Suspect
Tags: neo noir, murder

Plot synopsis:
Set in Washington DC, Suspect centers on three disparate characters. Carl Wayne Anderson is a homeless, deaf-mute Vietnam veteran accused of murdering Elizabeth Quinn, a file clerk at the Justice Department. Kathleen Riley is the beleaguered Federal Public Defender assigned to represent Anderson. An agribusiness lobbyist who normally works on Capitol Hill, Eddie Sanger, is made a member of the jury and begins investigating the details of the murder himself, eventually teaming up with Riley to solve the case. We see some early scenes of Sanger's work as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill, including his efforts to win passage of a bill by seducing a Congresswoman. While not relevant to the movie's plot, these scenes are establishing shots giving us a sense for Sanger as a charming, though somewhat ruthless, person.The movie begins around Christmas with the suicide of a United States Supreme Court Justice, for which no explanation or context is given. We only see the Justice making a tape recording and then shooting himself. Shortly after the Justice's suicide, Elizabeth Quinn's body is found floating in the Potomac river, and Carl Wayne Anderson is arrested for the crime, based almost entirely on the fact that he was found sleeping in Quinn's car, which was abandoned in the parking lot where she worked (and was mostly deserted at night). Anderson explains that he found it unlocked and was just looking for a warm place to sleep since it was the dead of winter. But since he was homeless, had no alibi, and was found in Quinn's car, he was arrested for her murder. The establishing scenes show Riley trying to communicate with Anderson and realizing that he is a deaf-mute. Over time, she begins to penetrate his hard exterior and he tries to cooperate with her efforts to mount a defense for him.In the District of Columbia, all crimes are tried in the federal courts, so a murder trial that would normally be in state court was in federal court instead. Riley selects Sanger to be a member of her jury. Soon thereafter, it becomes clear that Sanger is intent on helping Riley with her investigation and defense of Anderson. As the investigation by Riley and Sanger intensifies, they begin focusing on Deputy Attorney General Paul Gray. Figuring that a key found on Elizabeth Quinn's body has something to do with the Justice Department (where Quinn worked), Riley and Sanger break into the file department at the Justice Department late one night and try to find what the key unlocks. They find that it unlocks a file cabinet, which contained trial transcripts from federal cases from 1968 that Quinn was in the process of transcribing.While the investigation goes on after hours, the movie shows scenes during the day from Anderson's murder trial. During the trial, we are introduced to the stern federal judge Matthew Helms (John Mahoney). Helms is rumored to be the President's nominee for a seat on the prestigious United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Judge Helms begins to suspect that Riley may be collaborating with Sanger, which would be a disbarrable offense of jury tampering, although he does not have concrete proof. One key sequence in a law library (where Riley and Sanger continue looking for the elusive case from 1968 that may be the key to the murder) brings Helms, Riley and Sanger into close proximity. Riley and Sanger narrowly avoid being caught by Judge Helms. Eventually, Judge Helms sequesters the jury to avoid further contact between Riley and Sanger.Riley and Sanger continue tracking the federal court cases from 1968. Their theory is that Elizabeth Quinn stumbled onto something during her transcription of those cases. They look for any case that might have an impropriety. As is explained to the audience, fixing a case requires participation from both the prosecutor and the trial judge. Riley and Sanger think they will find evidence that Paul Gray was a prosecutor on a rigged 1968 case, which would be his motive to murder Elizabeth Quinn if she approached Gray about what she found. Eventually, Riley goes back to Quinn's car (still impounded where it was found in a government parking lot) and finds an audiotape that the police did not uncover in their half-hearted investigation. The tape is the one we saw the Supreme Court Justice making at the beginning of the movie. In it, he confesses to conspiring to fix a case in 1968 (with a politically influential defendant) in return for an appointment from the United States District Court to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Riley assumes the prosecutor on that case was Paul Gray and goes back to the courthouse to retrieve