Body Chemistry II: The Voice of a Stranger

My review was written in January 1993 after watching the film on Columbia TriStar video cassette.

This quirky sequel is a direct-to-video feature notable for Gregory Harrion taking some chances with his image in the role of a sexual deviant. Pay TV should whip up the bulk of the feature's audience.

Director Adam Simo, who cameoed as himself in Altman's "The Player", as the screenwriter who prompted a Tim Robbins phone call ("Who let Adam Simon on the lot?"), combines pretension with in-jokes in this introspective erotic thriller.

Harrison is a man ready for suicide who's come to realize he enjoys beating up women while having sex with them. Unable to control his violent nature, he responds to psychologist Lisa Pescia's radio call-in show for help.

She's probably the only radio host who makes house calls, seducing Harrison and using him for the mind games/experiments that got her in hot water in Kristine Peterson's 1990 film "Body Chemistry', Key subplot has Morton Downey Junior typecast as an ex-disk jockey who owns Pescia's station and is blackmailing her with evidence of her nefarious activities in the first film.

Storyline becomes strained as events and contrivances pile the woe on poor Harrison, but he gives a sincere performance as a deeply troubled fellow. Pescia is a one-dimensional sexy villain, and John Landis guest stars as an incompetent shrink.

Simon provides some style in his use of frequent flashbacks, but the film crudely missteps by recycling a sex scene from Concorde's "Naked Obsession"; the old footage doesn't match. Other tech contributions are good.