Passato remoto

'Past Tense' is the type of flick you start watching and the story grips you with it's mystery elements. Then the longer it goes the more it loses you and starts to feel tired. A good cast, a nice moment or two prolong the inevitable, but the last third takes a walk off the map. This was a tv movie of the week unbeknownst to me at the time.

Gene Ralston (Scott Glenn) a police detective & part time writer has a tryst with his new next-door neighbor Tory (Lara Flynn Boyle). When he discovers her murdered, Gene's partner Larry (Anthony LaPaglia) heads up the investigation and warns him off because he was involved with the victim. Yet he can't help but investigate anyhow. When he goes to discuss inconsistencies with Larry the next day, he doesn't know what he's talking about. A different person has lived in that house for a long time and it's like the woman never existed.

Splice in Gene's repeating dreams / nightmares, a psychiatrist and further down the rabbit hole we go. 'Past Tense' never slips into awful, but the big reveal isn't terribly satisfying. Glenn & LaPaglia are solid which isn't a shock. Boyle pulls off her role effectively. Sheree J. Wilson (Walker Texas Ranger) plays Larry's wife who tries to seduce Gene and gets topless. Wasn't expecting that. An okay one time watch.