Customer Reviews

Absence of the Good [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Absence of the Good is definitely a thriller. If you like movies that keep you on the edge of your seat. While keeping you in suspense then you will love this one! The plot was wonderfully done, and you will never guess who the killer is and will leave you saying WOW!

Absence of the Good is an above average movie in the serial killer genre that has a fairly clever script, good acting, and a strong lead (Stephen Baldwin).

The story centers around Detective Caleb Barnes (Stephen Baldwin) and his struggle to find a serial killer while trying to deal with the untimely death of his son. As the body count begins to climb Barnes finds himself trying to help his wife heal while remaining focused on the case. What follows is a well executed police drama with plenty of action and suspense throughout.

I wasn't sure if this movie was going to be any good when I rented it. I decided to take a chance and was pleasantly surprised. It kept me guessing and had a twist ending that a couch detective like myself had fun solving. I recommend this film.

Stephen Baldwin redeems himself for his lackluster performance in MR. MURDER in this tense, and involving crime thriller. Baldwin plays a cop who has recently lost his son in a tragic accident; his wife (Shawn Huff) is having extreme difficulty in dealing with her guilt and loss. Baldwin plays it stoic, but he too is harboring the pain. When returning to his work, he and his partner (Rob Knepper) are called in on a case involving the hammering deaths of several people, all seemingly not connected. Baldwin, however, believes the culprit is a grown up who wants to revisit his childhood but going to all the places he or she lived. It's a tense, complex plot and well acted. Tyne Daly does her usual good turn as a psychiatrist, and the identity of the culprit is surprising.
Well done and very engrossing.

I am always surprised at the number of films, starring excellent, well known actors, which get released and quickly disappear from theatres, probably due to lack of marketing. This is one of those films. I am a mystery\spy maven and have read and watched innumerable films of these genres. This is one of the best.

The actors are excellent. Stephen Baldwin is, as always, quietly wonderful. Elizabeth Barondes as the old friend who is caught between the depressed, lost Baldwin and their mutual childhood friend in a love triangle is also good. By the way, the actor who plays the gangster friend is great too (I don't know his name) but he should have a very successful career. He has one of those signature looks and manner which makes movie history.

This film is definitely a keeper. Do try to catch up with it either on DVD or tv. After watching it several times on tv, I finally bought my own copy.

Condensed actions are following a detective's search for a serial killer his son was a victim of.

It is for police thriller-lovers mostly.