Search - An Occasional Hell on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1996 DVD Release: 09/20/1999 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 33 mins Studio: Lions Gate Members Wishing: 3 Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller

This preposterous thriller stars Tom Berenger (Platoon) as Ernie Dewalt, a drug-addicted ex-cop with a catheter, and that isn't the worst of it. Ernie teaches creative writing at a small college where prominent professor Alex Laughton (Stephen Lang) has been blown apart with a shotgun while groping the frequently nude Jeri Kari Wuhrer in a car on Lover's Lane. Laughton's widow, Elizabeth (Valeria Golino) drags the reluctant Ernie out of retirement to clear her name, as she is the prime suspect. When he's not mainlining drugs or trading japes with investigating detective Robert Davi, Ernie is haunted by visions of Jeri, taunting him about his incompetence. It's not really Jeri, of course, and may even be the spirit of his former alcoholism, but the plot is so muddled that it's hard to tell. Ernie has a vision of himself snapping nude photos of Jeri and Laughton having sex in a field; Elizabeth is loudly whispered about in the local supermarket; and the ridiculous resolution will please no one. Bad film buffs should get a kick out of Ernie weeping to Elizabeth about his catheter, but other viewers should avoid this jaw-dropping stupidity at all costs. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Tom Berenger - Dr. Ernest Dewal
Kari Wuhrer - Jeri Gillen (as Kari Wuhrer)
Stephen Lang - Alex Laughton
Trent McDevitt - Male Student
Sherril M. Turner - Chadwick

Tom Berenger stars in this thriller, which has been given a workman-like presentation on DVD. Occasional Hell has been transferred to disc in the full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo. The dialogue is in English, with no multiple language options included. The picture's original trailer has been included as a bonus. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide