Pierce-ing a Crime Together
Charles Lattimore (Pierce Brosnan) not only gave evidence in a murder trial which helped to put a friend away but he then went on to write a book about the murder. It leads to his return to college to lecture on being a successful novelist which in turn brings him back in touch with his ex-wife Laura (Dey Young) who left him after he had a fling with a student. It seems that one of his new students, Francesca Lavin (Kim Thomson), has a thing for him as well showing up in his room late one night. But when she is found murdered and Charles can't provide an alibi he finds himself the main suspect but he suspects that the man who ended up being found guilty on his evidence is seeking revenge from behind bars.
"Murder 101" is a movie with a gimmick, the suspect in a murder case is in fact an expert lecturer in murder having studied and written about it for years. What that means is that one side of the movie focuses on him dispensing his knowledge on committing the perfect crime to his students and pretty much anyone who will listen to him. And there is something entertaining about this as Pierce Brosnan gives Charles Lattimore a theatrical style of being loud, using dramatic movements and getting in people's faces when it comes to explaining the ins and outs of committing a perfect crime.
But that is just one side of "Murder 101" and on the other side we have of course the murder and the various suspects. There is a student who seems to have an eye for detail when it comes to committing crimes and there is the man who fancies Charles's ex-wife and doesn't plan to lose to him when it comes to winning her affections. There is even a detective who seems friendly towards Charles but you never know as he seems to always be lurking about and having conversations behind closed doors. As such what you get is Charles trying to solve the case of who murdered Francesca before the police arrest him on evidence which could have been planted. It is entertaining but pretty typical of a TV movie with the only real difference being that this time it is a bloke who is trying to prove his innocence rather than a woman.
On the subject of which "Murder 101" is one of the TV movies which Pierce Brosnan made during the 90s before becoming James Bond in 1995. Now there are times when Brosnan's delivery is over the top especially when it comes to making Charles Lattimore a brilliant mind when it comes to the ins and outs of murder but he certainly helps to make this made for TV movie entertaining. And for those who were loyal fans of Emmerdale will see Kim Thomson showing up as the student obsessed with her professor.
What this all boils down to is that "Murder 101" is certainly entertaining but it isn't anything out of the ordinary as we have a person trying to prove their innocence when it comes to a murder. The one distinction is that "Murder 101" is a TV movie which features the talents of Pierce Brosnan and that helps to make this entertaining.
