Twisted

Plot synopsis:
Police officer Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) has just been transferred to homicide and promoted to detective inspector. Her first big case is a murder investigation of a man she has dated. The next day, another man shows up dead with the same cigarette burn on his hand, and he had also dated Jessica. The police are now looking for a serial killer who has the propensity to kill men Jessica has dated. Jessica begins to have dreams about her past, and she opens a box that belonged to her father. Jessica's father was a police officer who went crazy and killed his wife and her lovers, and then himself. His partner and later police commissioner John (Samuel L. Jackson) raised Jessica, and taught her everything about police work. When a third murder occurs, her partner, Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia) begins to watch and protect Jessica. Jessica goes to jail after the fourth victim ends up in her bed. She has no memory of any of the murders, because she blacks out before each murder. The killer is eventually revealed to be John.

Tags: suspenseful, neo noir, murder, violence, flashback

Review:
Andy Garcia, Russell Wong, and Leland Orser are in the film, too, and that's definitely not a shabby supporting cast.The film stars Judd as San Francisco patrol officer Tess Shepard.
And considering she keeps blacking out the night each of the men is killed, she begins to suspect if she's the very own killer they're looking for.For all that's very wrong with this film, Twisted isn't nearly as bad as I though it'd be.
Twisted is blessed with a surprisingly high-profile cast, and while most everyone is nothing less than decent, it's a bit of a surprise actors of such high-caliber would choose a script that plays out more like 'TV movie of the week' material.
Competent acting is always a great plus in the genre, but it also takes plot and suspense to actually make a thriller with thrills and this movie has absolutely zilch in that department..
But it doesn't quite work.Officer Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) is a kick ass police officer who has just been promoted to Homicide Inspector.
Jackson) who has raised her and nurtured her career following the tragic deaths of her parents some years earlier.Shepard's new partner turns out to be Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia) whom she had unknowingly met the previous evening during a party at a bar in her honor.
Why does someone as talented as Ashley Judd keep making such rotten movies?Does she read the scripts before she commits to them?There was a time when Ms. Judd made terrific films - "Ruby in Paradise" and "Smoke" - she has a cameo and what a superb performance it is."Twisted" is just a mess of a movie.
Jackson, Andy Garcia and director Philip Kaufman.I can only hope that this film will finally prove to Ms. Judd that it's time to give this genre a break - for good - and sink her teeth into better roles..
Ashley Judd plays police detective Jessica Shepard, on the hunt for a serial killer who is murdering the men she recently dated.
When Jessica starts blacking out before each murder, the police commissioner (Samuel Jackson) and her partner (Andy Garcia) begin to suspect that she may be more directly involved with the murders.
High Crimes, Eye of the Beholder, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy and now Twisted have all starred Ashley Judd and I think audiences are getting bored watching her in the same role in every movie.
You would think having Andy Garcia and Samuel L Jackson would help but apparently no talented actor can save the movie.
It's a by the numbers thriller and if you pay close attention to the film you can figure out the killer five minutes into the movie.
Here's a great definition that a friend of mine who is a noir expert dug up: "...Film noir is a crime story in which characters in the grip of urgent appetites (sex, money and revenge are the most popular) are driven to perform extremely dangerous, complicated and often morally dubious acts, and in which the prevailing mood--a mixture of fear, desire and desperation--is intensified by both a single-minded economy of narrative and almost oppressive formality of graphic design..." TWISTED stars Ashley Judd as a tough cop who picks up guys in bars and has wild sex with them.
What is different about this film from say, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, is that in TWISTED, Jess (Ashley's character) comes to believe that she might be the killer she is looking for.
