There is a theory about misguided, abused women that with a little patience and understanding that he can somehow be just exactly the savior she needs. That would apply to Chris Anderson (Luke Perry), who meets such a woman in a bar one night after she has a fight with her boyfriend. Her name is Pam (Ashley Judd) and she cuts herself but he asks her to dance anyway. They fall in love, move in together and get married. He is so obsessed by her that we sense that he would do anything to make her happy.
This is not an easy task since Pam is not always a pleasant person. She is a hateful manic-depressive, who has had suicide attempts, drinks too much and dreams of falling through a black hole. She is always seeming to want to push Chris' button just to see how much he can take. The role of savior seems to keep him from strangling her. He will stick this out no matter what.
He loses his job as a police officer and eventually turns to robbing banks in order to fulfill her needs (namely spending his money hand over fist) and his own. She is excited about the idea that he has turned to crime. Finally, he has found something that makes her happy.
The movie was directed by John McNaughton who specializes in films about people drawn to the other side of the law. He made the far darker 'Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' but in both films we see people who for one reason or another must commit crimes, not for the money but for the need to do so.
The movie is nothing without the performance of Ashley Judd who does a complete turn around from her equally great performance in 'Ruby in Paradise'. There she was a sweet woman looking to be independent. Here, (in a role many actresses would have turned down), she plays a rather nasty, disturbed woman who found a puppet who is willing to dance for her.
This is not an easy task since Pam is not always a pleasant person. She is a hateful manic-depressive, who has had suicide attempts, drinks too much and dreams of falling through a black hole. She is always seeming to want to push Chris' button just to see how much he can take. The role of savior seems to keep him from strangling her. He will stick this out no matter what.
He loses his job as a police officer and eventually turns to robbing banks in order to fulfill her needs (namely spending his money hand over fist) and his own. She is excited about the idea that he has turned to crime. Finally, he has found something that makes her happy.
The movie was directed by John McNaughton who specializes in films about people drawn to the other side of the law. He made the far darker 'Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' but in both films we see people who for one reason or another must commit crimes, not for the money but for the need to do so.
The movie is nothing without the performance of Ashley Judd who does a complete turn around from her equally great performance in 'Ruby in Paradise'. There she was a sweet woman looking to be independent. Here, (in a role many actresses would have turned down), she plays a rather nasty, disturbed woman who found a puppet who is willing to dance for her.