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“Form is the argument.”
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Suspect
Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1987
When a Supreme Court judge commits suicide and his secretary is found murdered, all fingers point to Carl Anderson, a homeless veteran who's deaf and mute. But when public defender Kathleen Riley is assigned to his case, she begins to believe that Anderson may actually be innocent. Juror Eddie Sanger, a Washington lobbyist, agrees, and together the pair begins their own investigation of events.
Movie details
Suspect
“She's a lawyer who broke two laws of her profession... Never get involved with a juror and don't look for clues in dangerous places.”
1987 Crime · Drama · Thriller 2h 1m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.6 / 10
Community rating
When a Supreme Court judge commits suicide and his secretary is found murdered, all fingers point to Carl Anderson, a homeless veteran who's deaf and mute. But when public defender Kathleen Riley is assigned to his case, she begins to believe that Anderson may actually be innocent. Juror Eddie Sanger, a Washington lobbyist, agrees, and together the pair begins their own investigation of events.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Suspect?
For the defence
The Big-Idea Head
“You watch with your brain, not your gut.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Peter Yates
Written by
Eric Roth
Cher
Kathleen Riley
Dennis Quaid
Eddie Sanger
Liam Neeson
Carl Wayne Anderson
John Mahoney
Judge Matthew Bishop Helms
Joe Mantegna
Charlie Stella
Philip Bosco
Paul Gray
E. Katherine Kerr
Grace Comisky
Court is in session
Put Suspect on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.