Linda Fiorentino Movie:

				Label: Paramont Ent. Salesrank: 156863
		Our Price: $21.68
		Used Price: $21.68
		MPAA Rating: Unrated Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
Neither director William Friedkin nor star David Caruso could redeem this vulgar, nasty script by Joe Eszterhas. Caruso is a politically ambitious assistant D.A. investigating the gruesome murder of a San Francisco bigwig. Too many clues point in the direction of his former girlfriend (Linda Fiorentino), a shrink who has a secret sideline as call girl to the rich and kinky. For good measure, she's now married to Caruso's best friend, Chazz Palminteri. Friedkin has done much better work in other places; even he can't perform much magic here, though he tries, with a solid car chase (that suffers in comparison to those he staged in French Connection and To Live and Die in L.A.). --Marshall Fine

Jade [Region 2] Reviews:
Oh boy...
2009-09-11 - This is a poor film. Although it does have some merit for being ridiculous and making me laugh, I would not watch it for any other reason.

I saw this film advertised as an "erotic thriller." To me, Lust, Caution (Widescreen Edition) is a good example of an erotic thriller. Apparently I do not know what "erotic" or "thriller" means because I would not categorize this movie as either. If erotic means degenerate sex scenes that are repulsive to watch, then I guess it is true. Thriller to me means you are captivated by a suspenseful story that slowly hints at the truth, but this film pretty much gave too much away right away. This movie was painful to sit through.

Oh and the car chases ... really a car chase in hilly San Francisco?!?!!? How innovative! (this is sarcasm in case you cannot tell) Not only is it cliché, it feels like the scene will never end.

A bad script (but what do you expect from the writer of Basic Instinct, Sliver, and Showgirls, yikes!), bad directing, and bad acting will never amount to a good movie. This movie is a joke. If you go to watch it with that in mind, you may actually enjoy yourself. But if you want a thriller crime drama, you will be disappointed.

Terrible
2009-08-31 - I saw the previews for this movie and I thought it would have been a lot better than what it was. I wish I rented it 1st instead of bought it.

Everybody makes mistakes
2009-08-16 - David Caruso, no relation to the famous opera singer Enrico Caruso, looks like an angry leprechaun. As Lt. Horatio Caine on TV's "CSI: Miami" his acting "style" consists of delivering droll one liners that he seems to think are pithy, pausing mid-sentence to put on his dark sunglasses, and milking every pregnant pause for what he perceives as dramatic effect. He is one -- big -- box (I pause to don my shades) of very, very, very unlucky -- charms. William Shatner would be proud.

"Jade" was supposed to be Caruso's big screen break through. He made a name for himself on two gritty TV shows, first as Shamrock Leader Tommy Mann (8 episodes, 1981-1983) on "Hill Street Blues;" and then as Detective John Kelly (26 episodes, 1993-1994) on "NYPD Blue." He dropped out of "NYPD Blue" convinced that he was going to be a major movie star. ""NYPD Blue" will not be successful when I leave," sang Caruso -- a brash prediction that turned out to be oh so wrong.

"NYPD Blue" was a success without Caruso, but "Jade" was a flop with him. As much as I'd like to indulge in a little schadenfreud over his precipitous fall, Caruso wasn't the worst thing about "Jade." The fault in "Jade" lies more with the ill-conceived script by schlockmeister Joe Eszterhas and the egregious direction of William Friedkin. Both writer and director are capable of good work, as evidenced by Eszterhas' "Basic Instinct," and Friedkin's "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist;" but then there is "Show Girls," and "Sliver," for Eszterhas, and "Cruising" for Friedkin. By 1995 both the writer and the director are much too jaded.

Nothing succeeds like excess, except when it crosses the line. In "Jade" the line that is crossed repeatedly is the line separating a well crafted story that makes sense -- when the final mystery is revealed, all the pieces fall into place -- and a story that makes no sense whatsoever: car chases, explosions, kinkiness, anything to shore up the viewer's flagging interest. All totally gratuitous and inserted into the narrative merely for cheap thrills and titillation.

