MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Striking’: A Diverting Mystery

“Striking Distance” (citywide) opens and closes with a pair of jolting high-speed chases, the first over Pittsburgh streets, the second over the rivers that encircle the city’s center. In between is a lively mystery thriller that hurtles past plot contrivances and unintended laughs to deliver the goods as a satisfying escapist diversion. Like a paperback purchased at an airport just before you board a plane, it serves well its time-killing purpose but isn’t designed to stand up under close scrutiny.

Director and co-writer Rowdy Herrington has anchored the action with a solid part for Bruce Willis, entirely credible as a fifth-generation Pittsburgh cop, Irish on his father’s side, Italian on his mother’s. He’s been raised by his father (John Mahoney) with the creed “Loyalty above all else, except honor.” This belief has led him to testify against his own cousin (Robert Pastorelli), also a cop, in a police brutality case, which doesn’t endear him to his uncle (Dennis Farina), who’s also his boss. To make matters worse, he insists loudly that the wrong man has been convicted for fatally shooting his father during the film’s opening chase. In short order he’s been demoted from homicide detective to river rescue patrolman. Then the corpses of women he had once known start turning up floating down the Alleghany and the Monongahela.

“Striking Distance” (rated R for violence, strong language and a sex scene) allows Willis to come across as macho yet sensitive, tough-minded and high-principled, but vulnerable to rage and despair. Willis’ strong yet understated presence persuades us to go along with all that happens, no matter what. Well, almost everything: It’s inconceivable that the cop wouldn’t close the Venetian blinds on his houseboat at least while making love! The object of his affections, as it happens, is his new partner (Sarah Jessica Parker, who has a wholesome, natural quality, which also contributes to the believability quotient).

You scarcely need to be a psychic to predict that Parker will soon be menaced by the unknown serial killer, but Herrington does throw in a surprise twist about the murderer’s identity, revealed in a climactic scene that can be described only as operatic in its emotional extravagance. The fast-moving Herrington never gives us a chance to think too much about what we’re watching, and in this apt strategy he has first-rate backup from his crew, especially from dynamic, imaginative cinematographer Mac Ahlberg, veteran stunt coordinator Mickey Gilbert, who has contributed a number of breathtaking moments, and versatile composer Brad Fiedel, who has come up with a hard-driving, mood-enhancing score.

‘Striking Distance’ Bruce Willis: Tom Hardy Sarah Jessica Parker: Jo Christman Dennis Farina: Nick Detillo Tom Sizemore: Danny Detillo Robert Pastorelli: Jimmy Detillo

A Columbia Pictures presentation. Director Rowdy Herrington. Producers Arnon Milchan, Tony Thomopoulos, Hunt Lowry. Executive producer Steve Reuther. Screenplay by Herrington, Martin Kaplan. Cinematographer Mac Ahlberg. Editor Mark Helfrich. Costumes Betsy Cox. Music Brad Fiedel. Production design Gregg Fonseca. Art director Bruce Miller. Set decorator Jay Hart. Sound Chris Carpenter, Chris David, Doug Hemp- hill. Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.

MPAA-rated R (for violence, strong language and a sex scene).