the case book that will confirm this. As she gets to the courthouse (now deserted at night), she is pursued and attacked by an unseen figure. With the help of Sanger (who managed to get away from being sequestered by creating a diversion with a fire alarm), Riley was able to slice the right wrist of her assailant, who then fled unseen.The following day takes place in court. Paul Gray shows up in the courtroom, to the surprise of Judge Helms. Riley then tells Judge Helms that she wants him to take the stand. Irate and perplexed, Helms says that Riley cannot make him testify as he is the presiding judge. Then, in a somewhat-rushed speech, Riley reveals that Judge Helms, not Paul Gray, was the prosecutor in the fixed case in 1968. The Supreme Court Justice was the presiding judge in that case. In exchange for fixing the case, he was promoted from the District Court to the Court of Appeals. Helms, who was the prosecutor on the fixed case, was appointed to the District Court. Judge Helms then waited 17 years (from 1969 to 1986) to be promoted again to the Court of Appeals. Just as he learned he was the President's nominee, Quinn inadvertently discovered the case fixing as she transcribed the cases from 1968. She approached the Supreme Court Justice, who responded by committing suicide. By contrast, when she approached Judge Helms, he murdered her. As Judge Helms angrily bangs his gavel during Riley's accusation, his right wrist begins to bleed from where Riley slashed him the night before, confirming his identity as the killer.The movie ends with Riley reinvigorated in her job and in a relationship with Sanger.

Review: This movie version of "Suspect" finds Cher portraying a public defender that has been given a murder case in which her client, played by Liam Neeson, is deaf, dumb, and homeless.
Unable to verbally communicate in his defense, Neeson has to rely on Cher's ability to search through the evidence to prove his innocence.Caught up in this courtroom scene is Dennis Quaid, portraying a member of the jury that is unable to keep himself from being drawn to Cher.
I find today's movies to be so "dumbed down" to accommodate the full spectrum of moviegoers (the debt, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as SOME exceptions), and this thriller manages to combine a few genres (mystery, courtroom, thriller, drama, suspense) into one package.Cher stars as a lawyer, badly in need of a vacation, who gets appointed a murder case in which a deaf and mute suspect (Played by the ever-ready Liam Neeson) seems to have perpetrated the crime.
As she delves into the case, and into to case precedent, she begins to unravel a mystery that goes much higher than a homeless deaf mute.A fresh faced Dennis Quaid is a juror who is intrigued by puzzle pieces that don't seem to fit and begins his own look at the case, culminating in a heart pounding climax that'll leave you panting and wishing there was another hour to go!
She actually pulls this movie off.And watch for Frasiers dad, John Mahoney, as a judge here - don't worry, you won't miss him.Give it a look!!.
"Suspect" is how about a how a homeless man (Liam Neesom) and his public defender (Cher) find themselves in a case that has much larger ramifications than a simple matter of did a homeless person murder the victim for $9.The aspect that makes this movie a gem is the fine acting: Cher as the overworked and underpaid public defender, Liam Neeson as the deaf/mute defendant in one of his first major roles, Dennis Quaid as a sexy lobbyist (often messing around with congresswomen to get votes for his industry) turned juror turned amateur sleuth, and John Mahoney as the stoic judge at the trial.
A lot of it is pure fantasy but the moments in the courtroom are actually very much like a real courtroom in its obsessiveness with procedure and protocol.The story begins with the suicide of a prominent Supreme Court Justice and the subsequent murder of his assistant who has been slashed to death.
Cher is appointed to take the case, and Quaid ends up becoming one of the jurors.
Cher with the unlawful help of Quaid (lawyers and jurors in the same trial are not supposed to commiserate, let alone team up) stumbles upon some evidence that makes the case much more complex.
Cher easily convinces us of her serious attorney's commitment to helping society's outcasts;Liam Neeson in his first film role as the silent hulking Viet-vet street person accused of murder; Dennis Quaid at his cocky best as a razor-sharp lobbyist/juror, and John Mahoney and Philip Bosco.
Not only is this a courtroom drama (and as you know the streets of Hollywood seem to be paved with this kind of scripts), it also featured Cher as one of the main actresses.
