Exposed

Plot synopsis:
A police detective investigates the circumstances behind his partner's death. The mysterious case leads to an attempted police cover-up and a dangerous secret involving an unlikely young woman. The two parallel story lines initially appear to have little in common, but as events gradually unfold in the two separate urban worlds, the young woman appears to somehow be involved in the detective's demise.
The dead cop was depraved and corrupt. His colleagues fear that the investigation into his death will bring these facts to light. The results would include bad press for the police department and the loss of his pension for his family. The fear is based on the fact that one of the prime suspects in the case is a young ex-convict who had allegedly been sexually molested with a broomstick wielded by Detective Cullen. Supervisors within the precinct would rather let the murderer go free than to open up a Pandora's Box of troubles for everyone concerned.
Meanwhile in Isabel's private world, she believes that the strange beings she has begun seeing on the streets are angels. Accordingly, she thinks that her mysterious "impossible" pregnancy is a gift from God. Strangely, however, nobody in her family believes her. Surprisingly, they are eventually proven to be correct.
Isabel's "angels" are a fabrication of her own mind. She created them to accompany a fictional narrative that would replace the unbearably traumatic memories of being raped by Detective Cullen on the subway platform the night that her "visions" began. She further suppressed the memory of catching him off guard afterwards and killing him in a fit of righteous rage. The buried memories are released in an avalanche of images after a brief stay at her parents' house triggers a sudden recollection of sexual abuse from her father many years ago.
There is a plot device employing the use of a young girl whom Isabel befriends who, it is finally revealed, is almost as imaginary as her "angels". The girl is revealed to be Isabel as a child. She disappears from the pew in the church as Isabel prays for the strength to accept what has happened.

Tags: murder

Review:
What's blatantly apparent with this film is...the script seems never to have transcended the first-draft stage...the characters all seem either to be on psychotropic drugs, or to be in need of psychotherapeutic ones...and the director seems to have had his mind on other things  perhaps how to act in his small but completely forgettable part.However, for some of us, the challenge is to discover the good points of 'critical failures', such as "Exposed", and as everyone seems to be somewhat more then vaguely aware, what's most redeeming about this film is, in a word, "NASTASSJAKINSKI"!
The early 80's seemed to be a ripe time for espionage-themed films and, taken as a whole, is probably somewhere in the middle in terms of quality (goodness knows there were worse!).
However, what makes it worth seeing are two things: its European locales (all in monochromatic greys and browns) and, first and foremost, the astonishing and eye-achingly beautiful Kinski, in what may well be her ripest, fiercest, most raw performance captured on film.
What surrounds her, unfortunately, is either standard or downright embarassing: wooden supporting performances (particularly Nureyev, who looks singularly uneasy and clodding, ironic for someone who spent a lifetime being praised for his graceful moves), an often senseless plot, and direction that veers from shameful to confused, none of which is helped by sometimes-spastic editing.
There isn't a single false moment delivered by her, as a young woman who falls into the world of both modeling and espionage, giving the film as a whole the unmistakable air of 'what-could-have-been'.
It is hard to describe in words what occurs in this film that I find so striking.Kinski is sheer brilliance.
It is though we were watching a documentary.The film is an awful mess but at the same time I found it fascinating.
It seemed awkward in an awkward film.I like it for its foolishness and its attempt of making the world of fashion and terrorism seem romantic.Kinski breaks the barrier between audience and screen as the magazine Variety stated.
"Exposed" is one of those stories that take quite a long time to finally get where it needs, makes more turns than twists but when it gets to its point it rushes things when it shouldn't.
Here we follow in detail the stardom of Elizabeth (Nastassja Kinski) a young woman who abandons her studies and goes to New York to try make a living, fails again and again until she gets discovered by a photographer (Ian McShane) who'll make of her a super-model just like that.
Barely this girl could predict she was going to meet a strange man (Rudolf Nureyev) who would make her life turn upside down with his offer to help him catch a terrorist (Harvey Keitel) and his group who spreads the terror in Europe.
If put aside the logic and that great notion of what makes great movies great, "Exposed" can only be one thing: fun to watch.
