The January Man (1989) Reviews

• A misunderstood film...

  nyjetspotter2006-05-29

  January man is kind of a neat movie that is clearly a romantic comedy masquerading as a psychological thriller. It has a wonderful cast, an acclaimed screenwriter and even a Marvin Hamlisch score. The film was billed as almost an older version of 'The Bone Collector'. But it seems more like a serial killer version of 'Moonstruck'. I can see why many people were disappointed in the film. They saw the movie from a totally different angle. The serial killer (the January man) is almost ancillary to the actual plot of the movie. It is a Kevin Kline driven vehicle with a old and new love interest(Sarandon & Mastrantonio). It has the re-reinstatement of a hero cop who takes a fall from grace for his brother (Harvey Keitel)and is banished from the police department and is relegated to fighting fires rather than criminals. It has the cro-magnon police captain (Aiello) and the even older Mayor(Steiger). All these pieces of the puzzle come together to provide decent little film which I think is clearly misunderstood.

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• One of those overlooked and underrated gems

  mjhalta2006-07-21

  The one scene with Rod Steiger berating Danny Aiello is worth the price of renting this movie. In fact it has several memorable scenes that set it apart from the usual paint by number serial murderer mysteries. The hero is a quirky character played to perfection by Kevin Klein. The movie has an interesting, intertwined romantic plot with a twist to it that is satisfying if not unexpected. I have watched this movie many times and will undoubtedly pull it out again to watch all over. You can do that with certain movies, others gather dust. A movie is a collection of scenes, some of them memorable, some not. This movie has its share of memorable ones and maybe thats why I keep coming back.

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• Unfairly underrated

  K-Slicer2002-08-15

  I really liked this film. Far be it from being one of the greatest films of all time, this is one that is in the category of "underrated" like Loser and The Bone Collector. I really liked the way the plot and the characters developed. To me, I thought the cast were all a little out there but isn't all of humanity like that in form or another. Kevin Kline did very well as an unfairly disgraced homocide cop who had a beatnik mentality. He turned what many might consider a very below standard screenplay and turned it into a watchable film. His performance is the best of the movie. The performances of Alan Rickman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Danny Aiello are also noteworthy. There are a few flaws in this film but it was a great work overall. It isn't as bad as the IMDB rating suggests. It is very adult and somewhat intellectual and it is almost believable. The ending surprised me and I don't think it was chinsy or overdone. I think it was supposed to try and imitate real life a little bit and it succeeded. It may not fit a particular genre but that doesn't mean it stinks. This is a film that doesn't conform to certain Hollywood standards and that is the main reason I liked it. This is one of Kevin Kline's best films and I suggest the detractors should take another look at it. The January Man is one of the most underrated films of all time and it will probably always be that way. 9 out of 10. It's amazing what 10 bucks and the bargain DVD rack at Wal-Mart can get you.

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• A bit of an odd crime-comedy-thriller

  mike_cable2011-09-04

  First things first, this film has a few problems with trying to work out what it wants to be. Some of the scenes are a bit ridiculous and unrealistic, and sometimes it gets a bit slow. But that could be said about some hugely successful blockbuster films as well. Underneath this is a good little crime thriller with some likable characters who are trying to work out the clues to catch a killer with a taste for strangling women in their city apartments. Kevin Kline is enjoyable, Susan Sarandon and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are classy, Harvey Keitel doesn't really do much and Alan Rickman kind of floats around to help loosen up the mood of the film. Some of the dialog sounds like it was lifted from an adapted play or is better for an older, more mature generation. But, the stand out star of this film is Danny Aiello, who plays Captain Vincent Alcoa. He has a filthy mouth, loves yelling and putting people down all the time and has to deal with a Kline as a difficult police detective who returns to the job. The film alone is worth seeing for his performance.

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• People are taking this movie to seriously

  damir002003-02-01

  I'm watching the "thrilling" climax as I type this. Listen, folks, this film wasn't meant to be taken seriously, it's meant more as a parody or farce. Just listen to the soundtrack during the "dramatic" moments, it's not even trying to be serious. I'm guessing the cast was struggling to keep from bursting out in laughter during the filming because it really is stuffed full of every imagineable cliche. Though there are some original lines. "I want to make you haggis." I mean, come on, how can anyone even begin to imagine this was meant seriously. It's like a police drama version of "Showgirls". Well, without as much skin. ;-)

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