Body of Evidence (1993)

6% of critics liked it
(34 reviews)
29% of users liked it
(8,006 ratings)

Madonna plays Rebecca Carlson, a sex bomb who parades naked in front of the open windows of her houseboat at all hours while the lobstermen catch crabs. This entry in the Basic Instinct sweepstakes poses the question: If love hurts, does sex kill? The judge and jury certainly want to find out when… More Madonna plays Rebecca Carlson, a sex bomb who parades naked in front of the open windows of her houseboat at all hours while the lobstermen catch crabs. This entry in the Basic Instinct sweepstakes poses the question: If love hurts, does sex kill? The judge and jury certainly want to find out when Rebecca's latest conquest, a multi-millionaire, dies of a heart attack while making love to her. Eight million dollars was bequeathed to Rebecca in his will, and District Attorney Robert Garrett (Joe Mantegna) is convinced that Rebecca, knowing that her rich lover had a weak heart, killed him with wild sex so that she could get her mitts on the money. Rebecca's lawyer, Frank Dulaney (Willem Dafoe), thinks differently, suspecting the millionaire's private secretary Joanne Braslow (Anne Archer) of the crime, since she was dumped by the millionaire for Rebecca. Besides which, Frank is attracted to Rebecca himself and throws legal ethics out the window as he starts a sadomasochistic affair with her. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Uli Edel
Written By: Brad Mirman
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Jun 1, 1992 Wide
On DVD: Dec 3, 2002
Studio: MGM

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
While he may be marginally better at directing kinky sex scenes than Instinct's Paul Verhoeven, [Edel is] stuck with a fairly ho-hum script by Brad Mirman.
Variety Staff, Variety
A courtroom drama built around the charge that Madonna's body is a deadly weapon with which she 'fornicated' a man to death, this showcase for the singer-thesp as femme fatale is more silly than erotic.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
A sluggish courtroom melodrama relieved only by unintenional laughter.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
A bland, utterly silly, curiously provincial courtroom drama.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
What do you say about this kind of movie?
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
This is the kind of poor effort that's difficult to forgive.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
There is little, if any, erotic chemistry between Dafoe and Madonna, and, as a result, their sex scenes look more like hard work than pleasure.
Alistair Harkness, Film4
Another turkey from the queen of pop, and possibly the worst film on her CV of cinematic clunkers.
Mark Salisbury, Empire Magazine
An erotic thriller that's strangely unerotic and devoid of thrills, this is, however, mercifully short at 100 minutes.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
I'd rather eat my own liver than sit through this again
Matthew Sorrento, Film Threat
The sour taste that Body left for [director] Edel is evident in his next, very different big screen feature: the children's fantasy The Little Vampire.
, Time Out
[There's] no tension.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Yet another failed effort at making Madonna a legit actress, in a preposterous thriller could be labeled Basic Stink.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Tries hard to be hot and steamy but ends up being lifeless and laughable.
Wesley Lovell, Apollo Guide
A pale husk of a film.
Fred Topel, About.com
Mediocre erotic thriller trying to capture Basic Instinct success. Tries too hard, not really sexy, and certainly not mysterious.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Candy R

A woman is accused of killing her lover. Whay does Madonna do these movies. She should stick to what she's good at - singing.
Dean M

This erotic-thriller in the fumbling scenes of sado-masochism lead only to embarrassment. Willem Dafoe has never looked more uncomfortable, while Madonna as the body in question is no Sharon Stone.
Deb S

Willem Dafoe plays a lawyer who becomes involved with his client, Madonna, a woman accused of intentionally murdering her rich, elderly lover through strenuous, kinky sex; coincidentally, he left her $ 8 million in his will. For an "erotic thriller," the film somehow… More
Willem Dafoe plays a lawyer who becomes involved with his client, Madonna, a woman accused of intentionally murdering her rich, elderly lover through strenuous, kinky sex; coincidentally, he left her $ 8 million in his will. For an "erotic thriller," the film somehow managed to be entirely devoid of any erotic quality although there is no lack of sex: we've got hot wax, handcuffs, oral sex, parking garage car hood sex and various other forms of action. My opinion: Sex thrillers work best when the sex is used as an additional spice to the story, not the focus of the story and Willem Dafoe may be many things and a very versatile actor, but sex god he isn't. Nevertheless, even with these flaws it is interesting to view. The courtroom scenes are moderately entertaining and Julianne Moore is good as the anger stricken wife of Dafoe while Anne Archer is very effective as the secretary with her own agenda and the sadomasochistic sex scenes....well, if you're into watching this kind of stuff, they may prove to be fairly entertaining as well. I did like the ending. "Karma, everyone gets what they deserve in the end."
Sarah P

The movie is pretty tacky, but you get to see Madonna naked in a bunch of sex scenes!
Barry L

Tres' horny but empty of plot.