Everybody Wins (1990)

A private detective (Nick Nolte) is hired by a prostitute (Debra Winger) to gather evidence that would get a new trial for a convicted murderer (Frank Military). While investigating the case, he becomes emotionally involved with her but it becomes clear that she's unstable. Is she the key to a case that could blow the roof off a politically corrupt city that goes right to the top ... or is she a paranoid whack job? Based on one of his minor plays, this is one of only three screenplays Arthur Miller (DEATH OF A SALESMAN) has written for the screen. While the mystery portion is obvious (I doubt Miller was interested in a conventional thriller), the narrative is fairly solid. Unfortunately, Miller's characters aren't believable and don't ring true. Winger, normally a gifted actress, is defeated by the zig-zagging of her character or perhaps as written, it's just unplayable. Or possibly she's just plain miscast, whatever, it's probably her weakest performance (though possibly LEGAL EAGLES might be worse). Miller's gift for dialog eludes him here and if his name wasn't on the credits, you'd never guess he had anything to do with it. The direction by Karel Reisz (FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN) can' be faulted. It's in the writing and to a lesser extent, the acting. The classy Mark Isham score rises above the mire. With Jack Warden, Will Patton, Judith Ivey, Frank Converse and Kathleen Wilhoite.