Television Review : Grisly Details Mar ‘Happy Face Murders’

How do you recommend a film containing repugnant violence against women?

The short answer: You don’t.

“Happy Face Murders,” a callous crime drama premiering Sunday on Showtime, is loosely based on the bizarre but true tale involving a woman who put her boyfriend behind bars rather than live with him.

The serpentine story pivots on the rancid relationship between TV mystery buff Lorraine (Ann-Margret), who is 58, and alcoholic Rusty (Nicholas Campbell), who is 39.

Following the bloody killing of a young, marginally retarded woman, Lorraine anonymously tips off Jennifer Powell (Marg Helgenberger), the acerbic police detective in charge of the case.

A decent cop forced to team with an inexperienced criminology student (Henry Thomas), Powell subsequently hears not one but several bogus stories from the genteel Lorraine, who lies as easily as she watches reruns of “Perry Mason” and “Matlock.”

The key here is deception, and those absolutely certain of where the seemingly simple plot is heading are likely to be as wrong as the police.

Unfortunately, writer John Pielmeier makes his own gross error in judgment by proceeding to detail the grisly abuse against Lorraine and other battered or raped women, marring what is otherwise a tricky tale unfolding with a sly tone under the direction of Brian Trenchard-Smith.

“China Beach” alum Helgenberger and former “ET” child star Thomas give credible performances as the mismatched sleuths with a knack for shooting themselves in the foot.

Meanwhile, Ann-Margret and Campbell are uneven at best, and that, as you might guess, leaves us with a sad countenance.

* “Happy Face Murders” can be seen Sunday at 8 p.m. on Showtime. It carries an MPAA rating of R, with advisories for nudity, violence, adult language and strong sexual content. A 20-minute show titled “The Real Happy Face Killers” follows at 9:40 p.m.