When a judge commits suicide and his secretary is found murdered in a river, a homeless and deaf-mute man, named Carl Anderson, is arrested for her murder, because all indirect evidence points to him.
She gets help from the congressional adviser Eddie Sanger, who is called to be on the jury panel and together they find some important evidence that the murder has something to do with corruption in some high ranks...I must admit that Cher has done a better job than I ever expected from her.
The story on itself certainly isn't that bad, but the plot is a bit far-fetched and gives this movie an ending that is a bit too abrupt.In the end this is a reasonably well-done courtroom drama / thriller that lacks the required tension to be fully satisfying, but which offers some nice acting and some good direction.
Exciting, suspenseful and tightly woven suspense drama.Cher proves she can ACT.You probably will not immediately recognize Liam Neeson in the role of the deaf, mute, shell-shocked Carl Wayne Anderson.For someone that does not speak for the entire film he turns in a stellar performance.Dennis Quaid is very good as the juror that steps outside his assigned duties as a juror and becomes a detective.Also John Mahoney is almost unrecognizable as Judge Matthew Helms -- a polar opposite from his "Frasier" character.When I spoke to Tom Barbour (Justice Lowell in this film, stage actor and the father of Dudley Moore in the "Arthur" movies) he said when he got the script he was thrilled -- the film opens with him, it took place in his office, he had every other line, and then on page three -- well I guess you will just have to see it.Surprise ending goes right up to the last couple of minutes -- prepare to be shocked..
However, given the rather surprise ending, this would be a necessary variation, given its circumstances.Cher is not a person whom you reference when thinking of leading, versatile actresses -- but this isn't so.
John Mahoney's performance is well-delivered, and an interesting performance, in contrast with his more pleasant persona in "Moonstruck," also -- and particularly juxtaposed with his likable presence in the long-running "Frasier" series.As another pointed-out, there is a surprise ending, if somewhat more abrupt than seems necessary.But overall, an interesting, entertaining film..
Cher plays the role of a dedicated public defender who is given a case just as she is about to collapse from overwork.
The plot is far-fetched and a lot of elements might seem questionable:the whodunit,Dennis Quaid's cynical character,the umpteenth courtroom drama...But everything vanishes when it comes to depict the Cher/Liam Neeson relationship.Both shine ,especially the latter,who ,being deaf and dumb ,has to express his emotions with his face .He is so good he seems to carry the weight of the world .He was once a man who had something in his life ,but he was betrayed by his country when he returned from Vietnam.How a man who gave the best years of his life (to mention a famous movie)can be treated like a dog ("nine dollars ,it's much when you've got to survive" says his idealistic lawyer)and end up one of the last lonely and wretched?Every scene where they are together rings true.And "suspect" becomes the story of a redemption:physically,morally and intellectually,the homeless man regains his dignity his pride and the right to be a citizen again.There is a complex plot ,dealing with politics ,but it's the luminous Cher and the very moving Neeson,desperately trying to communicate, who will haunt the viewer after the movie..
When a deaf-mute homeless man is accused of murdering a federal worker in Washington DC, the public defender assigned to the case assumes he is guilty--until she begins to receive tips about the case from the most unlikely of sources: a member of the jury seated for the trial.Any one even remotely conversant with the law will find the story so full of loopholes that it is more than a little ridiculous, but it scarcely matters: the cast carries it off in fine style, playing the script with exceptional precision and poise and generating plenty of suspense along the way.
The same might be said for both Liam Neeson, who plays the deaf-mute on trial, and Dennis Quaid, who plays the smarmy juror who begins to put two and two together; SUSPECT is clearly Cher's picture, but her co-stars are every bit as good as she.Although it has its share of courtroom pyrotechnics and suspenseful moments, SUSPECT is a surprisingly low-key and all the more successful for it.
While it will never compete with the likes of Hitchcock, SUSPECT is a good, solid, and very unpretentious courtroom thriller executed with a great deal of style.
Cher is excellent as a public defender who has her passion for the law restored by a special case, even if some of the outfits she wears in court are questionable (a leather jacket!?