It's a glamorous, exciting and a little thrilling multi-genre piece that knows how to sell beauty, pleasure, the joys of high-life, the excitement of the fashion world (which it's rare to be seen both in movies and in life) and throws in the middle a strange view of current wave of terrorism of the 1980's with idealists fighting against imperialism yet being part of it or wanting the same things (as Keitel's character makes perfectly clear about the things he fights for).
And gotta acknowledge the way director James Toback films and presents the whole thing, a great sense of style - the scenes in Paris are the most fascinating, the ones in New York not so much - sensual, provocative, and there's even bits of good dialogues.
High points: the opening scene ending with a terrorist attack (heart goes to mouth in that part); the violin scene, one of the most erotic moments in film history with the clothes on; and Elizabeth joining the group.
The ending was too rushed, could be more inventive, riskier and more dangerous (what happened to the bombs?).Most reviews here states "Exposed" as being a mess.
I wonder if people were really watching the movie, or maybe they were all just dazzled with Kinski's beauty that they got lost somewhere and couldn't keep going right.
The agent played by Nureyev pretends to use Elizabeth as a bait to attract the terrorists, since one of the members was attracted to her during a photo session in Paris.
They are not there.Everything might be halfway or under-developed but the main attribute of "Exposed" isn't and that is Kinski's presence.
The other cast members are there for the name sake and that's that: Nureyev is completely wooden but there's something about him that makes of his a good choice for the role (just hated his accent, difficult to hear at times); Keitel plays a good sinister role but we create so much anticipation over his character that disappoints when he's there for less than half an hour; the director himself choose to play the despicable teacher, Elizabeth's ex-boyfriend, giving himself a great entrance with a class about Goethe and Werther (I agree with his statement on it) but leaves the story being a jerk; and there's small and unsatisfying roles to names like Bibi Andersson, James Russo and Pierre Clementi as the sassy terrorist member who is about to betray the group.
Today, this movie may appear to be wooden and dated, especially with the performance or lack of performance of Rudolph Nureyev who is absolutely obliterated by Nastassja.
The movie on its own cannot be taken seriously, but it maybe viewed as a celebration of Nastassja Kinski..
Nastassja Kinski seduces the camera without ego.
Exposed showcases Nastassja Kinski's enigmatic beauty.
James Toback directed the film to showcase Kinski and expected her to become a superstar after it's release.
It was if Director Toback said to Kinski: " Just be yourself." It is unique to witness how this actress can be captured so unattractive then in the right light become the most radiant unusual striking figure of defined beauty.
There is something very sexy about the film as Kinski gets transformed from farm girl to high fashion model.
The film has some cool 60's rock interwoven in the story, :"Locomotion" and "La Bamba" play as Kinski discovers her new world.
There is a scene where they look like vampires as pretense surrounds Published photos in a gallery showcasing Kinski.
It was a pivotal moment in the film to prove to the audience why this actress was the "one." Toback keeps the viewer away at times from the action.
Nastassja Kinski gives off an incredibly natural performance in this otherwise quite forgetful film.
There is a soaring performance by Natassja Kinski but other cast members, including Rudolph Nureyev, never get off the ground and remain wallowing in mud.
Worst of all the director James Toback is so deep in the mire that he could not even produce a story which the average moviegoer could easily follow.
Natassja plays the part of a fashion model who appears to have received so much publicity that she has attracted the attention of undesirable characters, which is perhaps a good basis for a drama.
But from this point things go rapidly downhill as it becomes increasingly difficult to get any idea of what is supposed to be going on.For a users rating, one outstanding performance certainly deserves one point; but it is hard to think of any justification for giving this film an additional one, so I will rate it at 1 out of 10 - sorry Natassja, you deserved better..
Somehow the parts don´t really add up but it´s still worth watching.The camera can´t get enough of Nastassja Kinski which is understandable since she is gorgeous.
Then, she meets a mysterious man (European natch), follows him to France and gets involved with a terrorist group plotting to kill several people.But all this is very entertaining in a loose way with fine low-key performances from everyone.
