FUGITIVE AMONG US
US, 1992, 97 minutes, Colour.
Peter Strauss, Eric Roberts, Elizabeth Pena, Lauren Holly.
Directed by Michael Toshiyuki Uno.
Fugitive Among Us is an effective drama about police burnout, pressure, guilt and innocence. It is a star vehicle for Peter Strauss as a burnt-out policeman, experiencing marriage break-up, workaholic, making a mistake and victimising a suspect, only to find some years later that he was wrong. Eric Roberts is the suspect, giving another variation on his surly villains (Final Analysis).
The film is an interesting portrait of pressure on custodians of the law and a critique of the pressures on police forces.
1.The film based on a true story, the opening crime, suspects, the administration of justice, the effect of police personnel and their private lives on their judgment and their work? A critique of the police and police pressure?
2.The Texas locations, the states of the South, the small towns, homes, prisons, service stations? Musical score?
3.The title and its truth as well as its ironies? The fugitive as victim?
4.The initial assault and rape, visuals, her surviving? The audience not seeing the perpetrator, the clue of the boots? The subsequent cases and their violence? Deaths and injuries?
5.Max and his wife, their clash, discussions, tension at home, his going to work? Their discussions and the marriage break-up? Max and his colleague, support? Going to the scene of the crime, the boots? His working the computer to get suspects? Effective in his work, the arrest? The interrogation, his being taunted, lashing out about his wife? Internal affairs investigation? Off the case? His desperation, self-image and esteem? Motivation?
6.His work in interrogating the victims, his work at the line-up, pressure, Cal as victim, the court case, the testimony, Cal as guilty?
7.Cal's escape, his transfer, the passing of time? His continued investigation? The second victim, his meeting her, imposing on her, his investigation and her critique? The talking, the change? His colleagues? The discovery of the real killer, the confrontation? His going to Cal, the apology, the discussion between the two? His examination of conscience? His resignation?
8.The portrait of Cal, his relationship with women, his love of guns, the shooting? Work as a mechanic? The arrest, the mess in the room, the interrogation, Max, his brutality, his lawyer, wanting damages? The girls? Identified, the court, the escape? The move, work? Max?
9. The victims, the lawyers?
10. Max and his quest?
11. Justice done?
