1st to Die (2003) (TV)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers (WGA):

Michael O'Hara (written for television by)
James Patterson (novel)

Release Date:

23 February 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Drama | Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

The honeymoon murders...to catch the killer, she'll become the bait.

Plot:

A group of female friends in San Francisco investigate a serial killer targeting newlyweds.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Investigation | Detective | Female Protagonist | Based On Novel

Cast

Tracy Pollan	...	Lindsay Boxer
Gil Bellows	...	Chris Raleigh
Carly Pope	...	Cindy Thomas
Megan Gallagher	...	Jill Barnhart
Angie Everhart	...	Chessy Jenks
Mitch Pileggi	...	Warren Jacobi
Sean Young	...	Joanna Wade
Jerry Wasserman	...	Lt. Roth
Byron Mann	...	Derek Lee
Pam Grier	...	Claire Washburn
Robert Patrick	...	Nicholas Jenks
Kristina Copeland	...	Merrill Cale
John Reardon	...	David Brandt (as John Henry Reardon)
Sonya Salomaa	...	Melanie Brandt
Ona Grauer	...	Becky DeGraaff

Also Known As:

Always a Bridesmaid (USA) (working title)
F1rst to Die (USA) (promotional title)
First to Die (USA) (alternative spelling)
James Patterson's F1rst to Die (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

USA:180 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-14 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Michael O'Hara Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nicholas Jenks escapes from the Department of Corrections car, he kicks out the rear window in order to get out. When the police are at the crash scene, the window is back in place.

Movie Connections:

Spin off "Women's Murder Club" (2007)

Great James Patterson adaptation

James Patterson's bestselling novel 1st to Die is brilliantly displayed on the screen with Russell Mulcahy's made for TV film. As an avid James Patterson fan, I was unexpectedly very much impressed by this film, especially bearing in mind that it is a TV film.

Patterson's pages fly by in a lengthy two and a half hours, and the length is a feat that I greatly admire, because it leaves less room for mistakes. The longer the film, the closer it can be kept to the text, and, with a few meager exceptions, this film is very close to James Patterson's novel.

Inspector Lindsay Boxer (Tracy Pollan) finds herself in the middle of a grisly murder. Two newlyweds are found brutally murdered in their hotel room with both of their wedding rings missing. However, as Lindsay predicts beforehand, the killer is at large, and he's not done killing. As more newlyweds are found murdered, Lindsay's adrenaline shoots sky high, and she finds herself seeking assistance from her friends, medical examiner Claire Washburn (Pam Grier), D.A. Jill Barnhart (Megan Gallagher), and her newly obtained companion, reporter Cindy Thomas (Carly Pope). Together, they form The Womens Murder Club with the intent of examining evidence in a different way in order to solve cases.

As the case starts revealing more evidence, Lindsay and her partner, Chris Ralleigh (Gil Bellows), find that their list of suspects is narrowed down to only one, but is he really their killer? Is there more evidence than meets the eye? Unfortunately, Lindsay is not only struggling to hunt down a madman, she is also fighting for her life. After being diagnosed with a very severe and potentially fatal blood disease, she fears that in near time, her closest friends will no longer have her in their lives, as her condition, even with treatment, seems to worsen. But will she be the first to die? With the exception of the ending of the story being slightly different, this film sticks pretty close to Patterson's novel. I was also surprised by how graphic the film is, again considering that it was made for television. Don't make the unwise decision to turn this film down just because of a negative review. If you enjoyed Patterson's novel, then you will enjoy this film.

Also recommended to you is Womens Murder Club, coming to ABC on Friday October 12. The series will revive Inspector Lindsay Boxer and the other members of the Womens Murder Club in a television series based on Patterson's book series.

8/10