IMDb 6.6 1998 HD

A Perfect Murder

A Perfect Murder

1998
Crime Drama Thriller
107 min R USA
6.546 / 10
6.6 IMDB

Millionaire industrialist Steven Taylor is a man who has everything but what he craves most: the love and fidelity of his wife. A hugely successful player in the…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Andrew Davis / Dru Anne Carlson / Henry J. Bronchtein / Amy Lauritsen / Jennifer Truelove
Starring
Michael Douglas / Gwyneth Paltrow / Viggo Mortensen / David Suchet / Sarita Choudhury / Michael P. Moran / Novella Nelson / Constance Towers

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

suspenseful icy clever opulent tense calculating predictable stylish engaging unsettling masterful dark

Reviews

I
Isabelle Dubois
May 13, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Reminiscent of Hitchcockian intrigue, 'A Perfect Murder' offers a polished and engaging viewing experience. Michael Douglas is perfectly cast as the formidable Steven Taylor, a man accustomed to getting his way, while Gwyneth Paltrow brings a compelling vulnerability…

O
Oliver Davies
May 13, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

This is a taut, expertly crafted thriller that grips you from the outset. Michael Douglas delivers a career-defining performance as the chillingly precise Steven Taylor, a man whose possessiveness knows no bounds. Gwyneth Paltrow is excellent as the…

S
Sophia Chen
May 13, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'A Perfect Murder' presents a glossy, modern take on classic thriller territory, featuring a commanding Michael Douglas as a man who believes he can orchestrate anything, including his wife's demise. Gwyneth Paltrow navigates her role with a quiet…

M
Marcus Bellweather
May 13, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Director Unknown orchestrates a masterclass in suspense with 'A Perfect Murder'. Michael Douglas is superb as the calculating industrialist Steven Taylor, exuding an icy menace that is utterly compelling. Gwyneth Paltrow provides a luminous counterpoint, her character's yearning…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 13, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Michael Douglas embodies the chillingly possessive Steven Taylor with his signature gravitas in 'A Perfect Murder'. Gwyneth Paltrow offers a nuanced portrayal of a woman chafing against her gilded cage, seeking an escape that proves more dangerous than…

FAQs

The film vividly portrays the theme of possession through the character of Steven Taylor, who views his wife Emily as his ultimate acquisition. His wealth and power are instruments he uses to control her, reflecting a possessiveness that extends beyond love into ownership. Emily's struggle against this subjugation forms a significant part of the narrative, highlighting the destructive nature of treating a partner as property rather than an individual with her own desires and agency.