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From Amazon.co.uk
Any film aiming to be Hitchcockian has a lot to live up to: with its blonde heroine, eerie atmosphere and sweeping score, Killing Me Softly sets itself up for a fall even before the plot kicks in. Stylishly filmed by Chen Kaige (the Chinese director's first English feature), this London-set thriller is based on Nicci French's novel about a young American woman, Alice (Heather Graham), and her passionate affair with the mysterious stranger Adam (Joseph Fiennes). Leaving her partner and surrendering herself to Adam's sexual experimentation, Alice only begins to suspect something's not quite right once she's married him and a series of ominous notes arrive through the post. Add to this Adam's mysterious first marriage, an intriguing locked cupboard and enigmatic sister (Natasha McElhone), and Alice begins to look for a way out, in fear of her life.
The fact that Alice sleeps with a stranger at the drop of a hat makes for a shaky premise, but what ensues can only be described as complete nonsense, with the plot twisting its way to a ludicrous climax. Smirking his way through the film, Fiennes is as miscast as Graham, who's clearly there for the soft porn love scenes and not the ones where she's a reporter replete with big spectacles. Graham in the buff is certainly going to attract a few viewers, but for the rest of us Killing Me Softly is just too plain daft to bother with.
On the DVD: Killing Me Softly offers a sparse set of extras, including a featurette that repeats most of the footage seen in the trailer, also included. Short interviews with cast members Graham, Fiennes and McElhone can be found here alongside comments from director Kaige and some footage of the shoot itself, all of which add little to the overall package. --Laura Bushell
Product Description
An erotic thriller starring Heather Graham and Joseph Fiennes. Alice (Graham) bumps into famous mountaineer Adam (Fiennes) on a street in London and within days is engaged to him. Adam's apparent only skeleton in his closet is that his previous girlfriend died whilst climbing with him. However, Alice begins to receive anonymous letters telling her things she did not know about her betrothed and she soon begins to question his devotion to her; is it really love or a very dangerous obsession?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having read the book, I kept comparing the two, but I don't think the film was as bad as some reviewers are making out. Seeing it on TV (Fiver) I rather think some of the sex scenes were cut, thus losing the essence of the relationship between Alice and Adam. However, changing the ending meant that a lot of the plot didn't make sense. When Adam was the killer, the rape plotline and the K2 deaths made sense. I didn't think the casting was that bad. Read the book - it's much better!
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
I read the novel Killing me Softly a couple of years ago, and thought that it wasn't very believable. I watched the film to see if my impression of the book was incorrect. It was not. The deficiencies in the story only seem to be made worse by the fact that it is acted out in front of your eyes, and the script seems so ham fisted it makes a bad story even worse. There are many plot holes, and whilst watching the film I was constantly wondering why certain things were happening, and even who certain people were, and I was familiar with the story, and had an advantage some viewers may not have. Alice seems to have a best friend Sylvie, who witnesses a mugging and then disappears again only to reappear to reconnect Alice to her old life, which we the viewer know nothing about. She then disappears and is never seen again. The meeting of the two protaganists is laughable, if someone looked at me the way Joseph Fiennes did then I would check to see he wasn't trying to steal my purse! not seduce me.
I think the writer/director have tried to counter the deficiencies in the original story by introducing new characters and changing part of the narrative, but our heroine Alice just comes across as a silly naive girl, who can't see danger 200 miles off. As a viewer it is very difficult to sympathise and therefore engage with her character so the whole thing falls flat. I think the actors probably realised this as well as they all seem to be sleepwalking through it!!
I think the writer/director have tried to counter the deficiencies in the original story by introducing new characters and changing part of the narrative, but our heroine Alice just comes across as a silly naive girl, who can't see danger 200 miles off. As a viewer it is very difficult to sympathise and therefore engage with her character so the whole thing falls flat. I think the actors probably realised this as well as they all seem to be sleepwalking through it!!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By ACP
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The book was very good, unfortunately the film did not stick to the original storyline and the ending was a farce. Can't see why they changed it - so don't let the film put you off reading the book, it was excellent! The acting was not bad, however Fiennes I felt was badly miscast.
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3.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
A mess
I've read some other Nicci French novel but not the one this is based on. They are generally well put together plot wise - so I can only assume the script writers are responsible... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Lendrick
1.0 out of 5 stars
do not watch
Cross with myself for having bought this rubbish . Even more cross for having wasted a pleasant sunday evening watching this . Not erotic or thrilling. Read more
Published 21 months ago by cartoon
5.0 out of 5 stars
=]
Arrived in great condition, and on time. This film was a defining role for Heather Graham, showing a full range of emotions, as well as fantastic acting. Read more
Published on 18 April 2010 by A. Hardstaff
4.0 out of 5 stars
Strange sort of love story...
This is a really weird film for me. I've only ever seen it twice, and it having been some time since I saw it the first time around, I was surprised to find that on my second... Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2006 by FAMOUS NAME
1.0 out of 5 stars
Return the film, buy the book
After reading "Killing Me Softly", the book by Nicci French I was intrigued about seeing the film, since the book was so good. It really wasn't worth any anticipation. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2006 by mungomango
4.0 out of 5 stars
London is beautiful for passionate love
This film is quite gripping in many ways, but particularly so in one : it tricks us into believing something that is nothing but a preconceived idea. Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2004 by Jacques COULARDEAU
3.0 out of 5 stars
Killing me Slowly's a better title
This movie was not the worst I have seen, as the storyline had a good basis, but the casting was terrible! Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2004 by "webbyrulez"
5.0 out of 5 stars
killing me softly, a wonderfully filmed story
I must admit i only brought this at first because i wanted to see heather Graham get her kit off. The film has recieved some poor ratings and press. Read more
Published on 12 Dec 2003 by P. Hanbury
1.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute Drivel
This was a very disappointing film with a convoluted narrative and poor performances from Joseph Fiennes (from 'Shakespeare In Love') and a pallid looking Heather Graham who serves... Read more
Published on 21 Oct 2003 by Scitzo
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