A deadly romantic drives director/co-writer Neil Sundstrom's derivative erotic thriller, whose second-tier cast has seen better days.
South African ad executive Simon Storm (Richard Grieco) has it all: An award-filled career, a beautiful wife, Teresa (Joanna Pacula), and a loyal second-in-command, Kate Johnson (Thandi Puren). Simon and Kate are having an affair, and while she's willing to let him steal credit for her work, she's getting impatient. Simon hires weird private investigator Strathman (Russell Savadier) to tail Teresa, and sure enough, Strathman comes up with incriminating photos of Teresa with a stud muffin. Unfortunately, Teresa counters with a video of Simon and Kate. Sorry, Simon; no divorce! But Kate won't give up: She's sick of playing second fiddle and badgers Simon to get rid of Teresa. In a drunken stupor, Simon pays Strathman $250,000 to do the job, then awakens with a hang-over and regrets. The sadistic Strathman kidnaps Teresa anyway, and sends Simon a ransom note. While waiting for a reply, he dresses his captive in nothing but a bridal veil and gives her a sponge bath. The police become suspicious about Simon’s relationship with Strathman, who flips out when Simon stiffs him on ransom money. The cops rush Strathman’s hideout and kill him, paving the way for Simon and Teresa to shore up their shaky marriage. But Kate isn't about to give up. She hires a handsome hit man to seduce her rival, but Teresa figures out what's going on and coolly offers to double the assassin’s fee.
Sundstrom does his utmost to steam up the screen, but fans of erotic thrillers have seen it before and there isn't enough heavy breathing to make the hackneyed twists and turns feel fresh. leave a comment --Robert Pardi
