Someone to Watch Over Me

Plot

Socialite Claire Gregory attends a party and art show hosted by her friend Winn Hockings, accompanied by her boyfriend Neil Steinhart. Elsewhere, newly appointed NYPD detective Mike Keegan celebrates his promotion. Winn is confronted by former partner Joey Venza, who stabs him to death after an argument. Claire witnesses the killing and is spotted by Venza, but escapes into an elevator. Keegan, assigned to protect Claire until Venza is arrested and she can testify, falls for her despite being married. Venza makes threats and attempts on her life. Keegan separates from his wife Ellie over his involvement with Claire. He and Claire acknowledge their love, but he cannot abandon his family. Venza takes Keegan's son hostage, but Ellie shoots and kills Venza. Claire ends her relationship with Neil and plans to go to Europe, while Keegan returns to his wife and son.

Production

Howard Franklin initially pitched the film to Ridley Scott in 1982 during a dinner party, and had written most of it by late that year. Scott later brought in Danilo Bach and David Seltzer to refine the script. The project was announced for MGM in July 1986 by Alan Ladd, Jr., but shifted to Columbia Pictures by September, where David Puttnam, who had produced Scott's debut The Duellists, was head of production. Tom Berenger was cast based on his performance in Platoon. Principal photography began December 8, 1986, lasting thirteen weeks, with locations including the Bergdorf Goodman Building, Central Park, the Guggenheim Museum, and Upper East Side streets. Interior scenes were filmed at Burbank Studios starting January 19, 1987, and nightclub interiors were shot on a docked ship in Long Beach.

Release

Someone to Watch Over Me was released in the United States on October 9, 1987, as the first film greenlit by David Puttnam to reach theaters, though Puttnam had resigned by the time of release. It debuted on VHS in May 1988 and performed better on home video. Sony Pictures released a remastered DVD in October 1999 with widescreen and full-screen options, production notes, and theatrical trailers. Shout! Factory issued a Blu-ray under their Shout Select banner on March 12, 2019, adding interviews with screenwriter Howard Franklin and cinematographer Steven Poster. Powerhouse Films (Indicator) released a limited edition Blu-ray in the U.K. on May 17, 2021, featuring a 2k restoration, the Shout extras, a new audio commentary by Jim Hemphill, and the theatrical trailer.

Reception

In the United States and Canada, Someone to Watch Over Me grossed $10.3 million against a $12.8 million budget, opening at No. 4 and spending four consecutive weeks in the domestic Top 10. CinemaScore audiences gave it an average grade of B+. Roger Ebert awarded two stars out of four but praised Lorraine Bracco's performance for its force and imagination. Vincent Canby of The New York Times offered a review, as did Variety, which called the film a stylish and romantic police thriller that triumphs over implausible plot developments through Ridley Scott's sleek direction and persuasive ensemble performances.

John Ferguson of Radio Times gave four stars out of five, describing it as an intelligent thriller and one of Scott's most quietly satisfying works, with first-rate performances. Michael Wilmington of the Los Angeles Times called it an erotic culture-clash thriller full of glamour and romance, but felt it was unformed, like a poem missing a color. Rita Kempley of The Washington Post deemed it a reasonably enjoyable romantic thriller showcasing Scott's visual artistry, though she noted the thick haze of pictorial pollutants obscured the plot.

Pauline Kael wrote in The New Yorker that Scott had put so much morbid care into the silly story that he worried the fun out of it.