Nastassja is very good as the curious, open and vulnerable girl.So it´s the directors folly, but it´s very interesting to see the 80´s again, people like Nureyev, Harvey Kietel and Bibi Andersson, a terrorist groups´ way of thinking from the inside, and the looseness of the film is rather appealing if one can give reality a rest.
Every once in a while, you see a movie so dull and so stupid, you have to wonder if drugs were somehow involved in making the film.
Nastassja Kinski plays a Wisconsin farm girl named Elizabeth who leaves home and runs away to New York.
Soon she's in Europe, and is recruited by a mysterious violin player (the awful corpse-like Rudolf Nureyev) to infiltrate a terrorist organization and kill it's leader.
The leader is played by Harvey Keitel, who is given next to nothing to do.The only good scene is at the very beginning when two terrorist babes blow up a Parisian restaurant.
In more capable hands and with a better cast, this film could have been good.
The script is convoluted and boring, the acting is atrocious, the direction is flat, there is no suspense, and no characters that seem even human.Oddly, so many people seem to praise Nastassja Kinski as a great actress.
In every film I've seen her in she just seems vacant and bored, but this is Kinski at her worst, no doubt..
This is a colossal waste of the talent of actors like Keitel, Nastassja Kinski, Carl Lee and Russo.
The movie would be gauged as sophomoric compared to the worst efforts of high school film classes..
Silly story, silly direction = silly film.
When you focus on the aspect "direction", this movie seems to be one of the worst you can watch.
The only positive aspect about this movie is Natassia Kinski.Mr. Toback (adequate name) probably has some influent friends, or is somebody's cousin or something.In this film, I always had the impression, that Mr Toback thinks that terrorism is the worst threat that exists for humanity.
I had to watch several good movies to start forgetting this crap..
best Kinski movie ever!!!.
And I think another look at Kinskis' choice in making this will give her fans a better understanding of her artistic makeup..
Like some of the others that have commented on this film I first watched this about 20 years ago and have seen it a few more times since then and I'm not sure what it is about this but it's definitely an intriguing mess.
Story is about a Wisconsin girl named Elizabeth Carlson (Nastassja Kinski) who leaves college and heads to New York City where after getting a job as a waitress is discovered by a fashion agent who makes her into a very successful model.*****SPOILER ALERT***** While this is all going on she notices a strange man following her (Rudolf Nureyev) and eventually has to confront him and learns that his name is Daniel Jelline and he wants to kill a terrorist.
They engage in a romance and she follows him to Paris but gets upset when she discovers that he used her to try and get closer to Rivas (Harvey Keitel) who's the terrorist and plotting his next act of destruction.
Elizabeth notices a woman from New York that was watching her and recognizes her as one of the members of Rivas gang and they strike up a conversation which results in her getting the opportunity to meet him.
After Rivas lets her go she immediately goes to get Daniel and this leads to a violent and bloody conclusion.This was the third film that James Toback had written and directed and he was still riding the critical praise of his first film "Fingers" but he seemed to bite off more than he could chew with this story.
First off, nobody believed Kinski was a girl from the Midwest and she never appeared at home until she arrived in Paris.
Keitel is woefully miscast as a terrorist and after multiple viewings of this film I was never sure if he was supposed to be a Parisian or something else.
I've heard everyone describe Nureyev's performance as wooden and stiff but with his dark eyes I always compared him to Dracula and every time he spoke he would either speak in metaphors or recite something poetically.
There's something alluring and intriguing about the story and I think it has to do with the casting of Kinski who has often been described as a force to reckon with.
At one point Kinski does a dance by herself and with her unique screen presence one can't help but be absorbed by her character.
Toback's script and film has such high aspirations and is so ambitious that for most of us it commands some sort of attention.
Many future viewers will simply reject this after one viewing and not think twice about it but for those of us who watched Kinski and Toback rise to they're abilities in the early 80's this clumsy film has always been something of a curiosity..
"Exposed" has to be one of the most unusual, different, and unpredictable films I have ever seen.
