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Victoria "V.I." Warshawski: When in doubt, hesitate!
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Victoria "V.I." Warshawski: My face got betrayed by my mouth.
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Victoria "V.I." Warshawski: Never underestimate a man's ability to underestimate a woman.
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[last lines]
Murray Ryerson: Vic, about that blonde.
Victoria "V.I." Warshawski: Murray, have you ever seen what I can do with a nutcracker?
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Description
When brute force isn't enough to handle the human sludge of the Chicago underworld, private investigator V.I. Warshawski pulls out two of her most lethal weapons -- powerful charm and the skill of a woman who knows all the right moves. A tough-talking, fiercely independent, sexy P.I. with a weakness for pretty shoes, Warshawski is armed with brains and seductive sex appeal. When pushed to the edge, Warshawski can play hardball with the Windy City's most wanted, including a cold-blooded killer who has murdered Boom-Boom Grafalk, an ex-hockey player who has caught her eye. A just cause is reason enough for Warshawski to take on a new case, and when Boom-Boom's 13-year-old daughter, Kat, retains the detective to ferret out her father's killer, V.I. uncovers a startling conspiracy for murder and money.
Amazon.com
You couldn't do better than Kathleen Turner to bring Sara Peretsky's tough but tender Chicago PI (who goes by her initials "because it makes it harder for people to patronize [her]") to the big screen. Too bad her vehicle is such routine murder mystery. The story of an insolent teenager (Angela Goethals) who hires Warshawski to investigate her father's suspicious death never rises above TV detective show melodrama, and Jeff Kanew's generic direction is less hardboiled than over-easy. The film's pleasures are all in the performances: smart, stylish, and sassy, Turner can toss off a tart retort with the best of them and her chemistry with Goethals's foul-mouthed wharf rat is as much mentor as maternal protector. Given a better script, Turner could have hung her shingle on this character for years to come. --Sean Axmaker
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