Past Tense

The promissing cast starts good with nice scenes between the beautiful Lara Flynn-Boyle and Scott Glenn as the sensitive cop. But the story gets so weird: Lots of cheap flashbacks and "mysterious" knifes, glasses and fruits falling on the ground – uuups! – oh, you mean this is suspense? Then watch it. I didn´t enjoy it: 4 out of 10. To less Lara F.B. for to much movie.

'Past Tense' is the type of flick you start watching and the story grips you with it's mystery elements. Then the longer it goes the more it loses you and starts to feel tired. A good cast, a nice moment or two prolong the inevitable, but the last third takes a walk off the map. This was a tv movie of the week unbeknownst to me at the time.

Gene Ralston (Scott Glenn) a police detective & part time writer has a tryst with his new next-door neighbor Tory (Lara Flynn Boyle). When he discovers her murdered, Gene's partner Larry (Anthony LaPaglia) heads up the investigation and warns him off because he was involved with the victim. Yet he can't help but investigate anyhow. When he goes to discuss inconsistencies with Larry the next day, he doesn't know what he's talking about. A different person has lived in that house for a long time and it's like the woman never existed.

Splice in Gene's repeating dreams or nightmares, a psychiatrist and further down the rabbit hole we go. 'Past Tense' never slips into awful, but the big reveal isn't terribly satisfying. Glenn and LaPaglia are solid which isn't a shock. Boyle pulls off her role effectively. Sheree J. Wilson (Walker Texas Ranger) plays Larry's wife who tries to seduce Gene and gets topless. Wasn't expecting that. An okay one time watch.

Truly a good film and for noir addicts it is a must see. I see the Twin Peeks comparison and not surprising, one of the writers, wrote for that show (as well as his brother). Not for a casual view, it can quickly become confusing, as shown, almost completely, in flashback style. Nice "tip" to the Wizard of Oz and the attention to detail, is amazing.

Former cop Gene Ralston (Scott Glenn) is haunted by confusion and is writing a hard-boiled crime novel about his new sexy neighbor (Lara Flynn Boyle). He has a sexual fling with her and a woman turns up dead there. More confusion arises. He fears evidence is piling up against him as his partner Larry Talbert (Anthony LaPaglia) investigates. Suddenly, there is a different woman living in that house and the murder never happened.

This starts as a neo-noir. It pushes very hard but that's acceptable. The problem starts with the confusing bits and pieces. It's intriguing when it first begins but soon it becomes tiresome. With all the jumbled pieces, the progression feels rather random. The pieces are all there. The fit is up in the air. At least, it's trying to do something.

The police detective and aspiring writer Gene Ralston (Scott Glenn) is the senior of his partner and friend Larry Talbert (Anthony LaPaglia), who is a gambler and married to Emily (Sheree J. Wilson). When the sexy Tory Bass (Lara Flynn Boyle) moves to the next door, Gene befriends her and she tells she had witnessed a murder and is afraid to die. Gene tells that he is a cop and will protect her, and they have an affair. Later Gene visits Tory and finds her stabbed to death on her bed. Gene investigate the case and soon he learns that his neighbor is Dawn Tripplet (Marita Geraghty), who has been living in the house for thirteen months. Further there is no report of the death of any Tori Bass. Gene visits the psychiatrist Dr. Bert James (David Ogden Stiers) and he lves his office more confused. Soon Gene finds that he is not able to distinguish what is delusion or reality.

"Past Tense" is a great thriller in the neo-noir style with a complex plot that slightly uses the storyline of "Jacob's Ladder". The edition is very-well one and the music score is excellent. Scott Glenn is perfect in the role of a police detective and writer and the sexy and gorgeous Lara Flynn Boyle is in the top of her beauty and career. Unfortunately this underrated film has never been released on DVD or Blu-ray. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Traído pela Ilusão" ("Betrayed by Delusion")