Jade Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Some fantasies go too far.
Someone does a nasty hatchet job on a San Fransisco big noise and the Assistant D.A. takes charge of the investigation. Through a web of blackmail and prostitution involving the Governor, an old lover of the law man emerges as a prime suspect and he has to deal with his personal feelings as well as the case.
| David Caruso | David Corelli |
| Linda Fiorentino | Trina Gavin |
| Chazz Palminteri | Matt Gavin |
| Richard Crenna | Gov. Lew Edwards |
| Michael Biehn | Bob Hargrove |
| Donna Murphy | Karen Heller |
| Ken King | Petey Vesko |
| Holt McCallany | Bill Barrett |
| David Hunt | Pat Callendar |
| Angie Everhart | Patrice Jacinto |
| Kevin Tighe | Dist. Atty. Arnold Clifford |
| Robin Thomas | Mr. Green |
| Jay Jacobus | Justin Henderson |
| Victoria Smith | Sandy |
| Drew Snyder | Executive |
| William Friedkin |
4.70 out of 10 (3711 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Deserves better attention
posted on 31 Jul 2009I saw an edited version on TV and though the story line is nothing to rave about the movie presents good cinema in fits and starts. Why?The last one minute of the film is somewhat like the final minute of "The Usual Suspects". The difference is here the punch line is a combination of visuals, spoken words, and emotions packaged with a dark tragic twist, while in "The Usual Suspects" the final punch line was a combination of visuals and black comedy that provided the viewer entertainment. It is definitely not the usual Hollywood script.While most critics seemed to throw brickbats at Friedkin and Eszterhas, a superior supporting performance by Donna Murphy as the investigating policewoman Karen Heller seem to have escaped attention of most viewers. She stood out in a film where performances were not exactly remarkable. Ms Murphy has immense talent and I hope some good director notices her potential.Director Friedkin delivers what he is good at--car chases (French Connection) and outdoor shots. Nothing more. Screenplay writer Eszterhas, more sinned against than sinning, actually develops an interesting script with a steady stream of visual clues and interesting statements on psychology that unfortunately does not build up sufficient tempo to take off thanks to poor editing, direction, and last but not least uninspired acting by the lead characters. The script looks untidy and disjointed because of the lackluster editing and direction. Eszterhas' script may not be topnotch but definitely was not the reason for the end product--I blame the director for not being able to lift up the film to a higher plane. Friedkin has extracted great performances from Gene Hackman in the past, but in this film save for Donna Murphy he seems to have inspired none else in the cast. The cinematography of Andrzej Bartkowiak always impresses and the murder sequence in the crowded streets with the car was worthy of note of his talent.The film can provide you enjoyment, if you attentively view the film.
Mostly poor and kind of skuzzy
posted on 10 Oct 2008I was disappointed, given the talent involved. We have a right to expect better. In it, a cop (David Caruso) investigates the brutal, ritualistic murder of an art dealer, and finds the murder weapon has the fingerprints of his former lover (Linda Fiorentino), a beautiful psychiatrist who is married to his friend, a powerful, corrupt lawyer. It could have been good. Fiorentino gives as good a performance as is possible under the circumstances, and the film is well-shot on location, with haunting background music. But the story is wallows in sordid behavior and it doesn't make a lot of sense. And the solution to the murder is tacked on to the end, as if an afterthought, and it doesn't make a great deal of sense, either. The audiences certainly weren't impressed, and this film damaged the careers of everyone involved. Indeed, it nearly deep-sixed David Caruso's career, as he left "Hill Street Blues," at its peak of popularity to appear in this film. Too bad!
Caurso's second best big screen performance
posted on 27 Jul 2008Jade is a brilliant film. William Fredkin has a done wonderful job with this sexually charged thriller. The cinematography during the car chase is awe insprining and the sex scenes are kinky and tastefully done. Linda Forentiono and Angie Everhart who both have great bodies make the film even better. The reason I like this movie is because of David Caurso he displays some of his best acting on screen, very similiar to the NYPD Blue days. Check it out.
Good Sex but Bad Movie
posted on 24 Jun 2008the only thing to say about this movie is.... . good sex scenes and some where a little yuck when she f**k the dude with her high-heel shoe. . good action scenerio.and on the other hand.. . bad movie, script, plot, and dialogue. . bad acting
. just plain out bad because the movie is too slow and it has entirely too much talking just like, "Hannibal" and it's just a under estimated, bad sexual BASIC INSTINCT to me.i rate this one a...2 of of 5 (due to the lame sexuality and movie.. period.)
