This is How Movies Should Be Made

Better than most people think

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

What happens when a serial killer expert has to face off with the real thing? That's what happens when Dr. Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver, Alien) is cornered and attacked by a man she profiled, Daryll Lee Cullum (Harry Connick Jr.).For the next 18 months, Dr. Hudson is a recluse, refusing to leave her computer and high rent apartment, only allowing her friend Andy into her world. A new series of murders - right in her neighborhood - threaten to draw her out. Joining up with Inspector Monahan (Holly Hunter) and Rueben Goetz (Dermot Mulroney), she begins to realize that this killer is copying the world's worst serial killers.It also turns out that the killer is following the script she presented on the night that Cullum attacked her. Along the way, Rueben is killed in a police standoff and Monahan has to deal with her feelings of loss.After her friend Andy is killed like Jeffrey Dahmer, they figure out that the killer is Peter Foley. As the police get to his house, they realize that it was a ruse and he's kidnapped Helen, placing her back into the same crime scene she was in 18 months before. Will Monahan be able to save her friend? Will Dr. Hudson be able to deal with her crippled agoraphobia?This is a fine 90's crime drama, with Connick quite good in his role. Weaver has stated that of all her films, she was most proud of Copycat, as she worked hard to understand how an agoraphobic would behave and she's regretted that the movie is not better remembered.

Almost - but not. Great acting by Sigorney Weaver and an appropriate music score. The plot started out well and I was pretty terrified, gripped by the drama - and then it went silly. I know it's a fictional story but no need to be so inplausible and ridiculous. It changed from being an exciting thriller into a black comedy and I felt short changed.

CopycatIf you are going to imitate a serial killer mimic one who has never been caught.Sadly, none of the murderers in this psychological thriller copy the Zodiac Killer. When dead bodies start appearing around San Francisco, Inspector Monahan (Holly Hunter) and her partner (Dermot Mulroney) seek the expertise of a renowned criminal psychology, Dr. Hudson (Sigourney Weaver), who became a shut-in after she was attacked by a serial killer, Cullum (Harry Connick Jr.).But when the new maniac's MO matches Cullum's, Hudson must face her jailed assailant in order to prevent the copycat from concluding Cullum's work before they get to her.With solid acting - save for Connick Jr. - and a twist filled script that keeps you guessing, this 1995 cat and mouse caper also offers up much insight into the methodical mind of a serial killer. Nevertheless, plagiarizing other murderers will not win you a Stabby Award. Yellow Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

I've seen this movie many times (even at the cinema), but not in a very long time.Brilliant Movie. Just brilliant. It's even better than I remembered.All the elements are here: Fantastic score by the amazing Christopher Young, great cinematography, great acting by the entire cast (especially Sigourney Weaver and Harry Connick Jr.), great direction.And the writing - it's just fantastic, it's obvious that the writers did a lot of research on serial killers; the plot is thrilling from the first minute to the last; The way they put together the characters, gave them background and then involved them in the plot - not just as a side instruments, but as part of the main plot - and the ending (with Helen participating in the role of herself in the recreation of the murder that changed her lief), it's just great.Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter are two of my favorite actresses. This movie is very underrated. I liked it from the first time I saw it at the cinema - and I recall I felt an actual thrill at the end scene, thinking that was the thrill I wanted to feel in "The Silence of the Lambs". The two movies share a lot in common. While Foster, Hopkins and Ted Levine gave a fantastic performance in "Silence of the Lambs", I always felt a bit disappointed by the movie, especially after it was given such high expectations. But "Copycat" did just that.Both movies deal with serial killers, have strong female lead actress(es), good score, great performances, an outsider "expert" who is locked and a serial killer who copycats other serial killers (well, in "Silence of the Lambs" he wasn't really a copycat, the writers just took elements from Ted Bundy and Ed Gein to build his character and actions). While "Silence of the Lambs" is considered a masterpiece, I have to say that I always enjoyed "Copycat" a lot more. I also never understood some of the motivations in "Silence of the Lambs", like the reason Hannibal is helping Clarice and trying so hard to "get inside her head", and certain plot points.This is the way you make an excellent thriller.