A Case for Murder

An interesting scenario, solid direction and capable acting combine in lifting this suspense film above the pack. Although the storyline abounds with melodramatic episodes leading to the solution of two murders, the editing provides a model of how to move a work towards its climax without becoming prey to incongruity. It is fair to say that this is one of the few attempts in cinema to utilize dialogue in a creative, i.e.aesthetic, fashion by having all of the major characters speak in a realistic syntax, utilizing restatement and repetition, as is customary with most of us. Intensity is heightened as well as interest developed for the players. Despite the film having obviously cost less than a pretty penny, director Duncan Gibbins derives fine performances for the actors by permitting them adequate camera time for displaying emotion. Peter Berg, Jennifer Grey and Belinda Bauer all prove their worth in their roles. With all of the filming in and about Chicago, production design and art direction were both appropriate. There is a nicely flexible score by composer Randy Miller. A CASE FOR MURDER is not a whodunit; it is grounded with solid filmmaking, requiring some attention by the viewer to determine the forces that move the principals.