Black Widow

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Black Widow

R,

1987,

1h 42m,

Mystery & Thriller/

Crime/

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

58%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

41%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

58%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

41%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Federal agent Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger) believes that Catherine Petersen (Theresa Russell) is a serial killer who marries rich men and then murders them for their money. But since Catherine is seemingly a master of disguise and has multiple identities, Alexandra can't prove anything with conventional detective work. With no other option, she goes undercover, pursuing the same man (Sami Frey) as Catherine, and hoping that Catherine will slip up and reveal her true identity.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

May 10, 2022

Another pleasant surprise of the year was discovering that I could actually like–as opposed to respect and/or squirm through–a Bob Rafelson movie.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

2.5/4

Black Widow is an interesting movie struggling to escape from a fatal overload of commercial considerations.

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

Jan 1, 2000

... it's good to see the director of "Five Easy Pieces" in the saddle again.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jul 19, 2026

4/5

...a proper thriller for those who seek a more intellectual approach to the female psyche….a rare thriller which really doubles down on the psychological aspect; there’s barely a moment of bloodletting on camera, it’s all about the cerebral games….

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Eve Tushnet

Patheos

Jan 31, 2023

Don’t let Winger’s mousy-for-Hollywood appearance fool you: This is definitely a game of cat and other cat! It’s silly and mostly notable for the explicit sapphic overtones.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

May 12, 2020

3/4

...a relatively familiar premise that is, for the most part, utilized to better-than-expected effect by Rafelson...

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Leia R

Apr 4, 2019

The Grandmother of Killing Eve-this movie has to be the inspiration for the BBC dramady. The underlying sexual tention between Winger & Russell plays very much like the obession of Eve & Villianelle. Even some of the cat & mouse games between the characters is mirrowed in Eve's storyline. Catherine dresses Alexandra. Villianelle buys designer clothes for Eve. Catherine murders PI Shin. Villianelle murders Eve's bosses. They almost kill each other...shall l go on ? Watch the sexual tention come to a boil in the wedding reception scene when Winger gives Russell a pin and she kisses her.

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Hermione W

Oct 7, 2018

Both Debra Winger and Catherine Russell are exceptional in this dark thriller. Black Widow is a stylish thriller about two women on either side of the law: One a law enforcement officer and another a psychopathic criminal who marries rich men and kills them before moving onto the next victim. The officer is hell bent on catching the criminal and both Debra Winger and Catherine Russell are very good in their respective roles as the officer and the criminal. The pacing is efficient and the direction good. This is not a well-known film and it should be.

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Albus L

Sep 27, 2018

Both Debra Winger and Catherine Russell are exceptional in this dark thriller. Black Widow is a stylish thriller about two women on either side of the law: One a law enforcement officer and another a psychopathic criminal who marries rich men and kills them before moving onto the next victim. The officer is hell bent on catching the criminal and both Debra Winger and Catherine Russell are very good in their respective roles as the officer and the criminal. The pacing is efficient and the direction good. This is not a well-known film and it should be.

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Leia P

Aug 29, 2018

Black Widow is a stylish thriller about two women on either side of the law: One a law enforcement officer and another a psychopathic criminal who marries rich men and kills them before moving onto the next victim. The officer is hell bent on catching the criminal and both Debra Winder and Catherine Russell are very good in their respective roles as the officer and the criminal. The pacing is efficient and the direction good. This is not a well-known film and it should be.

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Ron L

Dec 21, 2017

One of those trashy pleasures of a movies that when ever it pops up on cable you just can't help watching again. The plot holes are big enough to drive a truck through, yet Winger and Russel caricature performances make the whole mess worth while.

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Albus L

Sep 20, 2017

Winger wasn't really suitable for this role so it suffers points here, not to mention what an utterly ridiculous story/execution.

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Bob Rafelson

Director

Debra Winger

Alexandra "Alex" Barnes

Theresa Russell

Catharine Petersen

Sami Frey

Paul Nuytten

Dennis Hopper

Ben Dumers

Nicol Williamson

William McCrory

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Synopsis

Federal agent Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger) believes that Catherine Petersen (Theresa Russell) is a serial killer who marries rich men and then murders them for their money. But since Catherine is seemingly a master of disguise and has multiple identities, Alexandra can't prove anything with conventional detective work. With no other option, she goes undercover, pursuing the same man (Sami Frey) as Catherine, and hoping that Catherine will slip up and reveal her true identity.

Director: Bob Rafelson
Producer: Harold Schneider
Screenwriter: Ronald Bass
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 6, 1987, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 24, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $22.7M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Surround

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