I actually believe that this criticism is unjustified, since writer-director James Toback is really trying to make a very ambitious film on the theme of the western world "breaking down" morally, politically, economically, and every other way.
Toback, playing a professor in this picture, even makes this point rather banally to a classroom filled with indifferent students.
The film then pursues this theme in a very fresh and original way by exploring the turbulent life of Elizabeth Carlson, who is played brilliantly here by the German actress Nastassja Kinski.
The beginning of the film shows a terrorist attack and Elizabeth looking indifferently at her literature professor in that order, begging the question of how these two scenes are related.
The end of the film shows Elizabeth gazing over her dying lover in the streets of Paris as the western world, in a metaphorical sense, collapses all around her.Aside from the mostly interesting plot, the strength of the film lies in Natassija Kinski's performance as Elizabeth.
She plays this character so brilliantly that we can almost overlook those moments in the film where she delivers poor lines.
Rudolf Nureyev's performance as the enigmatic violinist David Jelline is not as good, but he is still very interesting to watch all the same.
I found the acting of most of the supporting cast to be amateurish and dull, including Toback's brief performance as the literature professor.
Yet there were enough unexpected plot developments (including a "violin seduction" that has to be seen to be believed), classical music, and interesting characters to keep me interested right up to the end..
A great line in the movie is when Harvey tells Nastassja that the "revolution" is about fine cigars, a room in the Hilton, a nice car and women.
Especially in Italy.One important unrecognized "actor" is the professor at the beginning of the film that makes a very awkward "awwwwkard" pass at Nastassja in the beginning.
A great dancer(Nureyev), and hot actress (Kinski), hot models, and intrigue and culture...give it a chance.
Nastassia Kinski: Super Model/Terrorist Hunter.
Probably the only movie ever made about a terrorist hunting super-model, James Toback's thriller is not particularly good.
It's a snail-paced film featuring Nastassia Kinski as a model recruited by Rudolf Nureyev to kill Harvey Keitel.
Kinski is pretty good and looks striking and Nureyev is suitably mysterious.
Kinski's character is fuzzy and Keitel, who shows up near the end of the film, is really given nothing to do.
Toback makes an un-billed appearance as Kinski's brusque college professor.
"Exposed" is one of the oddest movies I have seen for a long time.
I wouldn't really call it a bad movie, because there are some good things here and there.
It starts off as a look at a college student getting over a relationship with one of her professors, then moves to becoming a tale about a woman who becomes a heavily in demand professional model (overnight!), then moves to a relationship budding between the movie's heroine and someone somewhat older, then concludes by becoming a thriller about finding and terminating a terrorist!
Like a number of other reviewers, possibly also male, the fact that it starred Nastassja Kinski was almost enough reason to buy it.
"Exposed" was definitely worth risking $4.99.Of course, buying movies just for the stars is as dangerous as buying them just for the special effects – usually it's like a snack full of empty calories – for proper nourishment; a movie needs a good story.
I had to rewind the movie more than once to come up with even a brief summary.Elizabeth Carlson, played by Nastassja Kinski, leaves a Mid-Western college where she has been having an unhappy affair with one of her professors, Leo Boscovitch, an unsympathetic character played rather flatly by James Toback who also wrote and directed the film.Arriving in New York, Elizabeth is discovered by fashion photographer, Greg Miller played by Ian McShane – he sees a great future for that sultry look.
She becomes a famous model, and attracts the attention of Daniel Jelline, Rudolf Nureyev's character, a man committed to hunting down a deadly terrorist named Rivas.
Daniel also happens to be a world-renowned concert violinist.After following Daniel to Paris, she finds that he has set her up as a lure for Rivas, played by Harvey Keitel.
Rivas gets to spout his terrorist philosophy before events come to a head with a shootout on the banks of the Seine.In the end, it's too contrived and too talky; the terrorists may as well have been vampires for all the sense it makes.There is one long scene with Nureyev and Kinski that eventually leads to modest exposure in the bedroom.
Anyway, Nureyev will hardly be remembered for his acting.Toback, who had a self-confessed gambling addiction in real life, takes chances with his movies.