Brian T. Whitlock (GOWBTW) "Red Letters" happens to be one of the must see movies I have to watch. A great cast of characters goes along with the plot, and it's very suspenseful as well. Peter Coyote did a spectacular job playing the reluctantly helpful Professor Dennis Burke, and Fairuza Balk looked good as student Gretchen Van Buren. Nastassja Kinski is the hot and sexy convict Lydia Davis, who's desperate need of being cleared of a crime. I think the four pictures of the photo booth was rather kinky. Lydia(Kinski) taking off her sweater. The question is what resulted of her state, Bra? or Braless? Who knows? The one scene where Lydia runs into Gretchen, and changes clothes with each other. That was strange. However, noticing Dennis' odd behavior gets him kicked out of school, but somehow it was worth it because of his conscience of finding the truth about Lydia's innocence. The movie was great, it has plenty to go on, and it's a big keeper in the video library. Rating 4 out of 5 stars.

knapper-2 This was a surprise. Peter Coyote is one of the few actors I can imagine who actually convinces you that he is an expert on Hawthorne. Unlike many such movies, the college setting was convincing. Nastassja Kinski smolders quietly, and effectively, as the girl who may or may not be a murderer, Fairuza Balk is enticing and funny as the dean's daughter who falls for Coyote, and when is it not a pleasure to watch Jeremy Piven doing "Jeremy Piven"?Any movie that makes you want to re-read Hawthorne is worth watching. Maybe For English Majors Only, but thoroughly enjoyable to the end.

ragrost I kept expecting to turn it off at any moment, yet the characters were unpredictable and the writing kept this little film moving along at a nice clip. Before I knew it I was hooked. Sure, the plot gets a little clunky near the end, but everyone involved with this picture seemed to enjoy themselves. There is even an homage to Demme's Something Wild, which this film begins to resemble near the end. Overall, three stars, and sure to be a minor hit for the few video stores that are likely to pick this up.

bricksgirl Good performances by a great cast. Fairuza Balk looked great as a student who knew how to raise her grade in more ways than one. Peter Coyote played a widowed professor obsessed with the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne and a sucker for the young women in his class. The plot was refreshing unpredictable and complex. The sexual undertones and twists were reminiscent of the movie "Body Heat". Jeremy Piven provided some great comic relief moments as the computer science professor turned internet hacker. This made for an entertaining and interesting movie worth watching. Look for a cameo by Pauly Shore, too.