A Kiss Before Dying

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A Kiss Before Dying

R

1991

1h 35m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

31%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

32%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Infatuated with the idea of becoming rich, college student Jonathan Corliss (Matt Dillon) secretly dates Dorothy Carlsson (Sean Young) to gain the approval of her wealthy father (Max von Sydow). When Dorothy tells Jonathan that she is pregnant and that her father will deny her inheritance if he finds out, Jonathan murders her, but he stages her death as a suicide. As Jonathan works his way onto Mr. Carlsson's payroll, Dorothy's twin sister, Ellen, investigates the apparent suicide.

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: D-

Sep 7, 2011

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Steve Davis

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 1.5/5

Oct 2, 2002

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

This is Matt Dillon's first film since Drugstore Cowboy, and demonstrates again that he is one of the best actors working in movies.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Nothing that happens is logical or even plausible, but it is never boring. [Full review in Spanish]

Jan 26, 2023

Full Review

Andrew L. Urban

Urban Cinefile

Most unkindly (but amusingly), the 1992 Razzie Awards gave Sean Young both the Worst Actress and Worst Supporting Actress Awards for playing the twins

May 16, 2009

Full Review

Caffeinated Clint

Moviehole

Matt Dillon is chilling....one of the better erotic thrillers of the 90's

Rated: 3/5

Jul 4, 2005

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Steve D

A completely unlikable uninteresting mess.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The acting by Sean Young and Matt Dillion in this film is sub par at best. His perfomance bordered on being comedically inappropriate while Sean Young maintained a flat affect throughout.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

william k

Moderately entertaining, but quite unoriginal Hitchcock-like thriller.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Difficult to understand somewhat, but fairly clever and I'll say old-fashioned story telling. I did not know there was a much earlier film based on the book. Note the brief erotic element.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

Terrible acting, typical psycho. Ugly woman

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

Feels like a made for cable film with more misses than gains.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

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James Dearden

Director

Matt Dillon

Jonathan Corliss

Sean Young

Ellen

Max von Sydow

Thor Carlsson

James Russo

Dan Corelli

Diane Ladd

Mrs. Corliss

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Synopsis

Infatuated with the idea of becoming rich, college student Jonathan Corliss (Matt Dillon) secretly dates Dorothy Carlsson (Sean Young) to gain the approval of her wealthy father (Max von Sydow). When Dorothy tells Jonathan that she is pregnant and that her father will deny her inheritance if he finds out, Jonathan murders her, but he stages her death as a suicide. As Jonathan works his way onto Mr. Carlsson's payroll, Dorothy's twin sister, Ellen, investigates the apparent suicide.

Director: James Dearden
Producer: Robert Lawrence
Screenwriter: James Dearden
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Initial Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 4, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.7M
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Surround