Killing 'em Softly

In one of his lesser seen performances, George Segal is well cast here as unemployed Canadian living off welfare checks with only a faithful dog for companionship. Conflict arises when the intoxicated young drug dealers next door feed his dog dope and inadvertently kill it; this leads to Segal accidentally murdering one of them in a fit of rage and then fleeing with the drug dealer's money - something that causes the police to suspect the other drug dealers of committing the homicide. Irene Cara plays the girlfriend of the drug pusher who ends up being arrested over the murder (his alibi - that he was making love with her - is laughed off by the police) with the film to come revolving around Cara beginning to suspect Segal and trying to set him up before eventually befriending him. If this sounds like an odd premise for a movie, it is because it certainly is; with Cara and Segal both playing sympathetic characters with understandable motives, the point of the film (if anything) is the ability of adversities to bring people closer together. This does not quite excuse the extremely abrupt ending (which leaves a lot unresolved) though, and the film contains some very clichéd supporting characters, but both Segal and Cara are reasonably compelling. Cara also has a chance to sing a catchy ditty called "City of Nights", which makes an appearance over the end credits too.

Irene Cara was so beautiful, and she can act too. This film isn't exceptional by any feat. The excitement is in, how you think the film will draw out. Segal who puts in a fabulous performance, once a writer apparently, now is living off weekly cheque to cheque, accidentally kills a bad dude club owner, who's drugged out girlfriend, gave Segal's furry four legged friend, Steak Ala Cocaine. Also, there seems to be a whole lot of cash lying around. Segal;s Christmas's' have all come at once, which has him splurging on dinners, sundaes, etc, only hottie, Cara is up to his game, when her boyfriend is accidentally charged with the murder, and it's not looking good. He and her were with the scummy deceased, and his coked partner, before the murder. So now, a game begins, and a extraordinary relationship blooms between the two, and the excitement was in seeing in how it would draw out. The friendship/relationship between Cara and Segal is what I really liked about the movie, and has a easeful pace of story. There was a evolving respect, and I really wanted it to work out for em', in the happy ever after scenario. You can take the movie as a comedy, to a certain point, but more so, it's a drama, with really good performances. Though like I said, it's nothing special. The bathtub, near ending scene is quite hot too. Kudos to Campbell's part as the scummy victim.