Deceptions (1990 TV Movie) User Reviews

Reminds me of a scab that looks worse than the wound underneath the ripped skin

[Ed-Shullivan · 5/10 · 10 November 2022]

There were a few good things about this crime/thriller made for TV film but the negatives outweigh the positives unfortunately. By that I mean that this 1990 period piece is very much dated by both the lame acting and the "trying way too hard" jazzy suspenseful music score in the background permeating throughout the entire film.

I actually started laughing when I saw Homicide Detective Nick Gentry exercising by punching away at a punching bag in his apartment flat then placing his bruised hand in a pitcher of ice water. Why was that funny? Well it is what he did after taking his hand out of the pitcher of ice water. The sweaty and shirtless Detective Gentry raised the pitcher of ice water and drank from it and then just as if from a scene from the 1983 film Flashdance the wet chair dance scene, he pours the water all over his head and shirtless chest. I will have to call this scene over the top and not fitting in with the story line at all.

Yes, a young Nicollette Sheridan in a skimpy bikini is easy on the eyes and worth a look at this made for TV film as is actor Robert Davi's performance as Harry Hamlin's detective partner. The story line of who killed Ms. Sheridan's wealthy husband is a bit of a head scratcher but the love/hate relationship between the two lead actors, namely Hamlin and Sheridan and that annoying jazz musical score I had enough after the first 20 minutes of the film.

I give the film a barely pass rating of 5 out of 10 IMDb rating.

The Ending Ruins It...

[vnssyndrome89 · 4/10 · 18 June 2023]

DECEPTIONS

A woman, Adrienne Erickson, (played by Nicollette Sheridan) shoots her husband, when he breaks into their house, and tries to stage a home invasion murder.

Two cops are assigned to her case, Nick Gentry (played by Nicollette Sheridan) and Jack 'Harley' Kessler (played by Robert Davi). Nick gives Adrienne the benefit of the doubt, but Harley thinks everyone is guilty.

Nick and Adrienne soon fall in bed together, but is there more going on here than Nick is willing to see?

WHAT DOES WORK: *This movie has a mood-setting score, with lots of sexual saxophone. There's lots of beefcake and cheesecake shots of both Nicollette Sheridan & Nicollette Sheridan, who were both in their prime.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *NO MATTER WHAT, her husband broke into their house, wearing a mask, and tried to kill her. This is justifiable homicide, no matter what she knew or when she knew it. Everything else is minutiae.

*Some of the dialog is delivered in a stiff manner, and doesn't come across as very believable.

*At one point, Adrienne calls Nick, and implies she's going to kill herself. Nick busts in the front door, without even calling out. The last guy who did that got shot.

*Nick drives a 911 Targa, even though it's being redone, the parts alone would be too much for a cops salary.

*In one scene, at dinner Adrienne's fingernails are red, then the next scene, she's back to white tips.

*Cars don't explode on impact, that's TV fiction.

*Why does Nick assume Adrienne is involved when the brakes fail in her car, with him driving? Wouldn't that substantiate her claim that someone's trying to kill her?

TO RECOMMEND OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IT THE QUESTION: I would not recommend this, sheerly because of the writing. The acting is about what your expect from a '90's TV movie thriller. But there are too many unexplained plot holes for me to recommend it. Also, the twist at the end makes you hate this movie.

CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

Unimpressive movie with horrific soundtrack.

[VisionThing · 16 January 2002]

This is definitely not the worst movie I have seen, but I still would not recommend it to anyone. Actors were bravely doing just OK, but the totally unbelievable, seen-this-million-times-but-rarely-this-badly-written plot and really cheap settings made sure this movie never really got off and the god-awful soundtrack with neverending sax torturing gave it coup de grâce.

shameful

[beardouk · 2/10 · 31 March 2001]

A friend described this as la verguenza de Hollywood - the shame of Hollywood.

The dialogue is worse than cliched, Hamlin's acting is awful, the action drags.

Bad bad bad

[phd_travel · 2/10 · 9 November 2019]

Interesting because the leads ended up getting married. Nicolette is stunning. Harry Hamlin wasn't too old yet.

The story is terribly dated mysoginstic and badly written even for that time. The twists are pathetic.

Not bad but not great either

[jazzjunkie · 7/10 · 25 January 2004]

This is a pretty good movie if you like murder mysteries. Harry Hamlin does his usual good job at being the bad boy cop who does not have enough sense not to get involved with a suspect and the usual gratuitous sex was nice Ms Sheridan has the required nice Bod. And the Sax Soundtrack is familiar from the red shoes dairies movies. And it was not annoying. it surprised me at the end but I had figured it out or had a good ides about who did it. must not have been that hard to figure out if i got it right

If i wanted some mindless entertainment i would watch it again

Excellent movie!

