Perfect Stranger (2007) 1 stae out of 4. Starring Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, Giovanni Ribisi, Nicki Aycox, Paula Miranda and Patti D’Arbanville. Story by Jon Bokenkamp. Screenplay by Todd Komarnicki. Directed by James Foley. Rated. R. Approx: 110 mins.

A sure indication that a movie’s script is deficient is when a character must explain to the audience everything that has transpired.

Such is the case with Perfect Stranger, an insipid potboiler that strains to be some sort of sexual thriller, but leaves you cold and bored instead.

Halle Berry stars as Rowena, an investigative reporter who opens an investigation into the death of Grace. a childhood friend who supposedly was having an affair with a big-time ad agency executive, Harrison Hill, portrayed by Bruce Willis.

To get some dirt on the exec, she goes undercover, getting herself hired at the agency where she insinuates herself with the boss.

But, as in the case of films of this ilk, everything is not what it seems. Everyone is keeping secrets — either from others or themselves.

Director James Foley and screenwriter Todd Komarnicki, working from a story by Jon Bokenkamp, shift suspicions as often as Berry changes costumes.

But some of the characters look so shifty and act so screwy — especially Berry’s computer nerd partner, Miles (Giovanni Ribisi) and Hill’s dark and lovely wife, Mia (Paula Miranda) — that you sense they are merely red herrings.

Who is the killer? The clues are there, but Foley muddies up and clutters the proceedings in such a way that you eventually lose interest.

Plus none of these people are sympathetic. Berry’s Rowena is a self-centered witch and taker who continually heaps verbal abuse on Miles, who is supposed to be her co-worker and friend.

Miles is a pervert, and Hill is a cad and womanizer.

The movie does not provide the audience with anyone to root for, so who cares really who did what to whom. Even Grace, Rowena’s friend, is portrayed as a selfish and sluttish young woman.

Perfect Stranger wastes the time and talents of all involved. It seems that since winning her best actress Oscar for Monster’s Ball, Berry has made a lot of wrong choices.

Either her acting in that film was a fluke, or she is getting very bad career advice.

Perfect Stranger is a movie most of the major performers may want to exclude from their resumes. It is a rancid potboiler. This is one stranger you may want to cross the street to avoid.

Bob Bloom is the film critic and DVD reviewer at the Journal & Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be reached by e-mail at bbloom@journalandcourier.com or at bloomjc@yahoo.com. Bloom's reviews also can be found at the Journal & Courier Web site: www.jconline.com
Other reviews by Bloom can be found at the Rottentomatoes Web site: www.rottentomatoes.com.