Popular radio show host Dave Garver (Clint Eastwood) becomes restless in his relationship with his girlfriend (Donna Mills). But his brief fling with an obsessed female fan takes a frightening, and perhaps even deadly turn when his girlfriend enters the picture.
Clint Eastwood wisely chose a strong, simple thriller for his first film as a director, and the project is remarkable in its self-effacing dedication to getting the craft right.
I think the fault lies with Clint Eastwood the director, who has made too many easy decisions about events, about the management of atmosphere, about the treatment of performances.
Film4
April 08, 2008
The star chose to cut his teeth on this small-scale movie, and the result -- although inevitably dated by its terrible clothes and period ambience -- stands up well but only as good late night television viewing.
There is no purpose to a suspense thriller, I suppose, except to involve us, scare us, to give us moments of vicarious terror. Play Misty for Me does that with an almost cruel efficiency.
Eastwood displays a vigorous talent for sequences of violence and tension. He has obviously seen Psycho and Repulsion more than once, but those are excellent texts and he has learned his lessons passing well.