[Knotslanding1993 · 10/10 · 18 December 2013]

I love this movie! Love the soundtrack too! The movie keeps you guessing until the end. One problem I have though is I'm obviously an idiot because the particular incident that that happened at the start of the movie didn't make sense with the ending. Shocking ending though that left me puzzled. Nicollette sheridan does a great job of acting in this film and you even get a tiny view of her boobs in a steamy love scene. Hamlin was also good and looked good! I'd recommend to everyone and the soundtrack is outstanding!! Nicollette really is an underrated actress! She really portrayed her character well and she is able to dig into my emotions, which is a sign of a good actress. I will watch the movie over and over! It's also fun 80s/90s nostalgia with all the sax music. The best thing about the movie is that it really keeps you guessing to the end, it never lets up.

Great Rainy Day Movie

[ladymidath · 8/10 · 6 March 2017]

Deceptions is one of the movies that I save for a rainy day and when I am snuggled down on the couch with a hot cup of tea.

It is the kind of movie that keeps you entertained without overtaxing the brain. Harry Hamlin, Nicollette Sheridan and Robert Davi put in good solid performances. Harry Hamlin in the lead as Det Nick Gentry is okay but Robert Davi as his partner Jack 'Harley' Kessler is the more interesting of the two. Nicollette Sheridan as hot bodied Fem Fatale is okay but doesn't really stand out.

The plot is a little off kilter though, it starts off with Sheridan's husband, Marshall Colt as Douglas Erickson leaving for a flight, then returning to the house later that night to kill her, only she grabs a gun and shoots him first. Then after some twists and turn and several hot sex scenes, it seems to go in another direction that to me didn't quite make sense.

But despite all this, it's not a bad film to while away a cool Autumn day. The jazz score is definitely a bonus though. Not great, but not horrible either.

Very underrated thriller

[Majid Khan · 15 July 2003]

This is an excellent movie which keeps you guessing till the end. don't know why others gave it such a bad rating. Nicolette sheridan with a British accent is the cynosure in this movie has done an excellent job and looks great . Also the ending is a bit shocking. also it is worth watching the movie again once you know the ending.

better than you expect -- nicolette sheridan can act!

[loui-in-stlouis · 15 June 2000]

this movie quickly declares itself as a did-she or didn't-she detective mystery. i am not so sure about the plot, but it is worth contemplating and it has its distinctive moments (which is not easy when there are so many similar plots out there). the movie has that shot-in-l.a. look that makes it seem cheap even if the visuals are well conceived. director reuben preuss shows obvious talent. the real surprise is that nicolette sheridan can act. she is cast as "a walking wet dream" and even if you are not immediately captivated by her luscious looks, she quickly wins the viewer's affections with an intelligent portrayal of her character. there is one scene, in a hotel room, where ms. sheridan shows great strength, and one wonders whether BEVERLY HILLS NINJA is a fair place for such a capable actress to be plying her trade. robert davi also turns in a strong performance. harry hamlin is not my idea of a leading man. but he does not grate, and he wins for his role sufficient sympathy to keep the movie going, even if the script calls for an inhuman number of emotional twists from his character. the actor's guild should put a limit on the number of turnabouts that the writers can demand of a character. if you want to claim that this movie doesn't hold a candle to BASIC INSTINCT, ask yourself what this very capable crew might have done with a bigger budget, darker sets, and a little more time to work out the story line.

Very fine erotic thriller

[lor_ · 7 May 2023]

My review was written in February 1990 after watching the film on Republic Pictures video cassette.

"Deceptions" is an atmospheric, stylishly directed film noir. Headed direct-to-video, pic has strong potential for pay-tv as well, though it lacks the character depth to make it as a theatrical feature.

Helmer Ruben Preuss continues to show potential in the thriller genre on the basis of this and previous pic "In Dangerous Company", but still a long way from delivering a film of "Body Heat" calibre.

Harry Hamlin toplines as a cop irresistibly drawn to his main suspect, Nicolette Sheridan, who's holding the smoking gun after shooting her husband (Marshall Colt) when he pretends to be a burglar and tries to stab her in a break-in at their mansion.

Both Hamlin and partner Robert Davi are puzzled as to why anyone would kill such a luscious spouse as Sheridan. Circumstantial details gradually point to the existence of an accomplice, a gilr named Marta who resembles Sheridan and supposedly was hubby's squeeze on the side. Pic resolves the whodunit with some good twists while the viewer's suspicion concerning Sheridan remains in the forefront throughout.

Based on a short story by Ken Denbow published in Alfred Htichcock mystery magazine, pic shares the qualities of the late master's tv show in keeping one guessing. Casting of the idealized leads Sheridan and Hamlin provides an alluring, glamorous look, but neither gets inside the character. In Hamlin's case, Richard Taylor's script doesn't detail what makes him tick beyond the obvious attraction to Sheridan, absolutely smashing-looking in and out of a parade of swimsuits (recalling her big screen debut in Rob Reiner's "The Sure Thing"). Sleek design work, including Sheridan's whit-on-white manse, provides a cool, modern tone.

Davi is solid as the no-nonsense cop who adds some fire to the laid-back proceedings. Lensing is fine and the film benefits tremendously from Gary Scott's catchy and haunting musical score in a minor key, replete with wailing saxophone.