The Bodyguard (1992)

Well acted and pretty well made romance-thriller with two charismatic performances from Costner and Houston. A little far-fetched at the end but I still enjoyed this, especially for the music from Houston. **3.75/5**

"Farmer" (Kevin Costner) had been on the security detail when President Reagan was shot, and so maybe isn't on anyone's "must hire" list now that he has gone freelance. Luckily for him, pop sensation "Rachel" (Whitney Houston) has been getting some poisoned pen letters and so her friend "Devaney" (Bill Cobbs) asks "Farmer" to come beef up her security. Her mansion isn't exactly secure, and her extensive household aren't especially interested in changing that either, so his new discipline irks just about all including his client. Now, as the predictable plot unfolds we learn that she really is being threatened and that there are no shortage of people hanging on to her coat-tails who might have a grudge against her and her success. Of course, despite their shaky start, working in such close proximity soon has the two sharing a little more than her password, and so now it's personal! Though the thriller elements do build a little more in the second half, this film really is nothing special at all nor did I find there to be much chemistry between the disappointingly bland Costner and Houston. Gary Kemp hasn't improved at all since his "Krays" (1990) showing us he is little more than a pretty face and the rest of the cast make little impact on this join-the-dots mystery. The soundtrack does remind us why she was, and Dolly Parton is, such a massive global star - even if her acting isn't really up to much, but this is pretty forgettable fayre.