Someone just sent me an excellent definition: "...a film noir is a crime story in which the characters in the grip of urgent appetites (sex, money and revenge are the most popular) are driven to perform extremely dangerous, complicated and often morally dubious acts, and in which the prevailing mood--a mixture of fear, desire and desperation-- is intensified by both a single-minded economy of narrative and an almost oppressive formality of graphic design.." TWISTED is not a typical Hollywood film, nor is it an Ashley Judd "woman in jeopardy" film.
pretty good for the genre.it has suspense,plot twists,a nice creepy,dark atmosphere.it drop some nice tantalizing clues as to who the killer may be.Ashley Judd make a real kick ass heroine.she's certainly credible in he role,as a new homicide inspector with a more than a little baggage.Sam Jackson is great(once again,as her mentor,as well as the commissioner.Andy Garcia plays her new partner.he was OK,but i didn't really feel he completely fit the movie.there was just something...i really liked David Strathairn,as a police shrink.his role wasn't that big,but i thought he was impressive,none the less.i also liked the great Jazz soundtrack.despite all the good things about this movie,i wouldn't call it great.for one thing,it lacks any intense action,it's not really riveting or harrowing.so i wouldn't classify it as a thriller,but more a straight crime drama/murder mystery.i would have preferred it to be a bit more exciting.for me,Twisted is a 7.5/10.
In the end I quite liked it for what it was, a good, but not very original thriller.I went to the cinema without knowing much about the movie.
Well, in my opinion this is a good thriller with a lot of twists and good acting (especially by Jackson, who gives the strongest performance of the movie).
Starring Ashley Judd, Samuel L Jackson and Andy Garcia  `Twisted' is a very good suspense thriller.A police officer (Ashley Judd) who is investigating a murder finds herself at the center of the investigation when all of her past lovers start dying.Like others stated, this kind of plot has been repeated over and over but I found acting very good with Andy Garcia and Ashley Judd.
In this movie Ashley Judd plays a sexy cop who picks up guys at a bar then sleeps with them before they surprisingly end up dead.
Jackson) a Chief of Police, who raises Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) his old partner's daughter to become a policewoman.
Police officer Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) has just been transferred to homicide and promoted to detective inspector.
The picture deals about Jessica(Ashley Judd) a tough police, she's recently promoted to homicides brigade of San Francisco.Her mentor is John Mills(Samuel L.Jackson) who was pal of the late father,a serial killer who murdered to her mother.Meanwhile, she picks up attractive men in bars and has sex with them,but they start dying around her and she is the center of her proper investigations converting in the principal suspect.Jessica will have to prove to her superiors(Russell Wong) and her partner Mike(Andy Garcia) that she's not behinds the killings.
From the beginning to the end the suspense is continued ,happening numerous surprises and events.The title film is pretty fitted but storyline is very twisted.Cinematography by Peter Deming is murky and dark with only exception when the protagonists are going in a speedboat for the docks and shore of San Francisco.
Ashley Judd, who has become a somewhat veteren to this genre of movies was excellent as the alcoholic cop, Jessica Sheppard and Andy Garcia was also very good as her partner, Mike.
Jackson and Andy Garcia and think "Wow, this could be a good movie." I pop it in and I am completely serious: I turned it off after 3 minutes.
Here's why:The beginning scene starts with a mysterious back drop around San Francisco with misty clouds, birds flying and Ashley Judd with a knife to her throat by none other than Leland Orser - if you don't know who he is, then search for him on IMDb now believe me you've seen him before.
Ashley Judd, (Jessica Shepard) gave an outstanding performance as a female cop who is promoted to detective and her first case involves a serial killer who seems to be killing all her one night stand pick ups and even her ex-husband.
I like Samuel L, Ashley Judd and Andy Garcia, but I'm sorry this time they messed up.The movie feels like a TV series that has been edited down to 93 minutes of film.
The first 30 minutes of it which should be used to build up some suspense and feeling for the characters are horrible, the only thing that makes you watch the hole thing is that you can not believe that the whole movie is as bad as the beginning.
Given all that, TWISTED is a tight little film about the San Francisco police force and the investigators and detectives who seek to unwind the mystery of rapid sequence homicides with signature trademarks that suggest a single murderer.Ashley Judd plays Jessica, the daughter of a serial killer father who happened to off her adulterous mother, giving her full reason to pursue a career in homicide division while also revealing her internal fear that she may have inherited the bad seed.
