Suspect

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Suspect

R

1987

2h 1m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

17 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Carl Anderson (Liam Neeson), a deaf, mute and homeless war veteran, is arrested for the murder of a prominent judge's secretary. But Kathleen Riley (Cher), Anderson's lawyer, believes her client is innocent. She sets out to track down the real killer, and, as the trial proceeds, makes an unlikely ally in Eddie Sanger (Dennis Quaid), a jury member. When they aren't in court, the two investigate the case and manage to uncover a massive conspiracy.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Suspect is a well-made thriller, but it was spoiled for me by an extraordinary closing scene where Cher, as the defense attorney, solves the case with all of the logic of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Ángel Fernández-Santos

El Pais (Spain)

[Director Peter] Yates limits himself to illustrating, and not always in a good way, Eric Roth's original script. [Full Review in Spanish]

Apr 8, 2020

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Richard Freedman

Newhouse News Service

Suspect is a thoroughly enjoyable example of an overworked genre.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 5, 2019

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Lori Hoffman

Atlantic City Weekly

Rated: 3/5

Apr 18, 2006

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jul 23, 2005

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Moriarty

Ain't It Cool Movie Reviews

Rated: 2/5

Jun 25, 2005

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Cork B

I mean, it is kind of a fun movie and all, but the plot is over the top ridiculous. They are trying to do the 70s spy thiller 'this goes all the way to the top', but the film collapses under its own stupidity. Liam Neeson - still fairly fresh - is wasted here - presumably because he is still working on his specific set of skills. Like violence. And talking. NO IDEA why they added the deaf/dumb thing in here - it just slows every scene he is in down. They could have given him just about any other war wound and it would not have slowed down the film. Quaid is good here - although why his character cares to go play Colombo is beyond me, and Cher, despite being a horrible lawyer and making poor life decisions on the level of an Anna Kendrick character - actually is pretty fun to watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/28/25

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Monica A

4/10 means okay

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/12/25

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Audience Member

I always love rewatching this one

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/07/25

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Dana B

an underrated gem with a stellar cast

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/06/25

Full Review

Garry A

I wanted to like this. Cher in it is why I checked it out. The scenes between her and the deaf suspect in the beginning is why I quit on it. She's talking to him looking away and somehow he understands her. The writing on paper and a chalkboard...no thanks.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/13/25

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Janis E

I like this movie a lot. Nice little story line. You have to pay attention so you don't miss any of the little details and a great twist at the end which I didn't see coming. Good old-fashioned movie making very enjoyable.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

Full Review

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Peter Yates

Director

Cher

Kathleen Riley

Dennis Quaid

Eddie Sanger

Liam Neeson

Carl Wayne Anderson

John Mahoney

Judge Matthew Bishop Helms

Joe Mantegna

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Synopsis

Carl Anderson (Liam Neeson), a deaf, mute and homeless war veteran, is arrested for the murder of a prominent judge's secretary. But Kathleen Riley (Cher), Anderson's lawyer, believes her client is innocent. She sets out to track down the real killer, and, as the trial proceeds, makes an unlikely ally in Eddie Sanger (Dennis Quaid), a jury member. When they aren't in court, the two investigate the case and manage to uncover a massive conspiracy.

Director: Peter Yates
Production Co: TriStar Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 23, 1987, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 7, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $18.0M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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