"Unlawful Entry" is a thriller about a respectable suburban couple whose sense of security is shattered when their house is broken into by a burglar. The relief they feel when a seemingly friendly and caring LAPD officer takes a personal interest in their protection soon disappears, however, when he turns out to be far more unstable and threatening than was originally apparent.
Jonathan Kaplan's considered style of direction is effective in creating an unsettling atmosphere and also a considerable amount of tension. Imaginative camera angles are used and the pace of the action is perfectly suited to the nature of the story and the timing of the various plot developments.
Michael Carr (Kurt Russell) and his wife Karen (Madeleine Stowe) suffer a frightening ordeal when a burglar breaks into their home and holds a knife to Karen's throat. The burglar then throws Karen into the swimming pool and leaves swiftly without taking any of their possessions.
One of the LAPD officers who come to check out the crime scene is Pete Davis (Ray Liotta) who reassures the couple by arranging for a sophisticated security system to be installed with the minimum of delay. Michael tells Pete that he'd like to take his revenge on the burglar and Pete responds by inviting Michael to go on a "ride along" one night with him and his partner so that he can see the type of work that they do. After Pete's partner finishes his shift, Pete takes Michael to a location where they encounter the man who'd broken into Michael's home. Pete offers Michael his nightstick and the chance to take his revenge but Michael passes up the offer. Pete then beats up the burglar in a particularly brutal attack.
Michael becomes extremely concerned about Pete's behaviour and tries to take steps to see less of him in future. Unfortunately, Pete responds by becoming more and more obsessed with Karen and increasingly menacing towards Michael. This makes the couple's lives progressively more dangerous and intolerable until a point is reached where Michael decides that the only way to reach a satisfactory resolution is by dealing with the problem head on.
"Unlawful Entry" achieves a far greater impact than would normally be possible with this type of material because of the quality of the performances by Liotta, Russell and Stowe. Liotta is incredibly good as the scary stalker whose mental state is particularly brittle. Impressively, he's equally convincing when he's being manipulative and scheming as when he's being threatening and crazy. Ray Liotta is just a marvellous actor and this must be one of his best ever roles.
The success and the affluence which Michael had enjoyed in his life didn't prepare him for the overwhelming sense of powerlessness which he came to experience when his wife was being threatened and then later when he found there was nothing he could do to prevent Pete from seriously damaging his personal and business life. The way in which Kurt Russell conveys the desperation and frustration of a man who is trapped in a nightmare from which there seems to be no escape is both admirable and praiseworthy. Madeleine Stowe also gives an accomplished performance as the vulnerable and anxious Karen whose academic abilities serve her well professionally but who also proves to be rather naive and not very perceptive in her personal life.
This movie is a great example of how the combination of a straightforward story which people can relate to and proficient acting and directing can produce a great box office success.
Jonathan Kaplan's considered style of direction is effective in creating an unsettling atmosphere and also a considerable amount of tension. Imaginative camera angles are used and the pace of the action is perfectly suited to the nature of the story and the timing of the various plot developments.
Michael Carr (Kurt Russell) and his wife Karen (Madeleine Stowe) suffer a frightening ordeal when a burglar breaks into their home and holds a knife to Karen's throat. The burglar then throws Karen into the swimming pool and leaves swiftly without taking any of their possessions.
One of the LAPD officers who come to check out the crime scene is Pete Davis (Ray Liotta) who reassures the couple by arranging for a sophisticated security system to be installed with the minimum of delay. Michael tells Pete that he'd like to take his revenge on the burglar and Pete responds by inviting Michael to go on a "ride along" one night with him and his partner so that he can see the type of work that they do. After Pete's partner finishes his shift, Pete takes Michael to a location where they encounter the man who'd broken into Michael's home. Pete offers Michael his nightstick and the chance to take his revenge but Michael passes up the offer. Pete then beats up the burglar in a particularly brutal attack.
Michael becomes extremely concerned about Pete's behaviour and tries to take steps to see less of him in future. Unfortunately, Pete responds by becoming more and more obsessed with Karen and increasingly menacing towards Michael. This makes the couple's lives progressively more dangerous and intolerable until a point is reached where Michael decides that the only way to reach a satisfactory resolution is by dealing with the problem head on.
"Unlawful Entry" achieves a far greater impact than would normally be possible with this type of material because of the quality of the performances by Liotta, Russell and Stowe. Liotta is incredibly good as the scary stalker whose mental state is particularly brittle. Impressively, he's equally convincing when he's being manipulative and scheming as when he's being threatening and crazy. Ray Liotta is just a marvellous actor and this must be one of his best ever roles.
The success and the affluence which Michael had enjoyed in his life didn't prepare him for the overwhelming sense of powerlessness which he came to experience when his wife was being threatened and then later when he found there was nothing he could do to prevent Pete from seriously damaging his personal and business life. The way in which Kurt Russell conveys the desperation and frustration of a man who is trapped in a nightmare from which there seems to be no escape is both admirable and praiseworthy. Madeleine Stowe also gives an accomplished performance as the vulnerable and anxious Karen whose academic abilities serve her well professionally but who also proves to be rather naive and not very perceptive in her personal life.
This movie is a great example of how the combination of a straightforward story which people can relate to and proficient acting and directing can produce a great box office success.