Random Encounter (1998)

Best movie ever!

Admirable film.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

When I had just seen a few minutes of this, about fifteen minutes into the beginning, I had stuck on and watched the rest, mostly to check if it is in fact Elizabeth Berkley. I had a few doubts, since I now feel she might have gained just a few pounds since "Showgirls". It makes her no less sexy, for sure, but made me wonder. Now, for the review, I could not stop asking the same question: "is this a TV movie or a TV show"? I couldn't settle on it being a typical motion picture because of the blandness of the camera work, lack of a spark in the acting styles, and the same damn music playing at the off times all through the film. Truly, the music did not match the emotions hardly at all, and did not help the movie, period. The only thing that gave this movie a bit of color was the main guy character's talent, the mystery he was able to show with every move and every word. Elizabeth Berkley... well, she has grace, style, height, and the incredible uncommon charm that seemed to get her in the movies in the first place. In Showgirls those were a deadly combination. In Random Encounter, she had to damn near get a makeover to portray the dullness of the office worker she played. Neither did it work nor was she the possibly the right actress for the movie. Unless the director would loosen up a lot and let her smile just ONCE during the film with the killer smile she gave her ride in the beginning of Showgirls. That's what am talking about. That would have flipped the film up-side-down, I tell ya.

where Brian de Palma had left us with "Dressed to Kill" in 1980. "Random Encounter" shares a number of features with de Palma best movies: an interesting and complicated story, a beautiful main character and a somehow smoothing music that contrasts with the intensity of the drama.As for the main character and her depth as an actress, I will make no judgment here. I think she does just what the director wanted her to do: be pretty and smart in circumstances in which most of us would just surrender without thinking any further.This movie is a living tribute to de Palma's work and it is, in my opinion, a very successful one.

Since 1995 Elizabeth Berkley has graduated -- entering the group of actors & actresses who can deliver a dramatic message convincingly. In "Random Encounter" -- unfortunately made for cable only -- she shows the range of acting capacity that is the trademark of the professional mature actress. High marks for her performance here! -- let's hope that she gets her break with this film.

Elizabeth Berkley is one of Hollywood's worst talents. She has absolutely no range as an actor. There are numerous skilled actors that should deserve a chance. It is sad how many roles Elizabeth has gotten recently.