Diagonaldi Very well executed

Lumsdal Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

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

pointyfilippa The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

videorama-759-859391 Masquerade is a nifty tight thriller that's fun, and wonderfully packaged as one with kick, and some real big shocks, nasty twists that sting, all done in an impressive duration of 88 minutes, in an '88 hit surprise, in which so many things happen. Lowe is well cast, and does do the role justice, as a born yachtsman/playboy, trying to work his way up the ranks, by sleeping with hot young wives, and resorting to some deceptive and selfish motives, even graduating to murder. He falls for this young heiress (Tilly) who's very good, hitting the role with honest to god, truth, as an innocent, naive young girl, who's just lost her mother, and is fighting over her fortune with his last pig of a stepfather (excellent, the film's firey star, bedding floozy, Delaney). Yeah, greedy motives, interwoven with jealousy on and betrayal make for this impressive little thriller. Savant is the other second best performance, as the jealous ridden cop, and childhood friend of Tilly's. There's an even aftershock on Lowe's part, an act of retraction, you might say, which was another feature that impressed me like every surprisingly good performance from the cast, in a thriller that's fun, where at the end of the too short duration, we're kind of sad the ride is over.

moonspinner55 Rob Lowe is well-cast as a yacht racing captain/gigolo on the east coast, one who's conspiring with a sniveling con-man to get rid of a sheltered heiress worth millions, but the role isn't even one-layer deep, not requiring much from the actor (instead, the picture flatters Lowe with a series of dreamy movie star close-ups). Less a murder-mystery than a magazine-spread posing as one, this gauzy, posh affair set in the Hamptons was written by Dick Wolf as if he were trying for a potboiler novella. Meg Tilly does fine in an illogical role, John Glover once again works wonders as the proverbial hissable villain, but the other performances fall short. The movie, too, for all its mechanical twists that attempt to ratchet up the suspense, slides quickly from the mind, almost before its finished. ** from ****

Lechuguilla The film gets its title from the name of a yacht owned by a wealthy heiress, an attractive young woman just out of school, named Olivia (Meg Tilly). Olivia is a tad starry-eyed, wistful, and overly trusting. She owns eight houses and lives in the Hamptons, on Long Island. "Masquerade" is her story, and it involves romance, betrayal, and death.Into Olivia's life comes a good-looking, but not wealthy, skipper of a racing boat, a young man named Tim (Rob Lowe). Olivia falls in love with Tim. But is Tim really in love with her, or just after her money?The film's setup is both slightly misleading and a little slow to develop. But a major plot point at the end of the first Act perks up interest. And from here, "Masquerade" becomes a generally enjoyable thriller, until near the end. The plot climax does seem contrived. A simple phone call could have achieved one character's desired result. Instead, that character takes matters into his or her own hands. The result is an unnecessarily dramatic outcome.The casting of Meg Tilly is perfect for the role of Olivia. Everyone else in the cast is at least adequate.Color cinematography in outdoor scenes is quite good, especially those scenes filmed on the open waters off the coast of Long Island. Indoor sets are okay. Background music is boringly nondescript.My only major complaint pertains to the film's dated thematic style. Many scenes in "Masquerade" show lush mansions, manicured lawns, expensive sports cars, and haughty parties where women wear expensive gowns and dance with wealthy men to the ballroom music of a live orchestra. All of which is well executed. But some of these visuals are awfully reminiscent of other 1980s productions like "Dallas" and "Dynasty", which make "Masquerade" look stuck in the 1980s.This film offers entertainment in the form of interesting characters, more than one of whom "masquerade" as something they're not, and a twisty, betrayal driven plot that leads to an outcome that the viewer probably will not be able to predict.

Mister_Gordon_Shumway A handsome gigolo (Rob Lowe) charms his way into the life of a beautiful young woman, heiress to a multi-million dollar fortune. After the loss of her mother, she lives with her selfish and domineering stepfather, a ruthless cad intent on controlling both his stepdaughter's inheritance and her relationships. The local police officer also shows emotional interest in the heiress, having known her since childhood. But who can she really trust? 'Masquerade' was filmed around the time of 'Bad Influence' and Rob Lowe's scandal --- a sometimes underrated actor who, for a while, was typecast as the bad boy (see 'Waynes World', 'Tommy Boy' and 'Austin Powers'). Lowe has nevertheless proved his versatility as an actor with leading roles in films such as Stephen King's 'The Stand' (a deaf mute), Frank and Jesse (as Jesse James) and Stephen King's 'Salems Lot' (2005). He adopts the role of deceptive gigolo with veritable ease, appearing simultaneously charming and devious. It is the script that inevitably lets the film down.In short it is a dark and moody thriller, which focuses on the themes of money and greed, trust and betrayal. It is reasonably-paced and contains a multitude of twists and turns, though could be a bit more lively in places. Furthermore, it boasts a talented supporting cast that includes Meg Tilly, Doug Savant, John Glover and Kim Cattrall.Matthew J Lee-Williams, Review.