Green with envy
posted on 08 Mar 2008***SPOILERS*** Overly plotted and totally confusing thriller that has assistant D.A David Carelli, David Caruso, on the hunt for those who brutally sliced up and murdered a serial blackmailer who got way over his head in those he was blackmailing.Found cut to shreds in his mansion among his very expensive antiques, mostly from the Orient, Kyle Medford, Ron Ulsatd, sleazy and secret life as a master blackmailer hit the front pages of the local as well as national newspapers. It's Corelli who takes a very personal interest in Medford's murder only because his ex-girlfriend Trina Gavin, Linda Fiorentino,was one of the last persons to see him alive. This doesn't sit well with Trina's husband high powered defense attorney Matt Gavin, Chazz Palminteri,who feels that Corelli is using Medford's murder in making a play for his wife. Soon we find out it's Trina not Corelli who's making all the plays which involves the late Kyle Medford's home away from home on the Pacific Coast. It's there where Medford ran a prostitution ring, right out of his beach front house, that he used to attract very important people in the state to engage in. Getting the goods on the unsuspecting John's Medford would film them in action and use the photos and video tapes to blackmail them.The movies disjointed storyline has Corelli uncover a plot to blackmail the states top executive Governor Gov. Lew Edwards, Richard Crenna, by having him photographed in action with a hooker at Medford's beach house. When Corelli finally tracks down the hooker who "The Gov" was partying with-Patrice Jacinto played by Angie Evenhart-she clams up and refuses to give him anything but her name and occupation. Slowly putting the pieces together Corelli soon realizes that there was a lot more going on then just simple blackmail! It's murder for both power and profit on the highest order. And possibly Even higher then the governor of the state of California himself! And it's Corelli, by sticking his nose into the matter, who's next on the killer or killer's hit list!The film "Jade" was so badly mishandled by its director William Friedkin that its screenwriter Joe Eszterhas tried to get his name off the movie's credits. As for the film's star David Caruso it ended his promising, after the far more superior "Kiss of Death", movie career and had him slip back into where he came from doing TV police shows.The movie did have an exciting car chase all over the streets docks and at one point smashing through a Chinese Parade in the Chinatown Section of San Francisco that reminded me of that legendary car cases that Friedkin directed in "The French Connection". There was also a number of X-rated scenes between Tria and Mr. Green, Robin Thomas, who was one of the blackmail victims at the late Kyle Medford's retreat. It was in these scenes, recovered from an almost destroyed video tape, that showed Tria's real connection to Medford and it wasn't ,like she said, a casual one. In fact Trina was hooking for Medford in getting him people high up in government, and business, to be blackmailed by him.***SPOILERS*** In the end it was no surprise to anyone watching, except Corelli and the SFPD, who in fact did old man Medford in since the evidence was there before his body turned room temperature. But it took a full confession by Medford's unsuspecting killer, that Corelli illegally audio taped, for Corelli to finally crack the puzzling case.
Jade not even semi-precious
posted on 07 Feb 2008SPOILERSA big budget B-Film.1)Ridiculous The detective is sitting in the diner, sees his witness run over, leaves diner (does he pay his check?). Runs over to witness, confirms dead, runs to his car, and hit & run car is still in view!!2) We never really get to understand Jade's dual personality (this is the key to film)3) Jade retains her clothes in sex scenes, Gee Whizz!!!Yet there was a film there somewhere
Ultra-Stylish Murder Mystery
posted on 07 Feb 2008"Jade", written by Joe Eszterhas, has enough sex, nudity, and violence to keep it from ever becoming boring. Millionaire Kyle Medford is murdered and Assistant D.A. David Corelli is assinged the case, and all clues point to his former flame Katrina Gavin as the prime suspect. Katrina is now married to David's best friend, hot shot lawyer Matt Gavin. Every time Corelli uncovers a new witness, they are wiped out leaving him with no clues to go on, and it now appears Katrina may also be a prostitute catering to rich men under the alias of Jade. The ending is quite unexpected, and you'll never guess who the killer is.
