Laikals The greatest movie ever made..!

SincereFinest disgusting, overrated, pointless

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

albion1100 I saw this mini series on television many years ago. I purchased the movie but the movie on DVD is way shorter than the mini series. Does anyone know how I am able to get the mini series.My heart goes out to the family and all people involved in this crime. Brad field was a mastermind of weaving a web of deceit and lead all those people into a place that would take years of healing if they ever do. I have also read the book and it is very close to the movie. Thanks so very much for the reviews written by the families and relatives of those involved. It is a breath of fresh air to read them after reading the book and getting only a small amount of understanding of what you must have gone through. I have two children also and the thought of that happening to them is absolutely dreadful. God bless all you do and bring peace into your hearts. God had dealt with William Bradfield. Live your lives as fruitful as possible. Any response greatly appreciated. Thanks and regards

udar55 I remember seeing this when it debuted on TV (well, the first part at least) and finally got to catch up with it again. This is an epic miniseries (a 2 nighter) about English teacher William Bradfield (Peter Coyote) who is suspected of murdering his fellow teacher/secret lover Susan Reinart (Stockard Channing) and her two children. Policemen Joe Van Nort (Peter Boyle) and Jack Holtz (Gary Cole) spend nearly 6 years trying to get info on the guy. Based on the true crime novel by former cop Joseph Wambaugh (THE NEW CENTURIONS, THE ONION FIELD), this one really packs a punch with the multiple twists and turns. Coyote is excellent as the eccentric Bradfield. One has to wonder how so many people could fall under this guy's spell in real life, but Coyote gives a performance with such conviction that you begin to see why. The supporting cast, which also includes Treat Williams and Robert Loggia, is great with Gary Cole giving a really good performance.

amadeus-27 Yet another DVD I picked up at the local supermarket while searching through the bargain bin. It looked interesting, so I decided to invest 99 pence and settled for 171 minutes of crime drama, divided into two parts (UK version).Well, what's there to say - the first part wasn't overly exciting to watch: The acting wasn't that good, the actors appeared pale in their appearance and performance, and I did expect a bit more true-crime excitement. It's not actually bad or anything - just it's not really good either. There are, however, a few highlights that amused me in this one: First of all Peter Boyle as Sgt. Joe Van Nort - he has a really good screen presence and simply brings something to this film - or any film, for that matter. Then there's the fact that this is a movie from a time long forgotten - a time when smoking cigarettes on screen was accepted and normal, when the PC brigade wasn't around and you could light up whenever and wherever you wanted - these guys go through pack after pack - in the car, in the office (god forbid..), and Boyle even lights up while his colleagues are having lunch right next to him.The other thing that got me was something you could well call a "running joke" - quite a few times will you see the words "6 Months Later" on the screen - I know that this is probably meant in relation to the real case, and to make things authentic, but the viewer kind of expects these words every time a police building fills the screen while the camera doesn't move - and his expectations won't be disappointed. The second part of the DVD picks up a little bit, but it still didn't draw me into it as much as I wished it had - Peter Coyote just appears that little bit too obvious and over-the-top in his role of the manipulating killer, and the whole connection between him and Jay Smith (Robert Loggia) never really got clear to me - yes, they were working together, but why did Loggia only have a few screen minutes if he's so essential to the plot? Nevermind - Cindy Pickett was definitely good in this one, and I would even say she was the best of all the cast as far as on-screen performance is concerned (with Boyle coming a very close second).Over all, I was a bit disappointed with this one, but I didn't regret spending 99p on it - if you're ever at the dentist and have to wait for 171 minutes, pop this one into your portable DVD player or Laptop and enjoy a very average true crime drama - it won't be as bad as having your teeth pulled out, I promise...

couchpotato2k Not familiar with the actual incident this movie is based upon, so cannot comment as to the accuracy of the facts and portrayals presented, but give this movie credit for holding a viewer's attention without being overly sensationalistic. The performances are stellar, and the tone of the movie is realistic and gritty - it feels like Pennsylvania, and it could be the town where you live.I was delighted by a small inside joke. Gary Cole, who plays an investigator in this movie, is sitting in the courtroom while one of the defendants is being questioned. Reference is being made to the books the defendant owned and used as references, including the book "Fatal Vision," upon which another television movie based on fact was made. The camera swings slyly to Gary Cole, who did, in fact, play the infamous defendant, Captain Jeffrey MacDonald, in the movie "Fatal Vision." Very cute.This movie was being broadcast on Lifetime, which I normally tune to when I want to fall asleep. Unfortunately, I was drawn in far enough I never took that nap.