(1998) Not the teen vampire movie, though there's a quantity of blood spilled and the cast is nearly immortal. In October 1997 in Los Angeles, former cop (20 years) and private eye (five years) Harry Ross (Paul Newman), having passed through divorce, the loss of his daughter, and alcoholism (though recovery is not a cure), is residing with retired Hollywood celebrities Catherine (Susan Sarandon) and Jack Ames (Gene Hackman) for whom he works salary-free but gets free rent.

Two years earlier he'd gone to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to retrieve the former actor's 17-year-old daughter Mel (Reese Witherspoon) from the clutches of Jeff Willis (Liev Schreiber), from which assignment he was accidentally wounded. (Rumor has it that he lost his dick along with his private-detective's license.)

On a tape recorder during a police interrogation, following the murders of three people with whom Harry has been in direct contact, the prime suspect narrates his version of the events to his former law-enforcement partner Verna (Stockard Channing). Co-screenwriter Robert Benton directed this mystery of lying and killing, contrasting his cast of aging stars with Reese Witherspoon's nubile nakedness in the early scenes.

No longer in remission for cancer, Jack asks Harry to deliver a package to Gloria Lamar (Margo Martindale). At Gloria's apartment, Harry (when you're assured you won't need a gun is when you'll need one) encounters a critically wounded man, who fires several rounds at Harry before expiring; the dead man is a former cop, Lester Ivar, who had been the investigating officer on the Billy Sullivan case. Actor Billy Sullivan, with whom Catherine nee Hayward had been romantically involved, apparently committed suicide after he lost his fortune and his girl to Jack; Ivar didn't buy that story.

Long-time friend Raymond Hope (James Garner), who had introduced Harry to Jack, shows up at the police station at Jack's behest on Harry's behalf. Back at the Ameses home, Jack suffers a cardiac attack; as he recovers his breath and consciousness - applying CPR, Catherine, wearing only Harry's pink shirt, which had been Jack's gift to his best friend, along with Harry, providing oxygen as the paramedics are on the way - he suffers a broken heart as well.

At the pier Harry, making a second attempt to deliver the package of $10,000 in blackmail money to Gloria ("Blonde, big. Mucho hair, mucho tits"), becomes reacquainted with Jeff, who demonstrates on "pally" Harry sandbagging lessons he'd learned in Yuma, Arizona, while incarcerated for statutory rape; coming to Harry's rescue before the tide drowns him is Reuben Escobar (Giancarlo Esposito), Harry's onetime backup, wannabe PI, and comic relief.

Harry suspects Catherine of involvement, leading him to wonder: If the Ameses are broke, why are they holding onto their million-dollar ranch off Mulholland Highway?

"Find this guy Jeff," Jack says to Harry, "and deal with him." Someone else has a similar idea and executes it in Harry's presence. Looking back, when the identity of the killer is revealed, the quickness of evading Harry's pursuit lacks credibility.

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Copyright © 2009 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
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