Try to see the unrated version because it adds a lot of footage cut from the R version and has a better ending."Jade" is Unrated for strong aberrant sexual content, nudity, graphic violence, gore, and for adult language.NOTE: "Jade" is also available in an Unrated version that includes 12 minutes cut from the R-Rated version. It has extra scenes of dialog, stronger sex and nudity, and a much better and less choppy ending.
Ony for Fiorentino fans.
posted on 28 May 2007I have to be honest. I bought this movie because it features Linda Fiorentino's infamous sex scenes. I watched it and to my surprise, I truly enjoyed it. Not only for the sex scenes but for the plot and great acting. Fiorentino demonstrates once again that she's a good actress that does not need to appear nude in order to get movie roles. She's a fine actress. On the other hand, the sex scenes are great just because of her. So it may be a difficult dilemma for her whether still making nude scenes or being taking seriously. Anyways, it seems that she has retired from the business.The movie is a tale of betrayal, passion, and corruption. This may be the kind of B-movie featuring detectives, and a seductress. But "Jade" is more of a Thriller with brains and lots of action.The car chase scene is truly great and is one of the most memorable moments of the movie. The S&M scene is great and may be one of the most memorable scenes Fiorentino has made.
Sprung Rites
posted on 22 Apr 2007I think this may have been successful in its day, simply because of the sex. There is the appearance of some sex acts on the screen presented in a couple voyeuristic contexts, but I think the target was a much deeper appeal: a whole world driven by insatiable, conventionally deviant female sex drive. The writer had previously cashed in with this idea and Hollywood chose to try again but with a real director. This formula isn't just about sex, its about turning the noir mechanics on its head. Noir depends on an outside fate that arbitrarily throws strangers together in situations that are designed for and controlled by the values of watching, outside the world of the action.Here, everyone knows each other beforehand. There are essentially no strangers. The driving force is supernatural as in noir, but it is rooted in and owned by the people we see. Its simple sexual desire, lust.The story is ordinary, the sex unconvincingly simulated. Even the automotive stunts are limp. There's some craft in how it is put together visually though, enough to keep me engaged.But there is one remarkable feature. The score is hypnotizing. It is bicameral, both halves based on prototypical themes. The male theme: lustful, uncontrollable and apt to be violent is from (almost directly) Stravinski's Rite of Spring. Its wildly erotic, threatening, dangerous. The female side (until the end that is) is a Celtic anthem, soft, passive, receptive, drifting.I do not ever recall something so directly cast, so borrowed and yet so effective. I saw this close to a film (Duel at Diablo) where the score was literally canned bits from old movies and the dialog all dubbed). This part is fun, and much more tantalizingly erotic than what you will see.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
God-awful Movie
posted on 24 Oct 2006This is essentially Basic Instinct, but worse. The story is lame, Caruso's character is not developed at all, and Fiorentino is a monotonous mope throughout.If you go back and watch Basic Instinct, you will be appalled at how similar the plots are in these two films. A previous user suggested that Ezterhaus was unhappy with the way the film deviated from his script. However, Ezterhaus should still be taken to task for writing yet another movie about a wildly successful and sexually adventurous female psychologist/author that lives in San Francisco and is under investigation for murder.
Sexy, Stylish Murder Mystery
posted on 27 May 2006"Jade", written by Joe Eszterhas and directed by William Friedkin, is a supremely sexy and intense murder mystery soft-core porno. Millionaire business man Kyle Medford is murdered in his house and all clues point to Detective David Corelli's ex Katrina Gavin, now married to his best friend, hot-shot lawyer Matt Gavin. But David slowly picks up clues that a prostitute named Jade may indeed be the killer, so he sets out in hot pursuit of this unsavory character, hoping to clear Katrina's name. There is so much onscreen: sex tapes, sex talk, violent murder, brutal attacks, chases, fights. But it all surprisingly works thanks to fine actors and a well thought out script."Jade" is UNRATED for strong aberrant sexuality, nudity, graphic violence and gore, and for profanity.NOTE: Jade is available in an R Rated cut that omits some sex, nudity, and plot structure, and in an UNRATED versions that runs twelve minutes longer.
An abomination
posted on 25 Mar 2006This is quite simply one of the worst films of all time, it's up there with ''Newsies'' and ''North.'' There is no drama; there is no interest in the characters; the actors appear to be asleep at times. This movie probably was the proof David Caruso needed to return to the comfortable, narrow scripts of network television. Chaz Palminteri at least implicitly acknowledges in parts of the film that he just doesn't give a dam. about it anymore, while Linda F. tries hard to breathe life into a role that's as implausible as the female reporter in the Mickey Rourke movie about Chinatown or the female lead in ''Random Hearts.'' This is just out-and-out dreck.
