Under Suspicion - American-French drama-thriller

Under Suspicion is a 2000 American-French drama-thriller. The film is a remake of the 1981 French film Garde à vue. Under Suspicion was directed by Stephen Hopkins, and written by John Wainwright, Claude Miller, Jean Herman, Michel Audiard, Tom Provost, and W. Peter Iliff. As for the cast, there are a few A-listers involved in making this movie, such as Gene Hackman (Henry Hearst), Morgan Freeman (Captain Victor Benezet), Monica Bellucci (Chantal Hearst), and Thomas Jane ( Detective Felix Owens).

Henry Hearst played by Gene Hackman is a successful, respected attorney in San Juan, Puerto Rico, living a luxury life full of travel, money, a house by the coast, and a young trophy wife, Chantal, played by Monica Bellucci. Even though we see him as a very respected figure in his community, an attorney with integrity throughout the film the viewers discover little pieces of Henry hidden beneath the surface. He frequently uses porn websites, enjoys photography and the company of younger women. When all of the little hidden parts of himself are discovered and taken out of context, that is the point when his struggles begin. Struggles with his wife, police, and most importantly with himself, when he has no other choice but to explain how all of his secrets fit in the story.

Just as he is about to give a speech at a fundraiser, he is called to the police station for a quick follow up conversation with Captain Victor Benezet and Detective Felix Owens. A day earlier, Henry discovered the body of a raped and murdered young girl in the park, which is the reason why he has to sit through another follow up with the detectives. Both of them find inconsistencies with his story, and Henry quickly realizes that he may be a suspect, not only for the murder of the girl he found but also for another murder just days earlier. At this point, he is unaware that the detectives poking holes in his story, start to consider him as a suspect, which is the start of an investigation towards Henry and a complete rollercoaster of emotions, arguments, public embarrassment, and his wife's assumptions and suspicions. Chantal is the one that permits the police for a house search and in the darkroom, they discover photographs of the two victims. When the photographs are shown to him, he doesn't remember taking them, and immediately thinks that his wife planted them.

After a long and excruciating interrogation, Henry just lets go and gives up. He doesn't have any strength left to explain, protect, and help himself. Having his life ripped and falling apart, his wife's jealousy, suspicions, and the fact that she gave the police permission to search the house, make him start confessing to the murder of the girl he supposedly found in the park. And just like that, he gives the police their suspect and confession, feeding them with facts he learned through their previous conversations when suddenly everything changes again. Just as he starts speaking, the detectives are notified that the real killer is arrested.

Wake up call? Reality check? Call it how you want, but yes, I would say that his whole experience calls for quite the reevaluation of someone's life and choices. And yes, that is what happens. Still in shock, he leaves the police station where his wife waits. He just can't forgive her for believing that he is capable of murder and for turning on him. He leaves Chantal and walks away.