Flirting with Danger

After his handsome friend "Tommy" dies unexpectedly from heart failure, likewise handsome lawyer James Thomas (as Rafe Marino) suspects foul play. More otherwise healthy young men die in their hot tubs (but one victim who doesn't fit the mold). Often showing off his muscular chest for the camera, Mr. Thomas meets ultra-sexy Charisma Carpenter (as Laura Clifford). Her chest is the feminine match for his, and they are quickly smacking. Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas uncovers more facts about serial heart failures, with help from childhood lover Victoria Sanchez (as Gloria Moretti), now a police detective. Other beautiful women include aroused tennis club blonde Karen Cliché (as Ellen Antonelli). It figures.

The accent on Cliché isn't mine.

**** Flirting with Danger (2/13/06) Richard Roy ~ James Thomas, Charisma Carpenter, Victoria Sanchez, Karen Cliché

It's more than just a rainy day's fun. The plot's tight, the characters look good, the locales are excellent and there's more. Carpenter's 'talents' have been totally wasted however. Victoria Sanchez looks very credible in her role as a longtime friend. James Thomas as the male lead does a good job.

The key thing for me was that as a murder mystery, every other scene did not have blood and gore. That part was handled elegantly, I thought. As a relationship drama, the dialogs were well written and rather credible. The steamy scenes were probably designed to be a grade schooler's delight, I guess.

It's much better than a typical Lifetime flick.

Really good made for TV movie with Charisma displaying her fantastic sexual appeal on camera, she is definitely fantasy material.

The plot was above average as far as lifetime movies are concerned, although I didn't really prefer the ending, the bulk more than made up for it.

Charisma really needs to get her face into a big screen production, because a woman this fantastic is being drastically underused in this business.

Frankly, I can't wait to see more of her future projects, hoping she graces the entertainment industry for a long time to come.

This is a TV movie; even the sequence transitions will tell you that. So you can't expect another "Basic Instinct" here: the erotic parts are tame, and the direction has little cinematic style. The movie clearly counts on its plot and its actors to maintain your interest; the plot does, but it's nothing brilliant (there are, after all, only two suspects for the killings), apart maybe from the killing method, which is indeed quite unique. The actors are clearly the best thing about "Flirting With Danger", and provide some eye-candy (for both sexes). Charisma Carpenter, one of the most uniquely beautiful actresses out there, with a smile that's at once sweet and naughty, plays the main suspect / love interest for the hero James Thomas, and Victoria Sanchez gives an appealing and believable performance as his childhood friend who may have deeper feelings for him. Despite his dilemma (or should that be trilemma - Karen Cliché is also around, as the other suspect), Thomas is a lucky man - but will he live long enough to enjoy his luck? You probably know the answer to that one, but "Flirting With Danger" is still an OK way to pass 90 minutes. (**)

Tommy Heaton dies and his friend lawyer Rafe Marino (James Thomas) slowly suspects foul-play. Rafe starts finding a series of other death like Tommy. He investigates with his cop friend Gloria Moretti (Victoria Sanchez)'s help. He keeps running into Laura Clifford (Charisma Carpenter) and starts a passionate relationship with her.

James Thomas is a rather bland lead. Every woman in this is a thirtysomething former hot girl. There is a blurry forgettable sameness about all the actresses except for Carpenter and Sanchez. The movie is trying too hard to be sexual which comes off very cheesy and soft-porny. It's a murder mystery with a flashing neon sign flashing on Charisma Carpenter. The investigation is slow and boring. It's a lower rate Lifetime TV movie. By the time the twist comes, the interest is long gone.