Law & Order (TV Series) Star Crossed (2003) User Reviews

For Love

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 9 June 2008]

This Law and Order episode is a touching one. It involves a really evil young woman played by Vanessa Ferlito, manipulating a semi-retarded young man to taking a fall for a murder of a car salesman. Aiding and abetting her is this sleazebag shyster lawyer who purportedly is representing the young man. Peter Gerety plays the attorney who is similarly manipulated by Ferlito.

But this episode belongs to actor Chandler Parker who plays the semi-retarded young man who's been crushing out on Ferlito since they were kids. How she manipulates him is really evil. She's got a way with men and tries her charms on Jesse Martin and Sam Waterston.

The storyline in case no one recognizes it comes from that master of mystery Raymond Chandler. If you recall Murder My Sweet and Farewell My Lovely involved this big ape of an ex-convict who went to prison covering for a woman who just used and abused him.

If Sam Waterston and Elizabeth Rohm hadn't uncovered crucial exculpatory evidence and showed it to an uncaring Gerety the whole story might never have come out. Makes you think about Raymond Chandler's fall guy Moose Malloy.

Manipulation

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 15 June 2022]

'Law and Order' was solid to great in its earlier seasons and there has always been a preference for them over the more commonly aired late-Briscoe and post-Briscoe episodes. Not only love the show for its interesting cases and strong and more writing and acting in the Briscoe and pre-Briscoe years. But also its brave handling of controversial subjects and themes (the 'Law and Order' franchise at its best was very good at that), and the exploration of the moral dilemmas.

One of the best episodes of Season 13 to me was "Star Crossed". Not quite one of my favourites of 'Law and Order' but an excellent in almost every area. It did help that the premise immediately appealed to me and is a theme that the franchise does very well, it may not be new ground but "Star Crossed's" execution doesn't come over as too ordinary or tired and is extremely well written and acted. Did feel quite sad watching it as well.

"Star Crossed" has very little wrong with it, though Elisabeth Rohm continues to do nothing for me. Southerlyn just has no personality and neither does Rohm playing her.

Luckily, the rest of the cast certainly do have personality and plenty of it. Not just the ever solid as rocks pairing of Jerry Orbach and Jesse L. Martin, but also authoritative Sam Waterston. Chandler Parker expertly makes one feel repulsion and pity but it is indeed Vanessa Ferlito that is hated a lot more by the episode's end, seemingly charming but her manipulative personality is chilling to watch.

Moreover, the production values are still fully professional, the slickness and subtly gritty style still remaining. The music is sparingly used and is haunting and thankfully non-overwrought. The direction shows some nice tension in the legal scenes. The script is thought provoking and smart, thankfully not rambling or too complicated that it makes things confused. A lot of the legal scenes' dialogue really probes thought and pulls no punches, which prime-'Law and Order' often excelled at brilliantly. It's not just non stop seriousness though, there are also humorous moments here and there such as Briscoe's one-liners. The story is an interesting and well paced one that is a lot less ordinary than it sounds, parts are suitably creepy too.

Excellent episode in summation. 9/10.

Self esteem and the fashion industry

[Noir-It-All · 7/10 · 26 October 2020]

Dr. Olivet hit the mail on the head. I know at least two attractive young models - twenty years apart in age - with self-esteem issues. One was a young cousin who pursued a career after high school, appearing in print and runway in the U.S. and abroad. The other was a neighbor who modeled for a fashion store while in high school. Daddy issues? Yes, for both, although not nasty as those portrayed in this episode. Both women found their way to happier lives but it took time and the right help.