A Perfect Murder (1998)

Intro
"A Perfect Murder" is a 1998 thriller film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen. It is a remake of the 1954 Hitchcock motion picture "Dial M for Murder", retelling the story with a number of modern-day modifications.

Main Plot
The story focuses on the wealthy couple, Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas) and Emily Bradford Taylor (Gwyneth Paltrow). Steven is a high-rolling Wall Street gamer who discovers that his fortune is about to crumble, unbeknownst to his better half. Emily, an aristocrat's granddaughter, is having an adulterous affair with a poor artist, David Shaw (Viggo Mortensen). Emily's wealth makes her a monetary lifeline for both Steven and David - Steven to keep his extravagant way of life and David to finance his art.

Steven's Sinister Plan
After finding Emily's extramarital relations with David, Steven tries to hatch a relatively ideal murder plot. He blackmails David, discovering his criminal past, into eliminating Emily for him. The plot is ingeniously crafted to look like a messed up robbery gone wrong. Steven pays David half the cash upfront and guarantees the other half upon completion of the job. He prepares comprehensive guidelines aiming to leave no suspicion of his involvement.

The Twisted Turn
However, the plan goes awry on the night of execution. Emily winds up killing her foe in self-defense - an unidentified male, not David. This leaves Steven in shock, but he soon understands it presents another opportunity for him to acquire from his better half's awful situation.

Discovery and Confrontation
On the other hand, Emily's mission to understand the intentions behind her attempted murder leads her to recognize Steven's financial problems. She finds the level of her spouse's duplicity when David is discovered dead, and she realizes her hubby murdered him to cover his tracks.

The film reaches its climax in a suspenseful confrontation in between Emily and Steven. Just at the verge of falling under Steven's further adjustments to frame her for David's murder, Emily manages to outsmart him. She records their discussion exposing his ill-intentions, causing Steven's eventual downfall.

Conclusion

"A Perfect Murder" is an intricate game of cat and mouse showcasing a morality play within a marriage. A multi-layered plot loaded with action and thriller that demonstrates the outcomes of greed, manipulation, and betrayal. The film invests heavily in its three main characters who effectively represent the twisted web of deceit and murder, thickening the plot. While the ending and specific plot points have actually been altered from Hitchcock's initial movie, the spirit and stress of the initial remain undamaged, hence developing an awesome watch.

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