AllMovie

Smoothly nonplussed Chris Mulkey, looking and acting like Bill Murray's singularly evil little brother, steals the show as the chillingly charming villain who is caught in a cunning trap by the comely district attorney Madchen Amick, tried in court and, in the plot's cleverest twist, freed to commit more killings. Or is there a copycat on the prowl slaying the members of the jury? Far from being the usual bottom-shelf fodder, this well-behaved thriller combines elements of courtroom dramas, police procedurals, and serial-killer thrillers (happily, splatter-free), all set at a properly brisk pace and brought to a satisfying conclusion. With only a few leaps of faith required, what more could anyone want? With an A-list cast and director, this script could have played in theaters; as it is, audiences get this version, which begs the question: Why doesn't Mulkey get more work?