Confusing movie wrapped around great car chase
posted on 22 Mar 2006Jade was very jumbled and difficult to follow but I will say that it does have one of the most imaginative car chases ever film, a la William Friedkin. The heart of the chase basically takes place on one city block in San Francisco's Chinatown during the Chinese New Year. The two cars are "chasing" each other through a pack crowd and parade, and they are basically going 2 miles per hour, nudging the crowd out of the way. This is brilliance on the director's part and you can hardly breathe during the sequence.
Didn't Joe Eszterhas Write A Similar Script ?
posted on 06 Aug 2005I'm the sort of guy who stays behind to read the closing credits of a movie . I'm also the sort of guy who makes a note of who the producer , director and screenwriter is . I guess that's the difference between the average IMDb user and the average movie watcher . The movie watcher is only interested in the genre of the movie and who stars in it and very little else . Being a regular contributor to this site means I notice names average movie watcher has little interest in . The downside to this is that a name appearing on the credits can prejudice my view of a film Take JADE for instance which was written by Joe Eszterhas . Did my knowledge of Eszterhas mean that I think this movie is very similar in tone to BASIC INSTINCT whereas it's not and any comparison lies in my own biased knowledge of the screenwriter , or is JADE genuinely similar to BASIC INSTINCT ? Certainly this is a movie that seems to have been produced with the same market trend for erotic thrillers that were being made at the time , with the worst one being that one with Madonna and Willem Defoe The plot revolves around a murder and a senior DA is brought in and the main suspect is a femme fatale with dubious sexual tastes . Cue lots of sexual intrigue , sleazy deviants and plot twists , few of which are convincing . And being the sort of guy who makes notes of who the director is I couldn't help noticing that William Friedkin is the guy who made THE FRENCH CONNECTION a film famous for a car chase . We get to see a car chase here which ends in the death of several million Chinese . If someone is thinking of doing a bio-pic on Chairman Mao they could do worse than hire Friedkin as the director ! I will say a couple of good things about JADE . The first is that Linda Fiorentino is very well cast as Trina Gavin who just oozes an understated smouldering sexuality , she's far better than than Sharon Stone in BASIC INSTINCT and a million miles better than Madonna in BODY OF EVIDENCE . Secondly I just love the very haunting quasi Celtic song The Mystic's Dream by Lorenna McKennitt . But apart from that JADE isn't really worth going out of your way to see
Don't waste your time.
posted on 07 Jun 2005Let me be fair. Old pro director William Friedkin did the best he could to turn this gobbledygook script into a movie. Some of the scenes are cleverly and cinematically presented. The photography is good, and the sets stylish. David Caruso is much more effective than he gets credit for, if a bit charisma-challenged, and Linda Fiorentino is one of the most interesting actresses working today.Having thus damned with faint praise, let me further point out that there is nothing anyone could have done with this material. Orson Welles, Brando, and Larry Olivier in their primes could only have made a screwed-up movie out of this script.It's hard to say which is worse, the cliched, unnatural dialogue ("I'm taking you off the case"); or the incoherent and illogical plot.The author came up with an innovative solution to the age-old problem of the mystery genre. Even the best ones have several minutes of anti-climax when the audience has figured out the solution but the filmmakers haven't "revealed" it yet. Eszterhas avoided this pitfall creatively, by:1. Having the explanation to the original murder be completely illogical. (If it was done by a guy, how did he get the other guy - his wife's lover - to voluntarily get in that S&M contraption). So did he offer a false confession for some reason?2. Offering no explanation for some of the other murders. No potential murderer knew where Angie Everhart would be. How could they be there to run her over? Was Caruso in on the whole thing? He knew where she would be? Did Caruso chase himself by driving both cars? Obviously not, but what?3. Confusing everyone with unrelated and irrelevant scenes with minor characters. Chazz Palmentieri has a meeting with some anonymous client. Why do we see this? Near the end, Fiorentino has a fairly long sex scene with an uncredited extra. Why do we see this?If you really like Fiorentino, she is cool and sexy and as competent as ever.I can't think of any other reason to watch this gibberish. Use life's precious minutes for something more rewarding and interesting. Take up alligator wrestling, listen to old Al Gore speeches, re-read Moby Dick. Anything to avoid this movie.