Jackson) is supportive as is her partner Mike (Andy Garcia) but as the story progresses everyone becomes suspect in the derring-do of the investigation until the real perpetrator is revealed at the end.Judd offers yet another committed performance as the tortured Jessica, Jackson is Jackson, Garcia gives a nicely underplayed performance, and there is a fine cameo by the talented Camryn Manheim as the forensic pathologist.
I rented this movie along with taking lives ( which was not worth the $4.99 rental fee) so I was pleased to have had twisted to watch.A. Judd is better when she has more leading stars to perform with.
Ashley Judd, as Jessica Shepard, homicide partner with Delmarco, puts the controversy in crime, and Samuel L.
Jackson, as John Mills, Chief of Homicide, puts the claim into conviction.Twisted is a completely thrilling thriller, and I can almost guarantee that you will not suspect who the killer is, until the last five minutes of the movie.
This twisted tale begins as Jessica Shepard is saving herself at knife point, from a man who thinks that he can get just a little more sex out of her, than she actually intends to give.
So much for the thought that having Andy Garcia, Samuel Jackson and Ashley Judd means that the movie should be at least average.
Everyone knows that cop-oriented serial killer movies have a basic formula and that usually the only differences between them are the actors involved, the methods of killing and maybe a quirk or surprise or two along the way.
Believe it or not, that can be considered as a possibility - albeit only in the "Twisted" universe making up this film...Partner Andy Garcia (as Mike Delmarco), superior Samuel L.
But, because it's so dumb, "Twisted" may keep you guessing even after the final revelation.***** Twisted (2/23/04) Philip Kaufman ~ Ashley Judd, Andy Garcia, Samuel L.
. His scenes were wisely shot so that the moviegoers may suspect, but they will not find out until the very end, who the real villain really is.TWISTED is a more than adequate movie with an array of suspects designed to keep you interested plus a decent pace to keep the story-line moving..
Having a big cast seems to be what the money making movies goes towards (obviously), but the good ones stand out where this movie just stands.Andy Garcia (wonderful actor) is pitted along with Ashley Judd as homocide detectives who are to figure out who are killing former lovers of Judd's character.
Just 15 minutes into the "story" I got a headache, seems like the writers build the script cutting and pasting every cliché and moronic one liners from 1980's Soap Operas, the characters are unreal, the situations are unbelievable, the dialogues are so cartoonish that gives you pain to listen good actors like Jackson, Garcia and Judd repeating so much nonsense.
Samuel L Jackson, Andy Garcia & Ashley Judd lead the cast, with a line up like that surely I can expect a good movie.
Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd), a San Francisco police officer just promoted to homicide inspector (detective), is searching for a serial killer of men.
I already like Ashley Judd, Andy Garcia and Samuel Jackson, so maybe I'm just a tiny bit biased.
To say some about "Twisted", after watching about 15 minutes I was beginning to expect flashing screens saying: "This is a clue!" and "Here's another one!" If I had paid money to watch this movie I probably would ask it back at the Videostore.I think I'll watch a film from my own collection when I'm finished with this comment.
A thriller with many night-time scenes is not a "noir.""Twisted" is badly directed, poorly acted and terribly filmed.
TWISTED (2004) * Ashley Judd, Andy Garcia, Samuel L.
Judd is woefully miscast as a boozy, loose tough-as-nails police detective investigating a serial killer that all signs point to her as the chief suspect with some laughable red herrings and plot 'twists' as it were including her mentor/superior officer Jackson and her newly assigned partner (a decidedly bloated looking Garcia!) Sarah Thorp's hole-ridden screenplay is the main culprit in this staggeringly stupid generic policier thriller and it's unfathomable why a director like Philip Kaufman took this piece of junk when any newcomer could've easily screwed it up as bad as he does to boot.
An interesting and well-paced movie, it could have been a lot better with Ashley Judd at the helm with a director that would have made the hard decisions about plot.