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Bob Hargrove: You ever take it like that, Corelli?
David Corelli: Is that an offer, Inspector?
Bob Hargrove: You wish.
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I have nothing against cheap thrills and titillation per se, but can't there be at least a thin veneer of intelligence for it to hide behind? If the story is not entirely plausible, can't it at least be possible according to the laws of physics? In "Jade" there is a car chase that begins in Washington Square, and then suddenly, as if you went through a wormhole in the time-space continuum, you emerge in Chinatown. Sure, that isn't as bad as the impossible topography of "Bullitt" but what really sticks in my craw about this car chase is that when they take that Chinatown detour, they drive through the Lunar New Year Parade -- two cars plowing through the crowds, slaying dragons and onlookers alike -- yet no police join the chase, the two vehicles are left to their own devices. There are no repercussions, no consequences. The whole unfortunate mess causes barely a ripple. A hit and run with that many witnesses and victims would have been reported, and there would be a massive police response. This is but one example of the many gaps in logic and common sense on display in "Jade."

Chazz Palminteri was superb as Phil in "Hurlyburly" a sociopath who threw his date out of a moving car on the way to a Jack in the Box, but do I buy him as a high priced attorney? No, he never could have passed the bar exam. Linda Fiorentino is supposed to be a femme fatale, but the evidence, like in the John Wayne Bobbitt and Lorena Bobbitt case, just doesn't stand up in court. Fiorentino may have been hotter than July in "The Last Seduction" but "Jade" falls in another month altogether.

"Jade" was a muddled mess, but it would be fun to watch in a Mystery Science Theater 3000 context where you could mock and make fun of the movie as it unfolded. It is not so bad it's good, like "Show Girls," but it is bad enough to mock.

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Matt Gavin: Trina, the next time we make love, you introduce me to Jade.
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A Night at the Roxbury (1998) (uncredited) .... Chazz Palminteri was Benny Zadir
Hurlyburly (New Line Platinum Series) (1998) .... Chazz Palminteri was Phil
Mulholland Falls (1996) .... Chazz Palminteri was Elleroy Coolidge
Showgirls (1995) .... Writer: Joe Eszterhas
The Last Seduction (1994) .... Linda Fiorentino was Bridget Gregory
Sliver (Unrated Edition) (1993) (screenplay) .... Writer: Joe Eszterhas
Basic Instinct (1992) .... Writer: Joe Eszterhas
Hudson Hawk (1991) .... David Caruso was Kit Kat
Cruising (Deluxe Edition) (1980) .... Director: William Friedkin
The French Connection (1971) .... Director: William Friedkin

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David Corelli: Where did she go?
Matt Gavin: LA, just for a couple of days.
David Corelli: Think she's coming back?
Matt Gavin: Maybe when we get a divorce, you can marry her.
David Corelli: Cool.
Matt Gavin: She said you were a terrible lover.
David Corelli: She lies to protect your frail ego.
Matt Gavin: She said that's why she chose me.
David Corelli: Everybody makes mistakes.
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Ehhhhh..
2009-08-09 - This movie came out when I was in middle school and a virgin, so needless to say my parents refused to let me see it and with good reason. I finally (at 27) got my hands on it,and I dont blame my parents anymore... The movie focuses on Katrina Gavin a psychologist who is the prime suspect in a very pathetic little murder- sex- mystery. The film pins her ( pun included) against her cheating husband, a defense attorney and a hot shot district attorney ( yes, brace yourself David Caruso). What ensues is a world of high class hookers, totally not enticing sex scenes ( Im sorry but I've seen better ;), and the governor caught with his pants down! Before you wonder who could come up with such a brilliant script, its none other than Joe Esterhouse, who only reached his one and only "prime" with Basic instinct. The story isnt awful , but its not decent either, coupled with it also dragging on for what seems like hours. The soundtrack is ok, but the story could have been better, kinda glad I was too young for it when it came out.

Jade Director's Cut Review
2009-08-06 - Better than the theatrical version. The extra scenes added more depth and development for each of the characters. Better than what the critics would have you believe. Also another spectacular car chase filmed by the director who created car chases with "The French Connection" and "To Live and Die in L.A." Excellent thriller i give it a 7.5 out of 10. I wish the film was successful. Oh well.....