Movie Review: Berry not so sweet in ‘Perfect Stranger’ performance

Green Valley News

Halle Berry's career is at a crossroads.

Since playing the late Dorothy Dandridge and winning the coveted Oscar for her ground-breaking performance in “Monster's Ball” back in 2001, she has made poor script pick after poor script pick.

Included in her six-year thespian slump are the Bond flick “Die Another Day,” the utter flop “Catwoman” and the eerie, but disappointing, “Gothika.”

Berry tries and fails to win back her acclaimed acting respect in the thriller “Perfect Stranger.” This is where the once-talented beauty should see a wrong-way sign along her professional path.

This is one of those films where they show all the best parts during the previews.

Every scene is rich and polished looking, but you will find out that all that wonderful cinematography works like polish on a pig.

Berry stars as Rowena, a too gutsy reporter who goes undercover to find out who murdered her ex-best friend.

Constant Hollywood playboy Bruce Willis gives a cool performance as her prime suspect in advertising mogul Harrison Hill.

Hill is the sleazy boss, having affairs with almost anything that walks. The twist here is that he has to clean up his act because his wife finds out about all his fooling around. If she catches him doing it again, it’s a problem because she has all the money. Of course, the Alpha male continues to cheat, but does it the cyber way.

Ro gains her way into his life by working for his company as a temp and striking up an online relationship.

Giovanni Ribisi is Miles, a techno geek who is in love with and helps Ro every step of the way. He is sinister and complex and adds depth.

From the start, there is an arsenal of suspects, sort of like a sexy version of the game Clue. Was it Hill in the boardroom with the poison?

The whodunit would have warranted one star without the magnificent bent conclusion.

Remember watching “Vanilla Sky” and thinking, “Wait, there can't be a sci-fi ending to a romantic thriller, right?”

This is along those lines-just be glad that you can even be kept in suspense in this day and age.

The script might have read well, but director James Foley (“Fear”) just couldn't implement the storyline-perhaps due to Berry's now limited range.

When you visit the multiplex and see the poster hyping Berry's next project, don't cringe. There's still a glimmer of hope that the descending icon will meet her “Gone With the Wind.”

If not, at least she can look at her golden statue on the mantle and reminisce.

amackey@gvnews.com|547-9726