Quaid also does good work keeping the smugness that often marred his work at a minimum but the real standout is Liam Neeson who was just starting to break out of the pack at this point and emerge as star material.
An Outstanding Cast And A Great Courtroom Twist At The End. The highlight of this movie for me was a wonderful performance from Cher.
She was playing the part of Kathleen Riley, a public defender who gets caught up in more than she bargained for when she takes on the case of a homeless man accused of murdering a 24 year old woman.
We're quite sure that Carl (the homeless man played by Liam Neeson) did not kill the young woman.
Basically, we settle into a waiting game, as we look for the connection.The movie settles down for a while into a pretty standard courtroom drama, and Cher (and Joe Mantegna as the prosecutor) are quite credible in their courtroom activity.
Another twist is added to the story by Kathleen's growing involvement with juror Eddie (Dennis Quaid) - a congressional lobbyist who gets involved surreptitiously in helping to build the case for the defense.
The whole thing builds up to a surprising courtroom twist that would have done Perry Mason proud, and that I didn't see coming at all.My basic criticism of the movie is that it tries perhaps too hard to keep the viewer off balance.
A no-frills role for Cher playing an over-worked public defender whose latest client (forced upon her by the court) is a homeless, deaf-mute male accused of murder.
Dennis Quaid is a decent match for her as a Capitol Hill lobbyist and juror who wants to help piece together the mystery surrounding a murdered female clerical assistant who had information regarding dirty doings in Washington, D.C. A fairly sophisticated yarn, though one cut straight from a formula.
Cher delivers good performance in far-fetched courtroom drama....
He's a cocky juror with knowledge of the judicial system who gives her help in solving the case of a man wrongly accused of murder whom she's defending.LIAM NEESON is the wrongly accused and he's excellent in a role that has him as a homeless deaf mute accused of murdering a girl for a mere pittance.
There's a well done chase scene toward the end with the killer revealed only in shadow or shown only from shoes to knees, so that the final revelation of the killer in the courtroom does come as a surprise.Watchable but easily forgettable, with a not too convincing relationship established between CHER and DENNIS QUAID..
There were also a lot of other actors in the film who were outstanding, including Cher who was very believable.Anyway, Liam Neeson is a great actor and is very definitely under-rated.
In this low budget film Cher plays an overworked public defender that is given a high work load instead of her year vacation.
This impossible case seems to get worse as witnesses seem to murdered, and juror Dennis Quaid illegally helps Cher with her case.
Starring Cher and Dennis Quaid, Suspect is probably one of my most watched movies.
Liam Neeson does an excellent job of playing a mute/deaf person, and is extremely believable.
Solid performances by all the cast, especially Cher and Quaid, flow throughout the film.
There was sufficient suspense and mystery to keep my attention, and the attraction between Cher's and Quaid's characters adds another dimension to this quality movie.
Her homeless client Carl Anderson (Liam Neeson in a great performance) is a deaf-dumb veteran, on trial for murdering a young woman and stealing her purse, containing 9 dollars.
Carl claims to be innocent and being a conscientious lawyer, Riley investigates the case, to discover that there might be a lot more to it.Enter cocky Eddie (Quaid), a lobbyist forced to take jury duty.
The movie I'm sure was supposed to show Cher as the heroine but it is a creature of its time and its writer's time, so of course it takes a Man to save the day.
The Director said this was written by Cher herself - so you now know she was a great actress in this movie but should have left the writing to the writer.
Cher's character, a defence lawyer, cooperates with Quaid's, a juror, to investigate the case she's trying.
Cher is defending a deaf mute man (Liam Neeson) who is accused of murdering a judge and his secretary, but the case is not near as simple as it appears.
Dennis Quaid helps out Cher and John Mahoney is along for the ride as the judge trying the case.
Denis Quaid's character wants to solve the case himself, but at the same time, the movie is supposed to stress on Cher's character.
Of course, Cher's heroine receives one of the toughest cases with a deaf, violent man, accused in murder, played by Liam Neeson.
