Acting on Impulse (1993)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The plot is scatter shot, part murder mystery, part romance, and mostly goofy shenanigans. This uneasy mix makes "Acting on Impulse" so uneven that if it weren't for some darkly humorous dialog, a great looking black 1954 Corvette, and a few decent cameo appearances, the movie would be totally forgettable. Paul Bartel plays a movie director, which is really typecasting, since he was a director. Isaac Hayes is in and out of the picture from time to time as a detective, and Mary Woronov is a plain jane hotel desk clerk. Linda Fiorentino plays a second tier actress who is wanted for murdering a producer, and she eventually hooks up with C. Thomas Howell, and Nancy Allen at a pharmaceutical convention. The film has a very claustrophobic feel, as most of the story takes place in a hotel. It is definitely watchable, but the mish-mash script is constantly dragging it down, and oh yes there is a surprise ending. - MERK

C. Thomas Howell, star of 'Soul Man' and 'The Outsiders', among many other 80's classics, tries his hand at a something a little different in this made for TV suspense thriller. Potentially miscast, Howell pulls off quite a strong performance as the All-American businessman letting his hair down and acting like a rebellious teenager again. Right along side him for every mishap are his uptight business-friend (Nancy Allen from 'Robocop' fame) and the instigator of all this trouble, Linda Fiorentino. Playing a B-movie `scream queen' who's wanted for murder, Fiorentino steals every scene she's in, proving early on that she could even shine in crappy films. Being a TV film, it was pretty cheesy, and not very entertaining, but it did keep me guessing until the last moment, which ultimately is the goal of these types of films. Not one to be in any hurry to watch, but enjoyable if you stumble across it. Rating: 23/40

Linda is sexy as usual. A decent little movie considering that it is a made for cable movie. The plot is pedestrian, the dialog is average for this level movie and Howell is a little weak, as usual. However, Linda delivers pretty well. Her role is not nearly as strong as the one in The Last Seduction, but she is always fun to watch. All in all, not a bad way to kill 93 minutes.

I found this film very funny, unpredictable and entertaining.The actors play all very Well and Linda Fiorentino was terribly sexy. It hasn't a very logic plot, but, who cares? It has also some Cameo (Adam Ant and others I don't remember the name) A little pretty film