Benefit of the Doubt (1993)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Too much of everything

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Contemporary thrillers tend to get relatively poor reviews. These films are held to what I think is an unreasonably high standard. Admittedly, a genuinely good thriller is very hard to find these days. It's about the writing mainly. The story counts a lot, as does the suitability of the actors to this genre. It seems that the glorification of multimillion dollar production values, meaning mainly special effects, has become more important to the industry than good writing and characterizations. For whatever reason, movies like The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (original), Charley Varick, and The Getaway (the original) are a thing of the past. (Then again, there's the very good The Lincoln Lawyer.)Nowadays, all one can expect is the more or less artful use of derivative material. Standards, therefore, should change. Don't expect another Charley Varick. Benefit of the Doubt should satisfy those looking for a reasonably plausible story, well executed tension and of course a first rate villain. This movie delivers on all those fronts. Sure, characters sometimes behave unrealistically, but realism and plausibility are inessential to thrillers. Recall Hitchcock's accurate denigration of "the plausibles", i.e. those who undermine a thriller because of implausible elements. - Donald Sutherland gives us a masterfully characterized bad guy, yet another testimony to this fine actor's beautifully honed thespian chops. The movie did for me what an acceptable thriller should do: keep me interested and provide some genuine suspense. This film is nothing more and nothing less than a better than good enough popcorn movie.

This 1993 drama/thriller 'Benefit of the Doubt' stars Donald Sutherland and Amy Irving. Sutherland delivers a strong performance (as does Irving) in a rather "straight to video" quality film.Amy Irving plays a character very unlike her other performances (such as Carrie, The Fury or Anastasia). For one thing she doesn't have her trademark curly hair but is a straight blonde, she plays Karen an Arizona single mom who works in an adult bar and smokes cigarettes. She has daddy issues, 22 years ago her father Frank (Sutherland) was arrested and placed into prison with the help of Karen after attacking his wife and killing her.Frank is released and Karen is hysterical when she first finds out her son Pete (Rider Strong) has had a harmless encounter with her father. Karen tells her son to promise her not to see him again but Frank finds ways trying to enter her life again and seems harmless doing it. What Karen doesn't know is if what she saw that night 22 years ago actually happened and if she can trust her father again, a man she help stay in prison for such a long time.One word can describe Amy in this film, and that is 'HOT', she is incredibly sexy and has a racy scene with her on-screen boyfriend Dan (Christopher McDonald), Sutherland is 'good' in his role. I watched this not expecting much and is good, just good. It wasn't incredibly well made but it passes for a good midday movie or if you are suffering from incredible boredom.6/10.

I have to say that although the story itself was quite mediocre, casting Amy Irving as the daughter was a brilliant move. Irving was practically unrecognisable as the woman who - many years ago - identified her father as the murderer of her mother.Irving is relaxed, uninhibited & - again - almost unrecognisable in her role as Karen Braswell. Karen has straight, bleached blond hair & drives a pick-up. Her role blew me away when I first saw this film. After "Carrie," "The Fury," etc... I was so used to seeing Irving as curly-haired, cautious, & retrospective. Karen Braswell was brashy, kinda trashy, blond & sure of herself - a role that actors literally kill for.If you are a fan of acting, I highly recommend seeing this film JUST for Amy Irving's performance. She is AMAZING-!!!

I saw this film quite a while ago and really don't remember much of the story, which says quite something. I think it was about a father (Sutherland) who threatens his daughter and it was supposed to be a thriller. Sutherland has played a lot of these characters, but it's a shame he always ends up in ordinary, unremarkable films such as this one. It's not good, it's not bad, it's as mediocre as it gets. 5/10