It was really drawn out...and you think that you know the plot twist coming by the end of the film, where as you really don't.Ashley Judd was excellently casted for this part, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her in this.
The film also included four strong performances from Ashley Judd, Andy Garcia, Samuel L.
There was also some great location footage of San Francisco, especially the scenes around the Palace of Fine Arts.The only drawback of this film was in the characterization of the protagonist, the young homicide inspector played by Ashley Judd.
(Tell me you didn't groan when you heard Samuel Jackson tell Ashley Judd "You did great...but you screwed up," etc.}  If you've been watching movies more than a few years you'll probably figure out who the killer is less than halfway through.
I know it's standard in a cop drama to have several possible suspects, but "Twisted" serves up a whole school of red herrings.The heroine, Jessica Sheppard (Ashley Judd), also has far too much psychological baggage and too many tics.
I read the bad reviews before watching the movie, & thought I would give it a chance as it had good actors, & I like thrillers.
The acting here is good, particularly Ashley Judd, who is as good as usual.So if you are looking for a good thriller to while away 90 minutes, then this is not a bad way to go about it..
It is possible that my low expectations had some thing to do with the fact that I ended up liking the film but no matter how average the script was or how predictable the story was it was impossible not to notice the fine job of directing by Kaufman.
If all this sounds a bit implausible it's the only explanation I could come up with as to how so many talented people ended up in making a film as messy, ludicrous and is as half-baked as Twisted is.Jessica Shepherd (Ashley Judd) has just been promoted to be a homicide detective.
Well, it was my 2nd choice for the evening, work commitments messed up a film that came on earlier that I had planned to watch.Ashley Judd plays promiscuous Detective Jessica Shepard, who'll have sex with anything wearing pants that's male.
Jackson, and Andy Garcia emerges as a less suspenseful distaff version of the Clint Eastwood serial killer saga "Tightrope" (1984), but with a heroine who behaves like the nymphomaniac in 1977's "Looking for Mr. Goodbar." A first-rate cast flounders in freshman scenarist Sara Thorp's darkly-themed, neo-film noir, crime melodrama that casts sexy brunette Judd as a thuggish San Francisco policewoman with a bit of "Dirty Harry" Callahan in her blood.
Watch the Ashley Judd & Morgan Freeman movie "Kiss The Girls," if you want to see a better serial killer thriller.
In San Francisco, the promiscuous, but very efficient and violent Detective Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) is promoted to the Homicide Department with the support of his superior John Mills (Samuel L.
Her new partner is Detective Mark Delmarco (Andy Garcia), and when they start working together, they find that a serial killer is torturing and murdering all the one night stand lovers of Jessica, and she questions whether she might be the chased assassin.
"Twisted" looks like a TV movie and I feel that the great cast was wasted in a common plot.
I found it slow moving, derivative, and without great acting roles for a very good cast, which included Ashley Judd, Samuel L.
I mean, how else can you explain why Ashley Judd, Andy Garcia and Samuel L Jackson signed up?
Jackson,and Andy Garcia, film was so stupid , that i stopped to watch after little bit over 2/3 of the movie , story is completely uninteresting, especially Ashley Judd who is sleeping with all the victims after the moment she saw them .....The movie starts out with about a half hour of boring dialogue and interactions as we are introduced to our characters, one as inconsequential as the next.
It had a great cast and pretty much everything Ashley Judd is in is great ( I am obviously a fan), but this movie was way to predictable.
I have always enjoyed the acting of Ashley Judd, Andy Garcia, & Samuel L.
Add the cast of Ashley Judd, Samuel L Jackson and Andy Garcia and I figure you can't miss right.......wrong.
The director's attempt to cast some credence to the possibility of Andy Garcia or David Strathairn characters as the serial killer of Jessica's one-night-flings was anemic.Ashley Judd, although always a draw for her sex appeal, is uninspiring and ineffective in the role as Inspector Jessica Shepard.