe off? Detective Huggins, in the audience, the clash with Isaac? (And Pepe and Huggins reappearing at the end?)
9.Heather and Jimmy, Jimmy and his Greek background, changing his name, buildings, crooked deals? His reaction to Heather's drinking, at the hospital? Angers? His smug approach, using Heather sexually? His reaction to Isaac in the restaurant, assuming that he was a police investigator? His being murdered? Heather and her using Isaac?
10.The court case, the pathology, the expert witness and her two samples, Alan and his 87 and his book? The lawyer and his use of Alan in the court case - and having to remedy his poor responses? The prosecutor and the questions? Heather's behaviour, Diana and Isaac in court? The verdict and their joy? Heather going to the hospital, the talk about her being let go?
11.The lawyer friend, his investigating Jimmy, finding out the truth, the will and the death of his brother? Isaac at the lecture on Freud, the dreams, consulting the book? Confronting Diana with the truth? The decision to confront Heather and her immunity because she had been tried and freed? His pretending that the experts were district attorneys, Heather's telling the story, twisting it, her performance? Isaac using them to keep her interned? The question of the barbell, Diana going to the safe and getting it?
12.Heather and Diana, the confrontations, the influence of the older sister on the younger? Their relationship with Isaac? Diana and her calculations? Swapping clothes with Heather and Heather getting out of the hospital?
13.Heather, the barbell, Pepe following her, snatching it from her, her following him and shooting him? The phone call to Huggins, going to the lighthouse, the confrontation, the driving and her gun, the storm, the lighthouse and its breaking up? Her vengeful attitude towards Isaac, the confrontation? Her death?
14.Diana, her being freed, seemingly innocent, the proposal in New York - and a further murder?
15.Isaac, his work, motivation, getting caught up with the two sisters? Discussion with his friends about the ethics? Doing everything in his power for Heather at the case? Discovering the truth? His being used? Her turning against him? Diana and the ambiguity of her motives? His rejecting her love? His discovery of Pepe, Huggins, pursuing Heather? With the gun, the crash? The lighthouse, the confrontation and him left dangling? Rescue? His future?
16.The portrait of the police, Huggins and his suspicions, investigations?
17.The lawyers, the judge, the appeal of court case films?
18.The relationship between psychology and the law and its being exploited?
