Striking Distance (1993)
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A disgraced Pittsburgh detective must confront his past when a serial killer's presence resurfaces in his life.
The story
In 1991, Pittsburgh homicide detective Thomas Hardy becomes alienated from his fellow officers after turning in his partner for using excessive force. When his father and he receive a call regarding the 'Polish Hill Strangler'—a serial killer Tom believes is a fellow officer—a pursuit leads to a tragic accident. Two years later, an alcoholic Tom has been demoted and reassigned to the River Rescue Squad. His life is upended when he discovers a victim who is an ex-girlfriend, sparking suspicions that the serial killer may still be active. Assigned a new partner, Tom must navigate internal pressure and personal turmoil while investigating the truth behind the killer's identity.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1991, Pittsburgh detective Tom Hardy is ostracized by his peers after reporting his partner, Jimmy Detillo, for excessive force. During a pursuit of the 'Polish Hill Strangler,' Tom and his father, Vince, are involved in a crash; Vince is killed, and the suspect escapes. Two years later, a demoted and alcoholic Tom is assigned to the River Rescue Squad. He discovers a victim is an ex-girlfriend and begins an unauthorized investigation into the Strangler's identity. He is assigned a partner, Jo Christman, who is later revealed to be an undercover investigator. Tom eventually discovers that the killer is actually Jimmy Detillo, who survived the initial crash. In a final confrontation at a remote cabin, it is revealed that Tom's father was killed by a fellow officer, Nick Detillo, during a struggle with the killer. Tom eventually defeats Jimmy in a chase through the woods and onto a railroad trestle, ultimately being reinstated as a detective.
- Original title
- Three Rivers
- First release year
- 1993
- Runtime (minutes)
- 101
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Rowdy Herrington
- Writers
- Rowdy Herrington · writer; Marty Kaplan · writer
- Cast and characters
- Bruce Willis · Tom Hardy; Sarah Jessica Parker · Jo Christman; Dennis Farina · not specified; Tom Sizemore · not specified
- Genres
- action; thriller
- Themes
- trauma; betrayal; obsession
- Tone and mood
- tense; gritty
- Premise and plot tags
- police procedural; serial killer; buddy cop
- Reception
- The film received primarily negative critic reviews and was described as a 'tired, defeated picture' and 'grindingly inept.'
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 23% · scale: percentage · review count: 26; Metacritic · score: 36% · scale: percentage · review count: 25
- Production trivia
- The film was originally titled Three Rivers.; The film was shot on location in Pittsburgh.; The film was heavily edited and reshot in Los Angeles.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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