Thrill Seeker: WHISPERS IN THE DARK

by Sonia Mansfield

Welcome to my new column Thrill Seeker, in which I watch thrillers from the '80s and '90s. Why the '80s and '90s? Good question, thrill seekers.

I think there is something special about those movies. Sometimes they’re melodramatic. Sometimes they’re violent. Sometimes they’re sexy. But they’re always entertaining. These movies have big stars with good performances. They’re shot on location and not on a greenscreen, people! We rarely get movies like this on the big screen (but we did get The Housemaid this year). Stories like this are usually relegated to a limited series run on a streamer like Presumed Innocent or All Her Fault.

When it comes to '80s and '90s thrillers, even when it’s bad, it’s still kinda good. Or as my podcasting sister from another mister Margo Donohue used to say, “It’s something to watch.”

So, let’s get into it. In this column, I’m going to run through the plot for you, but no spoilers. And I’m kicking it off with 1992’s Whispers in the Dark, the movie Gene Siskel picked as one of the worst movies he saw in 1992. That’s wild because Consenting Adults came out in 1992, too. (Don’t worry. Your time will come, Consenting Adults.)

Whispers in the Dark

Starring Annabella Sciorra, Jamey Sheridan, Alan Alda, Jill Clayburgh, John Leguizamo, Deborah Unger, and Anthony LaPaglia

Written and directed by Christopher Crowe

Rated R for sex, violence, language, and poor decision-making

Tagline: Deception. Betrayal. Seduction. Murder. Her life depends on every word.  

The plot: Annabella Sciorra plays Ann, a psychiatrist in New York. Her patients include Eve (Deborah Unger), who spends her sessions describing the sadomasochistic sex she enjoys with her boyfriend right before their weekly lunch date at Tavern on the Green, and Johnny (John Leguizamo), an artist who is also into sadomasochistic stuff, but he channels it into art. It’s never made clear whether this is something Ann specializes in or if she just decided that Wednesday was S&M day on her work schedule.

Outside of work, Ann has dinner with two friends, psychologists Leo and Sarah. They’re played by Alan Alda and Jill Clayburgh, who has the important role as Alan Alda’s wife. In other words, she isn’t given much to do. In addition to being her friend, Leo is also her therapist, which seems like a bad idea.I love my friends. I’m not sure I want them as my therapist, even if it were their jobs.

Anyway, the next day, she’s on the elevator in her office building, and some creep is staring at her. Oh, it’s Jamey Sherdian as Doug. He apologizes for staring, but she’s just so “pretty in a real nice way.” Smooth. Ann doesn’t have time for these shenanigans. She doesn’t want to be late for the S&M Story Hour that starts in her office.

This time, Eve strips down in the office while telling her sexy story, and Ann doesn’t really try to stop her. Again, I found myself questioning Ann’s credentials. It’s all sexy story time until Eve mentions there was a noose involved, and now Ann is really worried for Eve’s safety. Ann leaves Eve alone in the office for a second, and when she comes back. Ann is gone. Oh, and so are some patient files and tapes. Seems like the kinda thing you should have locked up, Ann.

Ann is worried, but a nice distraction comes in the form of Doug asking her out for coffee “with a view.” He takes her flying in his plane. It’s a real panty dropper move, and Ann is all in on Doug after that. Well, until she sneaks into Tavern on the Green to spy on her patient Eve and her boyfriend, who looks suspiciously like Doug, because it is Doug.

And here’s where my plot summary ends, thrill seekers. Just know there’s a murder, and the cop is played by Anthony Lapaglia, who has played a cop so many times he should be allowed to carry a badge.

Is it a thrill? This movie is written and directed by Christopher Crowe, who wrote The Mean Season, Fear, The Bone Collector, and, strangely, The Last of the Mohicans. 🎶 One of these things is not like the other. 🎶 But he only directed two movies: this one and Off Limits, starring Willem Dafoe and Gregory Hines. *immediately adds Off Limits to her watchlist*

I can see why he didn’t direct a lot. This movie is messy. A lot of character motivations don’t make sense. And for a movie that was almost slapped with an NC-17 rating, it’s actually not that sexy. The chemistry between Ann and Doug should be undeniable. It’s very deniable. Jamey Sheridan is a fine actor. I’m not sure I buy him as the romantic lead in a '90s thriller. Originally, Lou Diamond Phillips was gonna play this part, and that makes more sense to me.

I know this sounds like I don’t like the movie, but I actually do. I think critics were too hard on this movie back in the day. It was an embarrassment of riches in 1992. We had so many of these erotic thrillers that we could just shit on one for fun. I worked at the movie theater when it was playing, and I was the lone defender of this movie. Why? Because I think the ending really goes for it. I don’t have a film degree, but I think the ending is what they call “batshit.” I love a well written, smart, tight thriller, but if you’re not that, then going bananas at the end is a great way to win me over.

Rating: I give it two and a half bunnies in a boiling pot out of five.