Ten or even five years ago, it would have been unthinkable to release a slick, impressive-looking thriller starring Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman directly to video. But as theatrical distribution channels narrow, it will no doubt become more common for star-studded studio product to receive the DTV treatment once reserved for thrillers about strippers in mortal danger. Which may not be such an unfortunate trend if the ineptly (if enjoyably) lurid Under Suspicion is any indication. Hackman—who executive produced the film with Freeman—stars as a balding, whoring tax attorney and self-described "pillar of the community" who is interrogated by world-weary cop Freeman on charges of raping and murdering a pair of young girls. Freeman's hot-headed partner (Thomas Jane) considers Hackman "100 fucking percent guilty," perhaps because he does everything short of launching into a rendition of "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" to proclaim his guilt. As the proceedings drag on, with a short break for Hackman to give a speech at a fundraiser (a privilege no doubt afforded everyone suspected of horrible crimes), the dialogue grows increasingly, comically sleazy, culminating in a scene in which Jane baits two-time Oscar-winner Hackman by pretending that Hackman is a little girl. He then proceeds to knock Hackman's beleaguered-looking toupee off during a brief, frenzied struggle, a strong indication that Under Suspicion will not join Unforgiven or The French Connection as a highlight of Hackman's career. Both leads give strong, credible performances, even while burdened with dialogue like, "Stop trying to pry into my life with these… soap-opera insinuations!" But somehow, the gravity and conviction each brings to his role just makes the proceedings that much sillier. Under Suspicion, the latest from director Stephen Hopkins (A Nightmare On Elm Street 5, Lost In Space), may be 200-proof trash, soap-opera insinuations and all, but filmdom would be a better place if all titillation-minded thrillers were half as entertaining, intentionally or not.