George Parker "The Beneficiary" tells of a woman who is investigated for the murder of her husband, becomes romantically involved with one of the investigators, etc. Not a "thriller" but a drama with murder and sex and all that other good escapist stuff, this flick is mediocre at best with the only above average aspect being its tortuous and somewhat convoluted story which may be an interesting watch for those who aren't too analytical. So, if you happen across it on t.v., turn off your brain and enjoy. C+

Hermit C-2 There's no question whodunnit in this movie--we see that early on for ourselves as a woman kills her husband and arranges it to look as if an intruder in their home did it, along with raping her. What isn't clear is why she did it. Her husband is cheating on her but that doesn't seem to be the motive. She's the beneficiary of a $6 million insurance policy but she gives that to charity. The detectives assigned to investigate are split on the matter. The female partner smells something fishy about the wife's story, but the male detective wants to believe the widow and soon gets romantically involved with her.That last item may be a cliche in thrillers of this type but this movie does a good job of telling a fresh story in a genre where it seems like every plot twist has been done many times before. Stacy Haiduk is good as the cool and conniving murderer and 'The Beneficiary' is an above-average thriller.

corvus-3 No, it ain't "Body Heat", or even "Double Indemnity", but it is a viewable femme fatal vehicle, although it borrows from the above-mentioned films, and even a little from "The Last Seduction".With the exception of a heavy-handed soundtrack, the production value is appropriately murky as the plot twists back on itself.All bases get covered by the time the deceiver gets deceived, and its only weak moment is when the filmmakers tag on a bogus "hope" ending.A good watch. Not outrageous, but it'll leave you with a smirk.

CVS-4 This is an excellent suspense thriller. Suzy Amis, a police detective, matches wits with a very sly murderer, as portrayed by Stacy Haiduk. This movie has more interesting twists and turns then what you'll find in three suspense thrillers. A ten from start to finish.