Compromising Positions (1985)

53% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
42% of users liked it
(74 ratings)

Director Frank Perry brings Susan Issacs' comedic whodunit novel to the screen with Susan Sarandon as a Long Island housewife who tries to escape her deadening suburban life by trying to solve the murder of a philandering local dentist. The dentist, Bruce Fleckstein (Joe Mantegna), is the kind of… More Director Frank Perry brings Susan Issacs' comedic whodunit novel to the screen with Susan Sarandon as a Long Island housewife who tries to escape her deadening suburban life by trying to solve the murder of a philandering local dentist. The dentist, Bruce Fleckstein (Joe Mantegna), is the kind of swinging ladies' man who wears gold chains and jazzy clothing. He also arranges to meet his lonely housewife patients in hotel rooms for afternoon quickies. When he is found murdered in his office, the suspects are as numerous as the names in the Nyack telephone directory, especially since Fleckstein had the habit of taking incriminating Polaroid snapshots during his one-on-one sessions. Judith Singer (Sarandon) is an ex-Newsday reporter and bored wife of Bob Singer (Edward Herrmann), a stuffy business executive, and she was one of the last people to see Fleckstein alive. Considered a suspect by police detective David Suarez (Raul Julia), she determines to solve the case herself, interviewing suspects and searching for evidence. If she solves the crime, Judith hopes to write an article about it and get her old job back at the newspaper. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Frank Perry
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 1, 1985 Wide
Studio: Paramount Home Video

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
A silly little whodunnit that's a mild embarrassment to all involved.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The movie has such a bitter core, such a distaste for its characters, that I ended up feeling uncomfortable in its company.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
A very mixed bag, but those who've missed a storytelling sense in American movies might want to have a look.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A lightweight but most enjoyable comedy-mystery.
, Time Out
It's all very humorous and engaging, if only for proving that American whodunits don't have to have car chases and brutality; and it has a wicked eye for the vacuity of middle-class good life and what it may conceal.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Frank Perry's lackadaisical direction hobbles the forward movement of the story and keeps it from being a funny as it could be.
, Film4
For the most part this is a sharp, funny black comedy crossed with a mildly suspenseful whodunnit, although its reliance on truly dislikeable characters with more money than sense lets it down somewhat.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Instantly forgettable fluff.

Read all 8 critic reviews

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Cast

            Susan Sarandon as Judith Singer

            Raul Julia as David Suarez

            Edward Herrmann as Bob Singer

            Judith Ivey as Nancy Miller

            Mary Beth Hurt as Peg Tuccio

            Joe Mantegna as Dentist Bruce Fleckstein

            Anne De Salvo as Phyllis Fleckstein

            Josh Mostel as Dicky Dunck

            Deborah Rush as Brenda Dunck

            Joan Allen as Mary Alice Mahoney

            Elkan Abramowitz as Police Sergeant

            Jason Beghe as Cupcake

            Tanya Berezin as Newsday Editor

            Paul Butler as Cop

            Bill Cobbs as Sgt. Williams

            Jack Gilpin as Patrol Car Cop

            Tim Jerome as Rabbi

            Kaiulani Lee as Scotty Hughes

            Amanda Lyons as Kate Singer

            Jon Polito as Cop

            Pat Harper as Newscaster

            Harris Laskaway as Leader Cop

            William Youmans as Motel Clerk

            Chris Cunningham as Joey Singer

            Edward Hermann
            
See full cast