Uhh... Tried to follow "Basic Instinct"'s footsteps... to no avail
posted on 24 Dec 2004***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** The movie had as much sexual tension as a dead frog on a highway. Actually, all the "sex" scenes made me laugh, especially with Loreena McKennitt's beautiful and rich musical scores and vocals played as the background for what must've been the cheesiest and most "tried to be ambitious but failed miserably" scenes I've ever seen. After the one when the main heroine withdraws from the encounter with another guy, and rushes home, I really expected her to reach out and turn a stereo off, or something. The whole action stops, and still the music continues till the scene is changed?? How cheap is that?? And this "Mystic Dream" song was way abused throughout the movie, appearing in every single intercourse scene (I can't bring myself to call it "sex", sorry!).SPOILERS AHEAD, be warned.Apart from the music, though, the characters were simply... dumb. A policeman sees a woman being literally run over by a car and runs to check if she is alive, instead of just telling someone to call an ambulance and starting the chase immediately, forgetting the basic police rule "NEVER EVER start a chase without calling for backup"?? He chases the black Thunderbird through a Chinatown parade, gets his windows knocked out and stuff, instead of just getting out of the car and running on foot which would've been way faster in that case?? Didn't he have a roof-mounted signal light or something, like most police cars do?? Earlier on, he has to do a full zoom on Jade's face on the tape, to recognize her? Come on, I saw it was her minutes before that! I re-watched this scene several times, certain that he must be looking for some tattoo, or something, to have to look this close at her face...EVEN WORSE SPOILER to the very movie ending!!In the end, it all comes to... nothing! The cause for all the killing was the governor's affair with Jade. So the overzealous policemen are killed, but the governor stays alive and well, and the main hero can do nothing to him... Great going, all for naught, evil still walks the Earth. Together with the woman's husband being yet another killer, and her still being trapped in a very uncomfortable marital situation. I understand bad endings all right, but there was no REASON for this here. It all just... happened. I wouldn't be surprised if in the end the main hero shot himself in the head, all of a sudden, just like that. Who needs logical reasons anyway?..Generally, the movie was dump and cheesy. 3 out of 10.
Underrated, but still not one of Friedkin's best...
posted on 09 Nov 2004To say Friedkin's career has had its ups and downs is an understatement, his eighties filmography inarguably has enough bombs to sink a oil tanker. Yet eschewing their performances at the box office, many of his films yearn to be rediscovered, from "Cruising" to "Deal of the Century" to "Rampage". Let's not kid ourselves, "Jade" is not a great film, and this is the fault of one man and one man alone - Joe Esterhas. If trash had a messiah, it would be him. For a fleeting moment in the nineties, Esterhas was paid by the bucketload to write formulaic movies for guys, and the erotic thriller has him to thank for its continuing lugubrious existence. "Jade" is interesting however, it is an erotic thriller without the erotic part. While Paul Verhoeven filled "Basic Instinct" chock full of the sleaze he had become renowned for, Friedkin's films are notable for primarily dealing with male characters, and are subsequently about as erotic as as a bowl of cereal. "Jade" is not about sex; it is about sexual jealousy. The talent of Linda Fiorentino cannot be underestimated here, giving depth to a part that amounts to no more than a typical male fantasy - part good girl, part whore - that's right, it's "Crimes of Passion" without Anthony Perkins and his bag of dildos. The leads are well cast and all give adequate performances, and Friedkin throws in all his usual directorial touches (subliminal images and, you guessed it, yet another bloody car chase). "Jade" is an enjoyable film, with delightfully silly twists and over-the-top violence (come on, you know you want to see Angie Everhart get run over again), and is given some class from it's cast and director, but, in the end, proves itself to be a guilty pleasure that makes one feel more guilt than pleasure.
Pretty Good. Fun and entertaining.
posted on 27 Aug 2009for a film that gets a 4/10 here, i wasnt expecting much. But i was surprised. Top acting backed up by some skillful writing and direction. The car chase scene was great (i wish id watched it on DVD with surround sound). It was a pity this film did so bad at the box office while so much other crap thats churned out of the studios gets US$100m plus. If youre looking for some good, clean (well not clean, clean ;) ) fun then dont go past this. You'll like it im sure.4 Stars