Invasion of Privacy (1996)

Genres - Mystery, Thriller  |   Sub-Genres - Political Thriller  |   Release Date - Jan 1, 1996 (USA - Unknown)  |   Run Time - 94 min.  |   Countries - Germany, United States  |   MPAA Rating - R
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Synopsis by Mark Deming

Cult hero Larry Cohen wrote this suspense thriller about a woman whose relationship with a sociopathic killer unwittingly makes her a political hot potato in the abortion rights movement. Theresa Barnes (Mili Avital) is a young woman working at a flower show who meets a handsome and charming young man, Josh (Jonathan Schaech), who as a child had a successful career as a model. Theresa and Josh quickly become a couple, and she thinks that she's finally found the man of her dreams until she becomes pregnant. Josh reacts to this news with unpredictable, psychotic violence, and as Josh becomes more and more unstable, Theresa decides for her own safety that she needs to get away from him. Theresa runs away and stays in a cabin in the woods, and she makes plans to get an abortion. However, Josh finds her and holds her captive, intending to keep her his prisoner until her pregnancy is too far along to be terminated. After several attempts at escape, Josh finally lets Theresa go, and she immediately goes to the police. Josh, however, promptly hires a lawyer who helps him bring his story to the media. As Josh tells it, he's a concerned and caring father trying to save the life of his unborn son from his callous and uncaring girlfriend, who does not respect the sanctity of life. Overnight, Josh becomes the new spokesman for the pro-life movement. In time, Theresa decides to have the baby, but she refuses to buckle under to Josh's public demands to be given sole custody of the child. In time, Theresa is able to convince Police Sgt. Rutherford (David Keith) that Josh is not all that he claims to be, and Rutherford's digging confirms that Josh is not a cheerful friend of the unborn, but a dangerous psychopath who has killed before and will likely kill again. Invasion of Privacy also features Naomi Campbell, Charlotte Rampling, and R.G. Armstrong.

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Keywords

killing, abortion, escape, hostage, love, maniac, modeling, obsession, pregnancy, stalking