Synopsis

English teacher Frannie Avery becomes entangled with Detective James Malloy after witnessing a disturbing encounter linked to a murdered woman. As Malloy investigates a series of killings in Frannie's Manhattan neighborhood, their sexual relationship deepens, but suspicion and danger grow around them. Frannie must navigate her desire, fear, and uncertainty while trying to determine whether the detective is protecting her or hiding something far more sinister.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film adapts Susanna Moore's 1995 novel of the same name.

• The project spent approximately five years in development before reaching production.

• Nicole Kidman was initially attached to play Frannie Avery. She later withdrew from the role but remained involved as a producer.

• The production had an estimated budget of $12 million and earned approximately $23.7 million worldwide.

• The film was deliberately positioned as a major departure from Meg Ryan's established romantic-comedy image, with its explicit sexuality and psychologically darker material.

• Its initial critical reception was mixed, with many reviews questioning the murder mystery while praising the visual atmosphere and the lead performance.

• In later years, the film received renewed attention from critics and scholars for its treatment of female desire, vulnerability, and the conventions of the erotic thriller.