Rotten
Originality has never been a high value in the genre-bound aesthetic of filmmaking, but De Palma cheapens what he steals.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Dressed to Kill
The latest fashion in murder.
1980 · 1h 45m · R
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Directed by
Brian De Palma
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Dressed to Kill
Overview
After witnessing a mysterious woman brutally slay a homemaker, prostitute Liz Blake finds herself trapped in a dangerous situation. While the police thinks she is the murderer, the real killer is intent on silencing her only witness.
Director and cast
- Brian De Palma Director
- Nancy Allen as Liz Blake
- Michael Caine as Doctor Robert Elliott
- Angie Dickinson as Kate Miller
- Keith Gordon as Peter Miller
- Dennis Franz as Detective Marino
- David Margulies as Dr. Levy
- Ken Baker as Warren Lockman
- Susanna Clemm as Betty Luce
- Brandon Maggart as Cleveland Sam
- Amalie Collier as Cleaning Woman
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
84%
Tomatometer
Fresh
Despite some major structural weaknesses, the cannily manipulated combination of mystery, gore and kinky sex adds up to a slick commercial package.
Variety Staff, Variety
Fresh
DePalma is not yet an artist of Hitchcock's stature, but he does earn the right to a comparison.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Rotten
Ultimately, the film amounts to little more than a consummate study of suspense technique, all dressed up with nowhere to go.
Time Out
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