Random Encounter

You never know what you're going to get when you tune in a thriller late at night on a cable channel. This one turned out to be better than most. Elizabeth Berkley plays a fast-rising PR executive who meets a stranger at a party she's throwing for her company and goes home with him. This action has all sorts of unintended consequences that keep getting worse and worse as the film progresses.

This movie passes a couple of big tests for the thriller genre. One is that it stays suspenseful, almost engrossing, all the way through. Another is that you won't spend all your time second-guessing the script, saying "Would he or she really have done that?"--even when you could.

Count me out when it comes to Berkley-bashing. This isn't 'Showgirls;' she's very good in her part. It's unfortunate that some people have such a knee-jerk negative reaction to her since she appeared in that other movie and don't judge her on her own merits. It might also be noted here that she gives a convincing and competent performance in 'Random Encounter' without taking her clothes off.