Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- serious
- gritty
- legal thriller night
- mystery movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film to be a solid, well-directed legal thriller with effective performances, though its convoluted plot and final killer reveal weakened the overall impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Kathleen Riley moves from defending an accused homeless man to investigating a murder connected to corruption in high places.
The trial and jury setting frame the search for the real killer among figures connected to the case.
Kathleen and Eddie must work within judicial and political structures while facing a dangerous corruption network.
Carl Anderson's homelessness and deaf-muteness shape the central wrongful-accusation conflict.
Films like Suspect, and why
The Verdict
courtroom investigation, institutional corruption, and a determined attorney uncovering a hidden conspiracy
A Few Good Men
legal suspense, morally pressured protagonists, and escalating conspiracy around a murder case
Presumed Innocent
murder mystery structure combined with courtroom procedure and danger from powerful institutions
The Firm
serious crime thriller atmosphere, political corruption, and protagonists pursuing justice against entrenched power
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Yates
- Release Date
- 1987-10-23
- Runtime
- 121 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (256)
Cast
- Cher
- Dennis Quaid
- Liam Neeson
- John Mahoney
- Joe Mantegna
- Philip Bosco
- E. Katherine Kerr
- Fred Melamed
- Bill Cobbs
- Richard Gant
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Suspect about?
- A public defender and a politically connected juror risk everything to clear a deaf-mute homeless man and expose corruption behind a murder case.
- What is Suspect like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Suspect as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Suspect violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Suspect as moderate.
- What did critics think of Suspect?
- Critics broadly found the film to be a solid, well-directed legal thriller with effective performances, though its convoluted plot and final killer reveal weakened the overall impact.
- Which films are like Suspect?
- Films with a similar feel include The Verdict, A Few Good Men, Presumed Innocent, and The Firm.
- How long is Suspect?
- Suspect runs 121 minutes.
- Where can I watch Suspect?
- In United States, Suspect streams on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel.
