"TWISTED" (2004) (Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Extreme Heavy Extreme Moderate Heavy Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None Heavy None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Extreme Mild Mild Moderate Heavy QUICK TAKE: Suspense/Thriller: When her previous lovers are murdered in an apparent serial killing spree, a rookie homicide detective must figure out whether she's being framed or might possibly be the suspect herself. PLOT: Jessica Shepard (ASHLEY JUDD) is a beat cop who's just nabbed a murderer and been promoted to homicide detective. Partnered with veteran detective Mike Delmarco (ANDY GARCIA), she's immediately thrust into action when a body is found and appears to be the victim of a serial killer. What's more troubling for Jessica is that it's also a man with whom she had casual sex. While others obviously think that's grounds to have her removed from the case, Police Commissioner John Mills (SAMUEL L. JACKSON) -- who essentially raised Jessica from a child following her parents' deaths -- says she'll stay due to no evidence against her, that it would ruin her career, and that her presence might lead to the killer's arrest. That doesn't sit well with other detectives, including Lieutenant Tong (RUSSELL WONG) while staff psychiatrist Dr. Melvin Frank (DAVID STRATHAIRN) tries to get inside Jessica's head to see what's really occurring there. When a second murder takes place and the victim turns out to be another of her brief lovers, the suspicions about her begin to increase. She and others continue to wonder whether it's her doing the deed following alcohol-fueled blackouts, a deranged stranger, or even her former partner and boyfriend, Jimmy Schmidt (MARK PELLEGRINO), who won't accept that they're no longer a couple. When yet another past lover is murdered, Jessica tries to figure out what's going on before anyone else is killed. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of anyone in the cast or the whodunit serial killer genre, they just might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For violence, language and sexuality. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: To avoid giving away any late surprises, the character who turns out to be the killer will not be identified here. ASHLEY JUDD plays a new homicide detective who finds herself under suspicion (from others and herself) after her various lovers end up dead at the hands of a serial killer. She uses strong profanity, drinks to the point of appearing to be an alcoholic and has casual sex with several men. SAMUEL L. JACKSON plays her boss, mentor and father figure who raised her following her parents' deaths. He smokes a few times, uses strong profanity, and doesn't want her removed from the case. ANDY GARCIA plays Jessica's new partner, a veteran homicide detective who drinks, smokes and uses strong profanity. DAVID STRATHAIRN plays Jessica's police-based psychiatrist who tries to figure out what's going on inside her head. RUSSELL WONG plays another cop who's working the serial killer case. MARK PELLEGRINO plays Jessica's former boyfriend and cop partner who won't leave her alone (to the point of stalking and threatening her), drinks and uses strong profanity. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated suspense thriller. Profanity consists of at least 25 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue (some of it explicit) occurs, as do several welcome and unwelcome sexual encounters (with kissing, movement and partial disrobement on the first part, and groping, etc. on the second). A person is shot to death, while others are murdered off-screen (we see their bloody bodies afterwards). Other physical contact (hitting, striking and threatening) is also present and those scenes and others may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while some smoke and/or drink. The latter is done to the extreme and when combined with a person being repeatedly drugged, results in various blackouts. Some tense family material (talk of a past incident where a man killed his wife and then committed suicide) is also present. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Jessica and her former partner drink shots in a bar (where others drink, including Jimmy) and she jokingly tells him that he's drunk. Mike then has a shot, as does Jessica who later carries a beer while chatting with Mills. Later, Mills and others are drinking and Mills appears a bit tipsy. People drink in a bar where Jessica orders a shot and then slides it over to a stranger. Jessica drinks at home. Mills and Jessica have wine. Jessica has wine, then some more and appears to pass out. Mike talks about heroin, cocaine and other drugs (in relation to hiding places under some piers). Miscellaneous people have drinks in a restaurant. Jessica has wine at home, then another glass, and then stumbles and eventually blacks out. Some miscellaneous people drink in a bar. Mike drinks. Mike has wine. Jessica has wine. Jessica has more wine and then appears drunk. Moments later, she passes out. We later learn that her passing out spells are the result of being drugged with a common date rape drug. Jessica drinks, as do others. Jessica has wine while in her bathtub. Jessica drinks some more. We see a flashback to Jessica drinking wine. To