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From Amazon.co.uk
The January Man is an odd comedy-thriller about the hunt for a serial killer that could just be a case of too many stars spoil the movie. The screenplay is by John Patrick Shanley, who won an Oscar for Moonstruck. The plot goes like this: a serial killer is terrorising Manhattan, targeting one woman a month, much to the horror of the mayor (a rabid Rod Steiger, more foam than substance) and the police commissioner Frank Starkey (Harvey Keitel). There's only one man to save their bacon: enter Nick Starkey (Kevin Kline), brother of Frank, who had been a cop but was kicked out of the force for his unorthodox ways. Being a heroic kind of guy, his next career move was as a firefighter and we first see him leaping out of a burning building, carrying a child under his arm. Kline agrees to go back on one condition: that he cooks dinner for his brother's wife (the fantastically haughty Susan Sarandon), a former girlfriend for whom he still holds a candle. The pace hots up, Nick finds himself a new girlfriend, the mayor's daughter Bernadette (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), whose main claim to fame is that her best friend was murdered by the serial killer. Oh, and of course he gets the guy, in the nick of time (literally).
Confused? You won't be. The plot is an improbable potion of coincidences and divine inspiration but it's not complicated. Kline overcomes the shortcomings of the script with a charmer of a performance, but the real star is the funny, sly Alan Rickman. The January Man is worth seeing for some very fine individual turns (Sarandon is terrific), but in all honesty, it doesn't add up to a great movie, mainly because it can't quite decide what it wants to be, genre-wise, settling on an uneasy compromise of comedy and thriller.
On the DVD: The January Man disc has absolutely no-frills. Picture and sound are perfectly adequate without being anything to write home about. And if you're looking for extra goodies, you'll be disappointed: there's the original theatrical trailer and a wide array of subtitle languages, but that's it. --Harriet Smith
Product Description
With New York prey to a serial killer who selects a different victim for each month of the year, Mayor Flynn (Rod Steiger) orders Police Commissioner Frank Starkey to call in the one man who can catch him: Frank's estranged brother and ex-cop Nick (Kevin Kline). Nick's unorthodox approach soon gets people's backs up - especially when he trails his ex-girlfriend (now Frank's wife) Christine (Susan Sarandon) and Flynn's daughter Bernadette (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio)!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By "nicletham"
Format:DVD
The January Man is a witty little detective movie with a touch of genius. Unlike most thrillers where the focus is on the murderer , this movie pays more attention to the relationships between the main characters and how they catch the killer. In fact who the murderer is and why he kills is not important the fun in this film is watching how Kline , Mastrantonio and Rickman unravel the clues and work out when and where the next murder will be .
Kline plays an ex-detective who worked with his brother in the N.Y. police department. Having left the force after an affair with his brothers wife he is now a heroic fire fighter called back to solve a case that no one else can in the hope that he can catch the killer before he kills again.
Kline plays an ex-detective who worked with his brother in the N.Y. police department. Having left the force after an affair with his brothers wife he is now a heroic fire fighter called back to solve a case that no one else can in the hope that he can catch the killer before he kills again.
The parallel story that works it's way through the film explains the tension between Kline , his brother ( played by Harvey Keitel )and his sister-in-law played by Susan Sarandon , with everything neatly interwoven with the murder investigation and a little romance on the side. Kevin Kline is brilliant as the modern day Sherlock Holmes with a wonderful tongue-in-cheek humour that keeps the film ticking nicely.
All in all this film is easy going fun. Don't expect any huge fight scenes or special effects , although the fight at the end is worth watching, but sit back and enjoy a great cast at work.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Jay
Format:DVD
Good movie, even if it is a bit campy now. A great cast turn great performances with subtle comedy. Worth it just to see Alan Rickman as the brooding artist living next door. A comedy in the same spirit of "Rushmore". Ahead of its time and fantastic when you are in the right mood.
Kevin Klein walks a great line in this type of movie between a serious characterization and moments of comic hilarity. Susan Sarandon and Kevin Klein have wonderful on screen chemistry, and the rest of the supporting cast all are given opportunities to show off their skills through a well crafted script. It's well worth seeing.
Kevin Klein walks a great line in this type of movie between a serious characterization and moments of comic hilarity. Susan Sarandon and Kevin Klein have wonderful on screen chemistry, and the rest of the supporting cast all are given opportunities to show off their skills through a well crafted script. It's well worth seeing.
By davidina
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I hadn't seen this film for years, I remembered that I had enjoyed it. It brought back many memories of days gone by, it arrived very quickly and well packaged
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2.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Crime-Movie
Very underrated film.
A lot of fantastic actors, just playing as they should and as we expect of them.
Exciting and with humor, too !
Delivered fast
A lot of fantastic actors, just playing as they should and as we expect of them.
Exciting and with humor, too !
Delivered fast
Published 3 months ago by Peter Kirchhoff
5.0 out of 5 stars
Much maligned classic.
You either love,or hate, this movie,and I love it. I take on board all of the criticisms as commented here,but ANY film that boasts the cast list that this film does,cannot be... Read more
Published 20 months ago by MOGGS
1.0 out of 5 stars
Razzie-worthy
Two years ago, a scandal forced Nick Starkey (Kevin Kline) off the NYPD, but now the mayor wants him back to find a serial killer. Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2010 by Kona
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertainig 80s film
I bought this film because I use to have it on VHS and wanted a copy for the digital age. I hadn't seen the film in years but its as entertaining as I remember. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2009 by T. Duffy
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