Judas Kiss movie storyline. Young lovers and small-time New Orleans scammers Coco Chavez (Carla Gugino) and Junior Armstrong (Simon Baker-Denny) move up a few rungs when they kidnap wealthy computer mogul Ben Dyson (Greg Wise) in Sebastian Gutierrez’s neo-noir. During the crime, Coco kills Dyson’s girlfriend, Patty (Beverly Penberthy), wife of Senator Rupert Hornbeck (Hal Holbrook).
Assigned to the case are FBI Agent Sadie Hawkins (Emma Thompson) and Police Lt. David Friedman (Alan Rickman). When Hornbeck threatens Friedman instead of assisting him, the detective suspects that this is no ordinary kidnapping for ransom, and he does his own investigation. A conscience-stricken Coco realizes that she may have been set up to kill Patty, and she, too, takes matters into her own hands. A fairly complex tale of betrayal and corruption, Judas Kiss also spoofs noir conventions — for instance, agent Hawkins is reading Jim Thompson’s crime novel The Killer Inside Me, and he discusses the writer’s works with Friedman during lulls in the action.
Judas Kiss is a 1998 American crime thriller film that starred Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Roscoe Lee Browne, Carla Gugino, Simon Baker-Denny, Gil Bellows, Richard Riehle, and Til Schweiger. It was directed by Sebastian Gutierrez. The film premiered at the 1998 Toronto International Film Festival and won the Critics Award at the 1999 Cognac Festival du Film Policier.
Film Review for Judas Kiss
At last a sexy thriller which really is sexy and thrilling. It is set in pre flood New Orleans and the setting, music and steamy atmosphere come across vividly helping the story along. This is a tale of kidnapping which goes right and then horribly wrong. The star Carla Gugino is beautiful and feisty. You really believe she could hold the whole thing together and dominate her gang.
As for the Judas Kiss… well you’ll have your breath taken away by it. The sex scenes between Carla Gugino and Simon Baker positively sizzle. He is the only actor I know who can get away with a wispy blond beard and still look irresistible. Carla mentions in passing how their first sexual encounter in a meat store makes her randy every time she smells meat. Me, it would been a glance at that wispy ‘tache…you may agree with me, after you have seen said scene.
Anyways, a motley crew headed up by Carla kidnap a wealthy guy and a poor lady gets killed as collateral damage. Oops, her husband has lot of clout with the authorities and the vengeancy hunt is on. But hold on, there is more here than meets the eye, Cue to two of New Orleans finest, and here I admit to having a fit of the giggles, because they are played (with relish) by would you believe Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman. Clearly both loving every minute of it. They are so good, so tough, so wisecracking with chemistry sparking between them that you feel they ought to have had a TV series out of it. A real bonus in a great film.
Needless to say the bad get their comeuppance…and in this instance there is more than one Judas, although the daddy of them all is quite shocking. One roots for the heroine, Carla Gugino, bad girl that she is, and when the end comes she does something which made me wince with regret but in the context of the film was completely justified. This is a film I shall watch again and again, finding new joys every time. Okay, I just want to see the Emma/Alan side show again and yes… yes… Simon being unblievably sexy over and over. Wow, that wispy moustache. Talk about tickling your fancy.
Judas Kiss (1998)
Directed by: Sebastian Gutierrez
Starring: Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Carla Gugino, Simon Baker, Gil Bellows, Til Schweiger, Hal Holbrook, Philip Baker Hall, Lisa Eichhorn, Beverly Hotsprings
Screenplay by: Sebastian Gutierrez
Production Design by: Jerry Fleming
Cinematography by: James Chressanthis
Film Editing by: Howard E. Smith
Costume Design by: Denise Wingate
Set Decoration by: Betty Berberian
Music by: Christopher Young
MPAA Rating: R for violence, strong sexuality and language.
Distributed by: Bandeira Entertainment
Release Date: September 16, 1998 (Toronto)
Hits: 372
