IMDb RATING
5.5/10
9.9K
YOUR RATING
Two years after being forced out of the NYPD, quirky Nick Starkey is rehired by the mayor to help catch a serial killer after 11 women are murdered in the city.Two years after being forced out of the NYPD, quirky Nick Starkey is rehired by the mayor to help catch a serial killer after 11 women are murdered in the city.Two years after being forced out of the NYPD, quirky Nick Starkey is rehired by the mayor to help catch a serial killer after 11 women are murdered in the city.
- Director
- Writer
- Stars
Kenneth Welsh
- Roger Culver
- (as Ken Welsh)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
5.59.9K
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Featured reviews
People are taking this movie to seriously
I'm watching the "thrilling" climax as I type this.
Listen, folks, this film wasn't meant to be taken seriously, it's meant more as a parody or farce. Just listen to the soundtrack during the "dramatic" moments, it's not even trying to be serious. I'm guessing the cast was struggling to keep from bursting out in laughter during the filming because it really is stuffed full of every imagineable cliche.
Though there are some original lines. "I want to make you haggis." I mean, come on, how can anyone even begin to imagine this was meant seriously. It's like a police drama version of "Showgirls".
Well, without as much skin. ;-)
Listen, folks, this film wasn't meant to be taken seriously, it's meant more as a parody or farce. Just listen to the soundtrack during the "dramatic" moments, it's not even trying to be serious. I'm guessing the cast was struggling to keep from bursting out in laughter during the filming because it really is stuffed full of every imagineable cliche.
Though there are some original lines. "I want to make you haggis." I mean, come on, how can anyone even begin to imagine this was meant seriously. It's like a police drama version of "Showgirls".
Well, without as much skin. ;-)
Why so serious?!?
If you're looking for extreme suspense and top-notch thriller, go watch Seven. But if you're looking for a nice little movie with stellar cast, very good acting and silly story that'll amuse you for some 90 minutes, then try The January man. It is silly - an absurd mix of thriller, comedy, romance, drama, good cop - bad cop, the story is full of flaws, but the movie itself is really well done. Too many people around wonder where's logic in it and give it low rating because of that, but The dark knight (with sillier story and average acting) is somehow best film of a decade?!? This is a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously and neither should you.
Excellent film! Terrific fun!
Good movie, even if it is a bit campy now. A great cast turn great performances with subtle comedy. Worth it just to see Alan Rickman as the brooding artist living next door. A comedy in the same spirit of "Rushmore". Ahead of its time and fantastic when you are in the right mood.
Kevin Klein walks a great line in this type of movie between a serious characterization and moments of comic hilarity. Susan Sarandon and Kevin Klein have wonderful on screen chemistry, and the rest of the supporting cast all are given opportunities to show off their skills through a well crafted script. It's well worth seeing.
Kevin Klein walks a great line in this type of movie between a serious characterization and moments of comic hilarity. Susan Sarandon and Kevin Klein have wonderful on screen chemistry, and the rest of the supporting cast all are given opportunities to show off their skills through a well crafted script. It's well worth seeing.
Great actors are the ONLY thing keeping this silly romantic detective afloat. They dont act well though and the story is plain silly. Wish I hadnt seen it...
A serial killer is being chased by a detective (Kevin Kline). Along the way he has 2 romantic affairs and a quarrel with his brother. That's about it. And that's not a lot, story-wise speaking.
Great actors are the ONLY thing keeping this silly romantic detective afloat. But only just... However great these actors normally are, they dont act well in this movie, but since they are all great actors anyway their famous names suckered me into watching it. Wish I hadnt...sigh...
Basically all the actors are miscast in this movie. I really cant believe in any of the characters. The story is fluffy and the dialogues are mediocre. There is NO true suspense, which is kind of annoying, since it is a detective. There are few good jokes. The romantic scenes are many and they all are quite ridiculous, because they are not believable.
What's there left to like? Well it has got the promise of becoming great, because all these actors are terrific in OTHER movies. Unfortunately they aint terrific in this one. Skip it. Or watch it with the same feeling of promise and hope that it still might turn out to be okay, only to find out that it wont...sigh...
Great actors are the ONLY thing keeping this silly romantic detective afloat. But only just... However great these actors normally are, they dont act well in this movie, but since they are all great actors anyway their famous names suckered me into watching it. Wish I hadnt...sigh...
Basically all the actors are miscast in this movie. I really cant believe in any of the characters. The story is fluffy and the dialogues are mediocre. There is NO true suspense, which is kind of annoying, since it is a detective. There are few good jokes. The romantic scenes are many and they all are quite ridiculous, because they are not believable.
What's there left to like? Well it has got the promise of becoming great, because all these actors are terrific in OTHER movies. Unfortunately they aint terrific in this one. Skip it. Or watch it with the same feeling of promise and hope that it still might turn out to be okay, only to find out that it wont...sigh...
A former detective, now a fireman, searches for a serial-killer.
One of the most insane mainstream movies I've seen. An absurd mix of thriller, comedy, romance, and other things; the manic behaviour, strange dialogues, and weird/inconsistent mood-changes make this a very silly movie but also an enjoyable one. As flawed as it might be, I dare anyone to say that it's dull. Star-studded, as film-critics love to say, but in a good sense. Kline is entertaining as the detective-turned-fireman-turned-detective, Steiger - sporting silly blond hair - overacts like a lunatic in the role of the city's emotional mayor, Aiello plays the classic ever-angry cliché police boss, Keitel stands around looking rather bored, Mastrantonio shows that she's got terrific breasts, the model for the painting shows she's got even better breasts, and it's always good to have Susan Sarandon in a movie - though quite ironically of all actresses she doesn't show her terrific chest! The serial-killer in the story must be the most absurd serial-killer either on film or in reality: the method that he uses to select his victims, and the time and the place, has to be seen to be believed. The film has most of the elements to make it a camp classic.
Did you know
- TriviaDirector Pat O'Connor and actress Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio met while working on this project and were later married in 1990.
- GoofsHow can each victim be a female? The murderer can't guarantee that the buildings that match his methods are all women.
- SoundtracksI Know the Feeling
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Performed by Juanita
Produced by Richard Perry
Arranged by Steve Lindsey (as Steven Lindsey)
- How long is The January Man?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Im Zeichen der Jungfrau
- Filming locations
- 100 Old Slip, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(as Second Precinct)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,611,062
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,716,442
- Jan 15, 1989
- Gross worldwide
- $4,611,062
- Runtime
- 1h 37m(97 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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