By Melissa Antoinette Garza
JENNIFER 8 (1992) is one of those films that I loved so much as a teenager and grew with so I’m not sure if it’s truly as good as I think it is or if it’s more of a nostalgia style love. At 13, I was in love with Andy Garcia. Try to tell teenage me that GODFATHER III (1990) wasn’t fantastic and we would have had serious issues! I don’t know why he did it for me,but damn did he ever!
JENNIFER 8 was the catalyst for my infatuation with Garcia. The combo sex appeal of him and Fem Goddess Extraordinaire Uma Thurman was too much for my hormones to take. I rented this all the time.
The movie begins with John (Andy Garcia) and his partner Freddy (Lance Henriksen) investigating a serial killer who murders women with the name Jennifer. The case has long been unsolved and was essentially considered a cold one when a severed hand is found in a dumpster. The hand shows signs of a woman who had used braille and therefore was blind. This leads them to Helena (Uma Thurman) a blind witness who is gorgeous, shy, sweet but has some bad-ass responses when pushed by the fuzz.
Helena doesn’t have too much info and the department wants to move on from the case, but John isn’t ready to let it go. Not to mention, he has the hots for Helena. Who can blame him? She’s gorgeous.
Freddy is less sold but attempts to stand by his friend though he does think the fixation on the case has more to do with John’s recent divorce than wanting to track down the killer. He also thinks that John’s trying to replace his ex with Helena.
Soon, John and Helena embark on a romantic and sexy love affair. There is genuine affection between them which muddles everything. As the department puts pressure on John to let the case go and Helena pressures him to find the killer, he’s torn. Worse, he worries the murderer is going to come after Helena and becomes angry when he feels colleagues put her in danger by talking to journalists.
Soon all fingers are pointing at John as a culprit in a new homicide and he is forced to prove his innocence while simultaneously keeping Helena safe.
This isn’t made easy by St. Anne (John Malkovich)a detective who doesn’t trust John at all. He does however give him a chance to prove himself.
After watching this again on AMAZON PRIME, I’m shocked by how much it stands the test of time. I don’t have the hots for Garcia like I one did, but he’s a fine looking chap. He definitely has some real chemistry with Uma Thurman so I can see why as a teen it got me hot and bothered. His acting is fantastic in this. It’s over-the-top at times, but since the situations are over-the-top it makes sense. Plus, Garcia has a way of showing fiery tantrums in a realistic manner. He makes the character, even when a hero, have that edge where he can flip his shit any minute.
Lance Henriksen is such a magnificent actor. Like in everything else, he shines in this. He’s witty, but brash – kind but real. He plays the role like an old-school, boys-will-be-boys style cop. It definitely works. He’s an asshole alpha male with a seemingly decent heart.
Kathy Baker who portrays Freddy’s wife Margie is superb. She has the most infectious smile of any fem ever. Baker conveys this soft strength and loving nature throughout the film. When an unexpected tragedy occurs, the devolution of Margie and the subsequent healing is award worthy. Baker is one of those actors who I follow. Regardless of the size of her role, I often walk away from her movies with her character in mind. She just has a way of touching the heart like few others do.
Another amazing appearance is that of John Malkovich. That should say it all right there. It’s John Malkovich! I love him because he can be a sociopath or an officer and speak in the exact same manner yet pull it off brilliantly. It’s weird how perfectly cast he is for every role regardless of the role. I just adore the man.
Lastly but certainly not least is Uma Thurman. First, I love her as a person. The way she went after Harvey Weinstein and shared her story bravely with everyone is inspirational. I love her. Second, she kills every role she’s in. She’s a superstar. She makes Quentin Tarantino look good and that’s no small feat. Helena is a softer role, but she’s not a doormat or an innocent. This isn’t a re-visit from Cecile in DANGEROUS LIAISONS (1988). It easily could have been. Uma could have made Helena the helpless, damsel-in-distress who’s blindness was shown as some sort of naivete of the world’s ills. She could have, but she respected character too god damn much and bless her for it. This gave us such a layered and intriguing performance. Helena was all woman. Sure she was insecure, scared for good reason, doubtful of new love and had a few breakdowns, but she was not an idiot. Her lack of eyesight didn’t make her blind to the judgement of others and it didn’t make her turn into a sad little girl. She could stand on her own. She had been. In fact, having a sexy cop boyfriend with a gun, often made things more dangerous and more difficult. That said, she could handle it and did – like a motherfucking pro.
I highly suggest it. It may be more for fem minded horror fans than mascs, but I loved it.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7/10