prove a point, Mills pours wine for Mike, Jessica and himself, making Mike drink his. A man reacts to being drugged by a common date rape drug. BLOOD/GORE We see a close-up of a suspect holding a knife to Jessica's throat that has a small, bloody cut on it. We see a black and white photo of Jessica's long-dead father who committed suicide. There are several streams of blood down his face and head. We see a suspect with a partially bandaged cut on his nose. We see a murder victim's body that's washed up on the rocky shore. His face is bloody with various cuts (and a crab is briefly seen on it). There's also a cigarette burn mark on the back of his hand. We see another view of the above dead man's lacerated face. We see a tiny bit of what looks like blood on the side of Jessica's face and then on her finger after she touches it. We see another dead body floating in the water with a cigarette burn on his hand. Later, we see a close-up of this dead man's lacerated face as well as other bodies in a morgue. We see a color photo of a dead and bloody guy. After Jimmy makes unwelcome sexual advances to her, Jessica hits him several times, including in his face (that she bloodies) with a small wooden tool. Jessica cuts her finger and we see a drop of blood. We see blood on a man's shirt, in the bubbling water of a hot tub and then on the dead man's lacerated face. Jessica takes a shaving razor and slices her own finger (we see the blood come out) to obtain a blood sample. We see flashes of violence and some bloody victims. We see small photos of murder victims, some of them in color (with bloody imagery). Jessica awakens to find a murder victim in bed with her. His face is lacerated and bloody, and there's blood on the pillow and a cigarette burn on his hand. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Another detective, Dale, has a bad attitude toward Jessica and her sexual activities. The killer obviously has an extremely bad attitude for killing various men. Mills states that Jessica's mother had an affair. Jimmy won't accept that he and Jessica are no longer a couple and he somewhat stalks her (even letting himself into her place and threatening her). Jessica says about another person, "Sometimes I could kill that guy." Mills jokes to a man, asking whether a large supply of date rape drugs means he's going to date rape a whole sorority house. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" and "Blood/Gore" may be unsettling, tense or suspenseful to some viewers. In a dark parking garage at night, Jessica goes to her car but drops something that bounces beneath it. She then goes down to get it, finds several rats under the car and tries to retrieve the item, all while we see someone walking toward her. She then pulls her gun, but it turns out to be someone she knows. Jessica hears sounds in her place, draws her gun and slowly goes to investigate (it turns out to be Jimmy). While in her bathtub, Jessica hears noises in her place and gets up to investigate (we see her bare back). With her gun drawn, she slowly goes through her place and then sees her doorknob moving. After looking out the peephole, she rips the door open and aims her gun at Mike who aims his back (until both recognize the other). Jimmy shows up at Jessica's place and then acts menacingly toward her. He chases after her and breaks some glass to try to open a door (she then passes out). Jessica holds her gun on a murder suspect who keeps walking toward her. When someone else flees the room, the suspect backhands Jessica to the floor and chases after the third person. All three end up on or around the docks at night and the two try to avoid the killer. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Knife: Used to threaten and harm others. See "Violence" for details. Small wooden tool: Used to bludgeon people (some to death, but off-screen). See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What the f*ck /is this/is going on here?" "Amazed at how you almost f*cked it up," "I f*cked up," "F*ck you," "Who the f*ck cares who you sleep with?" "Holy f*ck," "Every f*cking time," "F*cker," "Open the f*cking door," "Bullsh*t," "Someone pounded the sh*t out of him," "Don't sh*t where you eat," "Holy sh*t," "Quit being such a p*ssy," "Moron," "Loser," "Who'd you piss off?" "Skank," "You got a screw loose," "Bitch," "What the hell /are you doing here/is that supposed to mean?" "You're a G*ddamn psychopath," "Poor bastard" and "Hippie scum." A miscellaneous man has various tattoos. Jessica mouths the phrase "f*ck you" to another person and later just the "f" word. The killer uses a lit cigarette to burn a man's hand. A person uses a date rape drug on others (off-screen in all but one instance), but for homicide-related rather than sexual reasons. