SnoopyStyle San Francisco ADA David Corelli (David Caruso) is attending a ball with friend Matt Gavin (Chazz Palminteri) and his wife, David's former love, Trina (Linda Fiorentino). David is called away to the brutal murder of a wealthy businessman. He finds a silver case engraved with the Chinese character Jade. The police uncovers photos of Governor Edwards (Richard Crenna) with an unknown woman later identified as prostitute Patrice Jacinto (Angie Everhart). Bob Hargrove (Michael Biehn) is a disagreeable police detective. As the investigation continues, the Gavins are pulled into the sexual political intrigue.Joe Eszterhas' psycho-sexual script may not be fitting material for director William Friedkin. The rewriting is evident of that and not necessarily fixed anything. This concentrates more on the lurid in this stylized erotic thriller. Bless his heart, Friedkin tried. There are some car action on the steep streets but he has done better work before. Driving thru the parade may be an interesting idea. The execution is more frustrating than thriller.The movie got caught up with the Caruso factor during its initial release. He is a perfectly serviceable actor if he doesn't get romantic. His sex appeal is limited and any attempt at sexuality is awkward at best. His character is rarely a lawyer and runs around investigating like a cop. He plays a better cop than a lawyer. Corelli should have been a police detective. Fiorentino has her great smoldering dark sexuality and that helps in this role. The story is a little messy and drags sometimes. It needs a little simplification to allow better flow and heightened tension. None of it is that compelling but it's not completely bad.

gridoon2018 A trashy, kinky, entertaining erotic thriller, in the "Basic Instinct" vein, if not in the same league. Both films are mainly set in San Francisco and are scripted by Joe Eszterhas; his story this time is partly predictable (there is one famous actor who doesn't appear to have much of a role, so you can tell they're saving him for something big at the end) but still sufficiently twisty-turny. David Caruso is a weak lead, but he is surrounded by a strong supporting cast. The technical credits (editing, music, cinematography) are top-notch, and there is a car chase sequence that is both spectacular and original; the part of it that goes through a Chinatown parade is not quite like anything I have seen before. If you liked "Color Of Night" with Bruce Willis, you'll probably like this film as well. **1/2 out of 4.

Samiam3 Ignoring a plot line that is recycled, a climax that is a bit shaky with a twist that is strangely predictable, I'd say Jade could pass for an entertaining neo-noir. Starting with a delicious title sequence, the movie is stepped mostly in style. Something about it recalls Brian de Palma. Within the frame, it is staged quite theatrically, and it works. Jade maintains enough coherency to keep us involved, and director William Friedkin avoids overselling the sex factor (which was the mistake Paul Verhoeven made when adapting Joe Eszterhas' previous script, Basic Instinct, and also Showgirls). It is definitely worth noting that Jade is exceptionally well shot. Everything looks rich and elaborate, including a car chase sequence that feels like a roller coaster ride. Based on the appropriate lens choice and camera angles, cars appear to leap into mid air when driving over San Franscso's many street bumps. The film is also well scored, even though it borrows a bit much from Igor Stravinski's Rite of Spring. The only thing I wasn't too comfortable with was the story. It is derivative and cheesy, but even at that, it could've been worse. When all is said and done, Jade (even with its problems) has enough to sell to make it worth a ninety minute time investment for noir fans.

sol1218 ***SPOILERS*** Overly plotted and totally confusing thriller that has assistant D.A David Carelli, David Caruso, on the hunt for those who brutally sliced up and murdered a serial blackmailer who got way over his head in those he was blackmailing.Found cut to shreds in his mansion among his very expensive antiques, mostly from the Orient, Kyle Medford, Ron Ulsatd, sleazy and secret life as a master blackmailer hit the front pages of the local as well as national newspapers. It's Corelli who takes a very personal interest in Medford's murder only because his ex-girlfriend Trina Gavin, Linda Fiorentino,was one of the last persons to see him alive. This doesn't sit well with Trina's husband high powered defense attorney Matt Gavin, Chazz Palminteri,who feels that Corelli is using Medford's murder in making a play for his wife. Soon we find out it's Trina not Corelli who's making all the plays which involves the late Kyle Medford's home away from home on the Pacific Coast. It's there where Medford ran a prostitution ring, right out of his beach front house, that he used to attract very important people in the state to engage in. Getting the goods on the unsuspecting John's Medford would film them in action and use the photos and video tapes to blackmail them.The movies disjointed storyline has Corelli uncover a plot to blackmail the states top executive Governor Gov. Lew Edwards, Richard Crenna, by having him photographed in action with a hooker at Medford's beach house. When Corelli finally tracks down the hooker who "The Gov" was partying with-Patrice Jacinto played by Angie Evenhart-she clams up and refuses to give him anything but her name and occupation. Slowly putting the pieces together Corelli soon realizes that there was a lot more going on then just simple blackmail! It's murder for both power and profit on the highest order. And possibly Even higher then the governor of the state of California himself! And it's Corelli, by sticking his nose into the matter, who's next on the killer or killer's hit list!The film "Jade" was so badly mishandled by its director William Friedkin that its screenwriter Joe Eszterhas tried to get his name off the movie's credits. As for the film's star David Caruso it ended his promising, after the far more superior "Kiss of Death", movie career and had him slip back into where he came from doing TV police shows.The movie did have an exciting car chase all over the streets docks and at one point smashing through a Chinese Parade in the Chinatown Section of San Francisco that reminded me of that legendary car cases that Friedkin directed in "The French Connection". There was also a number of X-rated scenes between Tria and Mr. Green, Robin Thomas, who was one of the blackmail victims at the late Kyle Medford's retreat. It was in these scenes, recovered from an almost destroyed video tape, that showed Tria's real connection to Medford and it wasn't ,like she said, a casual one. In fact Trina was hooking for Medford in getting him people high up in government, and business, to be blackmailed by him.***SPOILERS*** In the end it was no surprise to anyone watching, except Corelli and the SFPD, who in fact did old man Medford in since the evidence was there before his body turned room temperature. But it took a full confession by Medford's unsuspecting killer, that Corelli illegally audio taped, for Corelli to finally crack the puzzling case.