One of my all time favorites.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Pay homage to a masterpiece, but do so very well.Hitchcock notoriously flaunted incredulity with his plots, didn't care how implausible the story was. He got away with it because he used cinema as an instrument for emotionally impacting the audience.APM, on the other hand, strives for credulity to obtain audience involvement. It tries hard to eliminate all plot holes but then leaves a gaping one: A spacious luxury apartment with only a kitchen telephone--no extension phones, no cell phone--just that lonely wall phone. The writer took liberties with all other aspects of this Dial M For Murder makeover, so why the strict adherence to replication of Grace Kelly's late-night phone-answering attack? In 1954, most homes had one phone but not so in 1998.Also, director Levinson asks (and gets) the audience to sympathize with the unfaithful Gwyneth Paltrow for much of the film, just as Hitchcock was able to have the audience side with the adulterous Grace Kelly in DMFM. Hitchcock managed to carry Kelly's vulnerability throughout; however, Levinson presents a Paltrow at the end who's cunning and perfectly capable of murdering her would-be murderous husband. Vulnerability was the one saving grace left to the wayward Paltrow. Without it, she became the equal of Viggo Mortensen and Michael Douglas, two morally bankrupt characters. (And Paltrow screaming at Douglas hardly enhanced her likability.) If the viewer was to grant Paltrow forgiveness, they needed to see her as deserving. This film succeeded in casting and camera work. It's a shame that the director couldn't have paid closer attention to plausibility. Hitchcock didn't have to, but all others must.

A Perfect Murder is a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder, a story where U.N. worker Emily Taylor (Gwyneth Paltrow) is having an affair with struggling artist David Shaw (Viggo Mortensen), as her husband, Steven Taylor, hasn't been there for her emotionally. When Steven finds out, he seeks to commit the perfect murder to inherit her fortune.While a remake, this is still a fresh story with additional plot elements and characters, and surprises that nobody saw coming. Director Andrew Davis kept the plot solid while not swaying too much away from the dignity of the original film, and your focus is still on the character development of the three lead characters. You will be left following and guessing at each of their motives.Michael Douglas made a controlling, cold-blooded and chilling portrayal of Steven Tyler, while Gwyneth Paltrow gave a determined and vulnerable portrayal of Emily Taylor. Viggo Mortensen sometimes came across as emotionless and oblivious in his portrayal of David Shaw and doesn't seemed to be too concerned in the events surrounding him. In addition, the second half of the film doesn't come across as quite as suspense-building or gripping as in the original film, particular the limited investigative elements from the detective in this film.But overall, it's still not bad thriller and is quite entertaining as a stand-alone film, remake or not.Grade B-

All clean, slick, and shiny on the surface, the Marriage between this filthy rich Couple is only cosmetic. Neither is happy and just below the surface, but not far enough, the sense is that something bad is going to happen in the next two hours.In the first Scene there is something bad happening, Adultery, but that's neither here nor there. Money is the thing. Having it, not having it, having it but wanting more and so on. So there is Murder afoot. A not so perfect Murder as it turns out and then things become somewhat interesting with twists and turns.It is these twists that keep this melancholy affair from falling asleep to just drowsiness. The Villain keeps things awake with some diabolical scheming against these spoiled Upper Crust types and it is He who garners the most attention. Mostly because Mr. and Mrs. La-Dee-Da are as dull as dishwater. So this ends up being a tepid Movie when it could have been scalding.

A Perfect Murder is a remake of the famous Alfred Hitchcock classic Dial M For Murder with Michael Douglas, Gwynneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortenson, and David Suchet cast in the roles that Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Bob Cummings, and John Williams played in the original. From a nice set piece English crime story, it's now in late 20th century America where Douglas is doing another version of Gordon Gekko.Though Douglas might have made his own money like Gekko in this film he marries a lot more of it in Paltrow and his own financial empire is crashing around him. He needs unfettered control of her cash flow and this is the way to do it. And poor Paltrow admits during the course of the film she didn't sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Foolish woman.The biggest change is in the Cummings role. Viggo Mortenson is not a strong shoulder to cry on like Bob Cummings was for Grace Kelly. No he's part of Douglas's scheme though how I won't reveal.What I liked about Dial M For Murder was that it was not a whodunit. It was will the police put it together and free Grace Kelly. And instead of one gruesome murder we get a few of them here.No complaints about any of the players, but I'd stick with Hitch.