Borrowed from a real-life account of a woman who wanted her cheating husband dead, this dark, dry comedy certainly had possibilities, but in the last quarter of the film the characters turn into bungling sillies and all hope is lost in the muddle. Kevin Kline is the pizzeria proprietor and womanizer, Tracey Ullman is his devoted wife, Joan Plowright is her Yugoslavian mother, River Phoenix plays an employee with a crush on Ullman, and William Hurt and Keanu Reeves are drug-addicts and would-be hit men. The "colorful" performances are mostly disappointing, all except for Ullman (doing fine work in an unattractive part) and Plowright (stealing scenes with the film's sharpest lines). An incredible array of talent is ultimately squandered on lethargic material which is awfully slow on laughs. Phoenix in particular seems totally out of his element. A few bright moments--all in the first hour. ** from ****
Review of I Love You to Death
