Black Widow (1987)

Directed by Bob Rafelson. Starring Debra Winger, Theresa Russell, Nicol Williamson, Terry O’Quinn, Sami Frey, James Hong, Lois Smith, Leo Rossi, Dennis Hopper, D. W. Moffett, Mary Woronov. [R]

Winger’s federal agent obsessively tracks down a woman (Russell) who marries and murders wealthy men. What causes Winger to become so dedicated to her assignment that she’d ignore her superiors and common procedure and put herself at risk? What drives Russell to wantonly deceive and murder these dupes, even when she knows someone’s on her trail? Who knows, who cares, shrugs this mediocre thriller, which is all skin-deep sinfulness and missed opportunities—the two women even become “friends” in the second half, which opens up all sorts of intriguing alleyways to explore, but the filmmakers stay on Main Street. Winger can’t get a bead on her confused character as written and wavers between disinterested and overwrought, and early scenes with her colleagues go nowhere and provide little detail into her professional or personal makeup; Russell is better, scene by scene, but she, too, is let down by a screenplay that moves her around against her will instead of letting the story develop organically from her lethal yet enigmatic personality. In support, Williamson and O’Quinn (as one of Russell’s victims and a Justice Department official, respectively) provide their usual spark, but Frey is lifeless onscreen, an unworthy candidate for a hotel magnate both ladies set their sights on. Diane Ladd and David Mamet make cameo appearances.

48/100