D.O.A. – Bei Ankunft Mord (1988)

D.O.A. – Bei Ankunft Mord: Directed by Annabel Jankel, Rocky Morton. With Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Charlotte Rampling, Daniel Stern. A college professor’s day: his top student allegedly commits suicide, his wife presents him with divorce papers and he overnights in a freshman girl’s dorm. The next day: more murders around him. Will he find the killer in time?

“For all those people who believe the dialog is worth something, and who appreciate a farce that is clever enough for you to take it seriously, this movie will surprise you. It is not a u0026#39;whodunitu0026#39; for people who canu0026#39;t arenu0026#39;t able to follow the verbal exchange of our hero, Professor Dexter Cornell (Dennis Quaid).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCornell teaches in Southern California, near the tar pits. He has not published a novel in four years, his wife is divorcing him, he drinks a bit much, and is blessed or cursed with caustic wit, which he freely dispenses to his students. He has recommended a friend for advancement, and one bright young student has submitted a manuscript to him as an independent project. Cornell doesnu0026#39;t even want to read it, so gives it an u0026quot;Au0026quot;, and pushes it to the side. Leaning back with a drink in his office he stares out the window, when the bright young student falls past his window on the way to meeting the sidewalk in a splat encounter.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHal comes to talk, and they chat, drinking some more. The Cornell realizes that he HAS to read the manuscript, now. When he goes home, his wife is waiting with divorce papers. He drinks some more. She leaves, and he goes to a faculty affair, only to find her there. He drinks even more. And when his wife learns that the student is dead, she swoons, and he learns that she had been having an affair with the student. This of course prompts him to do some more serious drinking. The next morning he wakes up to find himself in the dorm room of one of his students, a freshman named Syd (Meg Ryan).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHe feels worse than a hangover, goes to the doctor and learns that he has been poisoned, it is irreversible, and he has 24-48 hours to live. He doesnu0026#39;t have much time to find out who killed him, and there are sub-plots, motives, relationships and surprises at every turn, although everything makes sense at the end. All his discoveries and exchanges are adorned with sarcasm, dry wit and keen observations. Letu0026#39;s just say that this movie will give new meaning to the adage u0026quot;publish or perishu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003enThere are no bad performances in this movie. There are recurrent images, and symbolism used at careful intervals. Watch for the cracked glass, and images distorted through glass. Some of the camera shots are revolutionary for 1988, and some of the violent action is carefully and skillfully choreographed. The music is unobtrusive and appropriate, although occasionally it makes itu0026#39;s own statement, in song lyrics. The visuals in this flick are impressive.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf there are any failures, it is that the opening 20 minutes move a little slow, and nearly puts you to sleep. But the pacing picks up quickly, with just the right amount of exposition in between action segments.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are no explicit sexual encounters, although there is violence and some bad language.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is a writeru0026#39;s movie, and is best appreciated by those who have a sense of humor about their own success or failure. I do think if you take it seriously, youu0026#39;re already in big trouble.”