Lethal Exposure

This is "simpatico", as the Italians say, as long as one does not examine it too deeply. The creators have tried to make it too many things at once. Is it a detective story, is it a thriller, is it a sentimental comedy? We see Ally Sheedy as Miss Lonesome, haunted by memories of her father who she never knew properly, as Miss Career Girl who's going to get what she wants come what may, as Miss Detective-who-won't-let-up, as Miss Misunderstood, we see her learn the secrets of her father's photographic art and the relative failure of her own, we see her giving way bit by bit to the charms of the French detective she trailed to Paris. And since she does all this with such naturalness that it somehow adds up into a convincing person we can hardly fail to enjoy, while perhaps regretting that the role had not concentrated on just one or two of these elements and let her really get to grips with them. Sheedy-detractors should note that her mannerisms (nervously flapping hands for instance) are kept to a minimum (though I wish she would learn to run more elegantly), her admirers should be glad to see a film where she is present in virtually every scene even though her potential to charm is exploited at the expense of her potential to move. Gendron, the initially seedy-looking French detective, becomes more likeable as the film proceeds, the shots of Paris cannot fail to exude that city's charm even if we've seen it all before and the whole thing flows well. Lastly, Ken Thorne's musical score. Nobody will remember a note of it after the film has finished, but its mood-painting and sepia colouring are so unobtrusively right at every moment that it makes a real contribution to the film's success. So, the terminally intellectual need not apply but if you're just after a pleasant evening and especially if you like Ally Sheedy, you shouldn't be disappointed.