‘The Devil always comes as everything you ever wanted’
Above Suspicion is a 2019 American crime thriller about a married FBI agent who gets involved with a young woman causing a scandal. Later, she becomes his star informant until events lead to murder.
Directed by Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm) from a screenplay written by Chris Gerolmo, based on a nonfiction book by Joe Sharkey, the movie stars Emilia Clarke, Jack Huston, Sophie Lowe and Johnny Knoxville.
Reviews:
“Some will have trouble with the film’s lack of condemnation for Huston’s Putnam, who’s granted a moral redemption here that isn’t consistent with real-life events. Others, expecting Fincher-level sophistication or The Girl On The Train-ish pulpy thrills, might also be disappointed by the film’s slow-burn unspooling of Smith’s story. This isn’t a twisty nail-biter.” Empire
“The pacing means the plot doesn’t sizzle so much as stew, with only the basic psychological drivers explored. Revealing the death at the start of the film serves to emphasise the sedate pacing, while though the voiceover puts Susan’s voice front and centre, it remains adrift from her life as she lived it.” Eye for Film
“Chris Gerolmo’s script sends Susan tumbling toward Fatal Attraction-grade obsession — even if Noyce (The Giver, Salt) has too much taste to make this an exploitation flick as emotions turn violent. Though tech values and supporting performances (especially Knoxville’s) are unimpeachable, Suspicion doesn’t conjure its setting as persuasively as some of the other drug-centric rural dramas…” The Hollywood Reporter
“Emilia Clarke’s accent, while imperfect, still clearly represents some remarkable work on her part – although I expect that her career has made her somewhat familiar with the difficulties of language and accent work. Of particular note is Johnny Knoxville’s performance, which is surprisingly subtle for a man who has made a career as, quite literally, a professional Jackass.” Parent Previews
” …it’s not dull, living up to the grabby, spoilers-upfront headline value of its “Fed murders informant” premise. But it’s never emotionally involving either, not least because, despite Clarke’s gumption, there’s little connective character tissue between Susan the spiraling victim and Susan the world-weary narrator of her own demise.” Variety
Release date:
Lionsgate is releasing Above Suspicion theatrically in select locations and On-Demand on May 14th 2021; then on Blu-ray and DVD on May 18th.
Cast and characters:
Emilia Clarke … Susan Smith
Jack Huston … Mark
Sophie Lowe … Kathy Putnam
Johnny Knoxville … Cash
Austin Hébert … Randy McCoy
Thora Birch … Jolene
Karl Glusman … Joe-Bea
Kevin Dunn … Bob Singer
Brian Lee Franklin … Rufus
Omar Benson Miller … Denver Rhodes
Chris Mulkey … Todd Eason
Brittany O’Grady … Georgia Beale
Luke Spencer Roberts … Bones
Lex Kelli … Susan’s Daughter
Landon Durrence … Susan’s Son / Isom Smith
Filming locations:
Berry, Cawood, Harlan, Lexington and Paris, Kentucky
Technical details:
104 minutes
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Trailer:
