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Madonna, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer, Joe Mantegna, Julianne Moore ... see more see more... , Jürgen Prochnow , Frank Langella , Stan Shaw , Charles Hallahan , Lillian Lehman , Mark Rolston , Jeff Perry , Richard Riehle , John Davis Chandler , Mario de Priest , Michael Forest , Mark C. Vincent , Mary Jo Slater , Frank Roberts , Peter Paul Eastman , Timi Prulhiere , Bryan Clark

Madonna plays Rebecca Carlson, a sex bomb who parades naked in front of the open windows of her houseboat at all hours while the lobstermen catch crabs. This entry in the Basic Instinct sweepstakes po... read more read more...ses the question: If love hurts, does sex kill? The judge and jury certainly want to find out when Rebecca's latest conquest, a multi-millionaire, dies of a heart attack while making love to her. Eight million dollars was bequeathed to Rebecca in his will, and District Attorney Robert Garrett (Joe Mantegna) is convinced that Rebecca, knowing that her rich lover had a weak heart, killed him with wild sex so that she could get her mitts on the money. Rebecca's lawyer, Frank Dulaney (Willem Dafoe), thinks differently, suspecting the millionaire's private secretary Joanne Braslow (Anne Archer) of the crime, since she was dumped by the millionaire for Rebecca. Besides which, Frank is attracted to Rebecca himself and throws legal ethics out the window as he starts a sadomasochistic affair with her. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

29% liked it

8,006 ratings

Critics

6% liked it

34 critics

R, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Uli Edel

Release Date: June 1, 1992

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DVD Release Date: December 3, 2002

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Stats: 335 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (335)


  • June 29, 2008
    A woman is accused of killing her lover. Whay does Madonna do these movies. She should stick to what she's good at - singing.
  • December 5, 2006
    This erotic-thriller in the fumbling scenes of sado-masochism lead only to embarrassment. Willem Dafoe has never looked more uncomfortable, while Madonna as the body in question is no Sharon Stone.
  • November 4, 2010
    Willem Dafoe plays a lawyer who becomes involved with his client, Madonna, a woman accused of intentionally murdering her rich, elderly lover through strenuous, kinky sex; coincidentally, he left her $ 8 million in his will.

    For an "erotic thriller," the film somehow managed ... read moreto be entirely devoid of any erotic quality although there is no lack of sex: we've got hot wax, handcuffs, oral sex, parking garage car hood sex and various other forms of action.

    My opinion: Sex thrillers work best when the sex is used as an additional spice to the story, not the focus of the story and Willem Dafoe may be many things and a very versatile actor, but sex god he isn't. Nevertheless, even with these flaws it is interesting to view. The courtroom scenes are moderately entertaining and Julianne Moore is good as the anger stricken wife of Dafoe while Anne Archer is very effective as the secretary with her own agenda and the sadomasochistic sex scenes....well, if you're into watching this kind of stuff, they may prove to be fairly entertaining as well. I did like the ending. "Karma, everyone gets what they deserve in the end."
  • December 2, 2007
    The movie is pretty tacky, but you get to see Madonna naked in a bunch of sex scenes!
  • July 9, 2007
    Tres' horny but empty of plot.
  • August 28, 2011
    it's a erotic thriller film of all time. Sexy,Smart and Dangerous. Body of Evidence is the best Erotic Thriller film of the year. Willem Dafoe and Madonna are beautiful actors.
  • May 9, 2010
    The positives of this movie? Lots of lurid erotic sex (The candlewax and champagne sccene and the sex scene in the dark parking garage are especially interesting. you also get a look at a very young and very hot Julianne Moore in the buff). Lots of great character work out of Wil... read morelem Dafoe, Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer and a great cameo by Frank Langella. The negatives? Madonna trying to act. Bad theme music and soundtrack. Some awful, awful dialogue. Strange camerawork and ambiance from director Uli Edel. But perhaps the worst problem I had with this movie is the plot. Yes, she screws her husband to death. The plot is not only nearly absent but what plot does exist is predictable and ends anti-climactically, like one of Dafoe's violent orgasms.
  • January 22, 2010
    Despite being a blatant rip-off of Basic Instinct, I don't understand the bashing of this movie, Like it's predecessor, it manages to overcome a weak leading actress by relying on a tight script, highly-capable leading actor, and steamy sex scenes..
  • December 9, 2009
    This is not a good film, but it certainly isn?t as bad as what the vast majority of critics rated it. Madonna is not good. Willem Dafoe is below par, but on the plus side, Julianne Moore is terrific in a supporting role, it has some good cinematography, the score is decent and th... read moree production standars are quite good. It?s still bad, but it has some plusses.
  • January 12, 2009
    HOT!!! Madonna'll do it all!






    HOT!! Madonna totally dropped all her inhibitions in this.GREAT















    Awesome,sooo hot!!

Critic Reviews


Jonathan Rosenbaum
July 20, 2009
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

While he may be marginally better at directing kinky sex scenes than Instinct's Paul Verhoeven, [Edel is] stuck with a fairly ho-hum script by Brad Mirman. Full Review

Variety Staff
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff, Variety

A courtroom drama built around the charge that Madonna's body is a deadly weapon with which she 'fornicated' a man to death, this showcase for the singer-thesp as femme fatale is more silly than erotic. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

A sluggish courtroom melodrama relieved only by unintenional laughter. Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

A bland, utterly silly, curiously provincial courtroom drama. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

What do you say about this kind of movie? Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

This is the kind of poor effort that's difficult to forgive. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

I've seen comedies with fewer laughs than Body of Evidence, and this is a movie that isn't even trying to be funny. Full Review

July 20, 2009
TV Guide's Movie Guide

There is little, if any, erotic chemistry between Dafoe and Madonna, and, as a result, their sex scenes look more like hard work than pleasure. Full Review

Alistair Harkness
July 20, 2009
Alistair Harkness, Film4

Another turkey from the queen of pop, and possibly the worst film on her CV of cinematic clunkers. Full Review

Mark Salisbury
July 20, 2009
Mark Salisbury, Empire Magazine

An erotic thriller that's strangely unerotic and devoid of thrills, this is, however, mercifully short at 100 minutes. Full Review

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Body of Evidence Trivia


  • Which of the following movies is an erotic thriller starring Madonna?  Answer »
  • What actress starred in the Following Shanghi Surprise, A League of Their Own, Body of Evidence  Answer »
  • Who played Madonna's lawyer in "Body of Evidence" ?  Answer »
  • Which movie had the tag-line: "An act of love or an act of murder?"  Answer »

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