If Looks Could Kill (1996) (TV)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Sheldon Larry

Writer:

Peter McCabe (writer)

Release Date:

6 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The true story of John Hawkins, a notoriously elusive criminal profiled on John Walsh's television show 'Americas's Most Wanted'...

Plot Keywords:

Insurance | Scam | Bisexual | Murder | Homosexual

Cast

Antonio Sabato Jr.	...	John Hawkins
Maury Chaykin	...	Dr. Richard Boggs
Brad Dourif	...	M. Eugene 'Gene' Hanson
John Walsh	...	Himself
Anne De Salvo
Erich Anderson
Sally Murphy
Alexandra Wilson
David Keith	...	Det. Peter Stanford
Lee Arenberg	...	Mover
Andre Rosey Brown	...	Black Buddah
Todd Bryant	...	Naval Officer #2
Scott Burkholder	...	Ellis Greene
Amanda Carlin	...	Judge
Dylan Chalfy	...	Guy in Amsterdam Bar

Also Known As:

If Looks Could Kill: From the Files of 'America's Most Wanted'
If Looks Could Kill: The John Hawkins Story (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Netherlands:16 (video premiere) | Netherlands:6 (TV rating)

Company:

Alan Landsburg Productions

Not Sure What To Make Of This TVM

IF LOOKS COULD KILL is a strange TVM . Based on a true story the central premise is fascinating . A bisexual hustler talks his sugar daddy lover into carrying out a life insurance scam in which a real body needs to be produced and so begins a compelling story . The problem is that being a TVM we're treated to umpteen flaws . For example there's scenes that the director thought we're supposed to be sexy but we get these stupid jump cuts that we see in erotic anthology shows like HOT LINE and PASSION COVE that are anything but sexy . The director also manages to get uneven performances from the cast , the lead actor who plays John Hawkins gives a rather shallow performance but I guess Hawkins was shallow as a person in which case it's a good performance but Brad Dourif is very irritating as a neurotic queen with a crap Southern accent

I also have a problem with the script , as I said the premise is good but is never developed to its full potential . Did Hawkins manage to elude the law because he was so clever or was it because the police lacked resources or were just plain incompetent ? These issues are never fully explored and since John Walsh ( If you like many Brits have never heard of him you might like to take the time to research his bio ) is credited as executive producer there's an uneasy feeling that perhaps his involvement in the case is overstated

Overall this is an irritating and unsatisfying made for television movie . With better production values it might have been a darker , more disturbing precursor to CATCH ME IF YOU CAN but as it stands it's rather forgettable and mediocre which is a pity