Review of Perfect Stranger

I have noticed that a good deal of film criticism seems to have taken place before someone has even seen the film, that a hostile attitude is in place as the film begins, perhaps because of the star, perhaps the money paid, perhaps a reflection of the dismaying trend in politics to not engage, the attitude that the film has got to please in every way in a manner expected or it's bad.

I mention this simply because there are a lot of things this suspense thriller is not. But there's much that it is, and it fooled me--and then fooled me again. Are you ever in the mood for a thriller? Just sort of good grade carnival ride that holds together and takes you to a world you never want to inhabit but love to watch for a few hours? This is not a great film by any means, but it is an efficiently made suspense tale that held together for me, anchored by convincing central performances, and without too much gratuitous gore or sophomoric attitude.

Berry and Ribisi develop a strange friendship that holds them together in times of stress, and Bruce Willis walks through the film knowing you'll just watch Bruce Willis ambling smoothly through a film--but is he a killer or isn't he? This is a perfect popcorn movie to watch when you've had it with the political news, when you're worn out with too much reading, and you just want to cruise with some suspenseful action and feel you got your money's worth