One Hot Summer Night

flag_r12.gif USA (1998): Crime/Drama
Produced by: O'Hara - Horowitz Productions
Andrew McCarthy review: 2 stars out of 4
Rated ?, Color, TV film

Director: James A. Contner

Cast:

Erika Eleniak (as Kelly), Brian Wimmer (as Richard), Tobin Bell (as Vincent De Ville), Stephen Macht, Anne De Salvo, Lochlyn Munro (as Detective Eddie), Christopher Darden (as Detective Mingus), Barry Bostwick (as Art Brooks), Alannah Ong (as Lisa), Corrie Clark (as Jenna), Ken Roberts, Jerry Wasserman, John Taylor (VII), Maria Herrera

Review:

Erika plays Kelly Brooks, a bright advertising executive who captures the eye of Arthur. He asks Kelly to marry him after only one meeting and a lunch. Kelly says yes. After wedding Arthur--a reformed alcoholic, starts drinking again. He physically abuses Kelly. She moves out into the sympathetic arms of Richard (her lawyer). Arthur doesn’t like this and begins to harass Richard and Kelly, threatening to have Richard murdered. Richard knows an ex-FBI agent who suggests to murder Arthur. Kelly agrees. Richard doesn't like it and meets with the assassin and tells him the deal is off. Richard agrees to pay him to go away, but the assassin kills Arthur anyway. This leads the police to Kelly. During a hearing brake Kelly tells Richard that she is going to confess on the stand and say he is innocent. Back on the stand Richard reverses course and he admits to setting it up, and that Kelly had nothing to do with it. Kelly now inherits Arthur’s fortune, many millions. Murder mystery fans will be disappointed but Erika fans will have an enjoyable two hours. One Hot Summer Night is a Body Heat ripoff. The plot is not woven tightly enough for us to begin to doubt Kelly’s story. Erika is really quite good. She does a find job of carrying off the good little housewife who has been wronged.

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