UNDER SUSPICION (2000) Hacking up Hackman

Over the course of UNDER SUSPICION, Gene Hackman’s character undergoes scene-by-scene physical and psychic disassembly reminiscent of Burt Lancaster’s in THE SWIMMER. A prominent American living in Puerto Rico, Hackman is interrogated by the Police Chief (Morgan Freeman) about the rape and murder of two young girls. Using good cop-bad cop tactics, Freeman slowly builds his case – and thanks to a clever flashback trick by which he "sees" Hackman's memories, we’re teased and then shown how different are the facts from the memories. The subject matter is ugly, but watching these two pros go mano y mano is pure pleasure.