Suspect begins with a veteran judge, committing suicide and it turns out that his character has influence over the case, we follow through out the whole film.
I mean everything is OK in this movie and the only thing that actually helped this film get over a 5 out of 10 was the ending.
Cher plays a tireless, put-upon defense attorney who's handed a seemingly winless case, the murder trial of a homeless man (Liam Neeson) who also happens to be deaf and mute.
Seriously, it sounded like a pretend-yell, as in "Eek, help, I'm being attacked by a killer beagle!" Even so, Cher was appealing and acceptable in the lead role.Dennis Quaid was good as well, although his character wasn't exactly deep.
Made it all that much tougher to swallow.Rounding out the notables in the cast are Joe Mantegna as the prosecutor and John Mahoney in a great role as the presiding judge.Suspect would have been a winner if the writing had been a little tighter.
"Suspect" is a hugely enjoyable courtroom thriller in which a Washington D.C. public defender becomes convinced that the suspect in a murder trial is innocent and also that the case is unwinnable.
Unfortunately, accepting the help on offer also involves taking some extremely serious and potentially career threatening risks.Shortly after a Supreme Court Justice commits suicide and a clerk/typist who'd also worked in the Justice Department is found brutally murdered, a homeless man called Carl Wayne Anderson (Liam Neeson) is found with some of the victim's possessions on him and is immediately arrested and accused of her murder.Burned out public defender Kathleen Riley (Cher) is assigned to the case and soon discovers that her client is uncooperative and prone to having violent outbursts.
To make matters worse, the trial judge Matthew Helms (John Mahoney) is unsympathetic to the problems she's experiencing and also seems more preoccupied with other matters as he's said to be the President's nominee for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.Eddie Sanger (Dennis Quaid) is a jury member whose interest in the case leads him to carry out his own investigations.
Ultimately this information provides an explanation for the suicide and the murder and also leads to the discovery of the identity of the real murderer.Cher and Dennis Quaid both give good individual performances but are even better when working together.
Sanger, on the other hand, is a Capitol Hill lobbyist who's used to pursuing his goals in a ruthless manner and has no inhibitions about cutting corners or acting outside the rules if such actions are likely to produce the desired results."Suspect" has a good plot with many moments of real suspense and the solid performances provided by Cher and Dennis Quaid are also complemented by those of John Mahoney, Liam Neeson and Joe Mantegna..
What a wreck of a movie.At various points the dialogue was so bad it must have been written by a graduate of a junior high school creative writing class.In the middle of jury selection Cher has a lengthy tete a tete with prospective juror Quaid?
Cher makes no pretense: "this is it, folks." This movie is a good example of just getting lost in one without having to be overly intellectual.
The best way to remain "unjudged" is to be good and not get caught in situations you have to be......Dennis Quaid was great - I'm not familiar with Paul Mahoney, but his role was well-played.
Also didn't know who Liam Neeson was at that time, but sure thought he did his role VERY well.
The ending scene was surprising to me, because I suspected that OTHER justice-dept guy......I get my VHSs and DVDs from eBay - why pay $10.00 for a one-time shot in the theater, when the same amount lets you watch whenever you want - even if it isn't so often, and only for a change of pace?
Interesting film with a very good acting, as usual, of Cher.
In this case she is the defender of a deaf-mute man, ex-soldier in Vietnam war (Liam Neeson), who is accused of murdering a lady who was closed to high level politicians.
The fact is that a member of jury (Dennis Quaid) noticed that something wrong in the process from the very beginning and also felt in love with the defender, so he tried to help her secretly.
Not a bad film as such and Cher gives a reasonable performance as a lawyer, for someone who once believed the sun revolved around the earth(according to Sunny).
Cher and her role are what are special about "Suspect." She is not only a convincing lawyer, but a convincing person.
Suspect is a dull and pointless film.Lets get Cher to do a courtroom drama.
Lets gets Dennis Quaid in it as well, don't worry we'll find something for him to do.Without a proper introduction, did we need to have a deaf/mute character.