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A heavy amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A James Brown song has lyrics about a "sex machine." PROFANITY At least 25 "f" words (3 used sexually, 1 used with mother and 2 mouthed), 8 "s" words, 2 slang terms using female genitals ("c*nt" and "p*ssy"), 7 hells, 3 asses (2 used with "hole"), 1 damn, 3 uses of "G-damn," 2 each of "God" and "Oh God" and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "Jesus," "Jesus Christ" and "Oh my God" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY A suspect holds a knife to Jessica's throat, holds her tight, and talks in a breathy fashion to her. He then runs his hand down across her clothed chest, almost goes under her shirt and then gropes her clothed breast. The camera focuses on Jessica's clothed butt in a bar. A James Brown song has lyrics about a "sex machine." A sarcastic question (and play on previously spoken words) is made about a person being turned on by "f*cking corpses." We see Jessica and a stranger she picked up in a bar partially undressing and passionately making out. She's in her bra and panties and he raises one of her legs up along his side. He feels her butt and then gets her on the bed where she playfully pushes her feet on his bare chest to keep him at a distance. She stops, he tears off her panties (we see the motion and hear the sound but don't see the actual act) and then gets on top of her and has sex (we see some movement). During all of that, we briefly see his bare butt through a window. Jessica admits that she had casual sex with a man who's just been found murdered. We see flashback images of Jessica having a casual sex encounter with a man. They're standing up against a tree, her leg is up along his side and we see him thrusting. Jessica admits to her psychiatrist that she slept with both victims. Dale asks whether Jessica slept with the second murder victim. The question is posed, "Who the f*ck cares who you sleep with?" Mills then says that in today's new era, people think it's okay to have sex with whoever you want. We see a very brief flashback of Jessica's point of view of having sex with a guy (no nudity, but suggested movement). A woman comments on a murder victim by saying that it "seems like he'd f*ck any skank who came on to him." Jimmy mentions to Jessica that's he one who's seen her naked. Jimmy nuzzles on Jessica's neck and then apparently runs his hand down to her clothed crotch that he gropes (we don't see the contact). She then stops him and roughs him up (in a nonsexual fashion). We learn that Jessica had a sexual past with an attorney. Another cop (Dale) asks Jessica, "While you were sleeping with him, were you thinking about hitting him?" Mike sensuously hovers about Jessica and the two then passionately kiss, but she stops them and walks away. Mike kisses Jessica and after she appears to pass out. After he's placed her on a sofa, he stares several times at her bare upper thighs (she's wearing just a robe). A comment is made, "I told him she was f*cking that hippie scum." SMOKING Mike and Mills (one a cigar) each smoke several times, while Dr. Frank appears to smoke once. Jessica nervously taps an unlit cigarette on a table in several scenes. We see many cigarette butts in an ashtray. The killer uses a lit cigarette to burn a man's hand (earlier we see the results of similar previous actions). TENSE FAMILY SCENES Jessica tells her psychiatrist that her parents were killed in a car crash, but he points out that her father went on a killing spree 25 years ago (when Jessica was 6), murdered his wife (Jessica's mother) and then committed suicide. Later, she looks at a photo of her mom and expresses that she misses her. Mills states that Jessica's mother had an affair. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Jessica's police work being related to her parents' deaths when she was 6 (we're told her father killed her mother and then committed suicide). Casual sex. Date rape drugs. VIOLENCE We see a close-up of a suspect holding a knife to Jessica's throat that has a small, bloody cut on it. After he gropes her, she head-butts him with the back of her head, hits his arm several times to disarm him, and sends him to the ground where she kicks him in the crotch. She holds her handgun on him and then kicks him in the face. Several off-screen murders occur in the film (we see the bloody victims). Jessica kicks another cop, Dale, in the butt or leg and knocks him to the floor. Jessica grabs a bartender by the shirt and pulls him toward her in an intimidating manner. After Jimmy makes unwelcome sexual advances to her, Jessica hits him several times, including in his face (that she bloodies) with a small wooden tool. Jessica pushes Mike back several times. Jessica kicks a box of roses into her place. Jessica has a nightmare of shooting at three murder victims (no impact) and then aiming her gun at Mike. Jessica takes a shaving razor and slices her own finger (we see the blood come out) to obtain a blood sample. We see flashes of violence and some bloody victims. Jimmy shows up at Jessica's place and then acts menacingly toward her. He chases after her and breaks some glass to try to open a door (she then passes out). Jessica holds her gun on a murder suspect who keeps walking toward her. When someone else flees the room, the suspect backhands Jessica to the floor and chases after the third person. All three end up on or around the docks at night and the two try to avoid the killer. The killer uses a lit cigarette to burn a man's hand (earlier we see the results of similar previous actions). Jessica aims her gun at a murder suspect who aims his at her. When he goes to shoot a third person, Jessica shoots and kills him. Reviewed February 24, 2004 / Posted February 27, 2004

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