Editor Reviews:

Amazon.com essential video:
Readers of John Berendt's bestselling novel were bound to be at least somewhat disappointed by this big-screen adaptation, but despite mixed reaction from critics and audiences, there's still plenty to admire about director Clint Eastwood's take on the material. Readers will surely miss the rich atmosphere and societal detail that Berendt brought to his "Savannah story," and the movie can only scratch the surface of Georgian history, tradition, and wealthy decadence underlying Berendt's fact-based murder mystery. Still, Eastwood maintains an assured focus on the wonderful eccentrics of Savannah, most notably a gay Savannah antiques dealer (superbly played by Kevin Spacey), who may or may not have killed his friend and alleged lover (Jude Law). John Cusack plays the Town & Country journalist who arrives in Savannah to find much more than he bargained for--including the city's legendary drag queen Lady Chablis (playing "herself")--and John Lee Hancock's smoothly adapted screenplay succeeds in bringing Berendt's characters vividly to life with plenty of flavorful dialogue. --Jeff Shannon

Rating : - Not great, but good
I saw the movie when it came out in the mid 90's and after visiting Savannah this past summer & touring the Mercer house and then reading the book for the fist time, I just had to see it again. I remembered it as being better than I now rate it, but I also read the book before seeing it the second time & I found several things lacking or rushed when comparing it to the book. It is still a must see if you liked the book, but remember that a movie always cuts & changes some things that you just can't figure out why, like why is the young man's name Billy in the movie & Danny in the book ?