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SummaryA mysterious blonde woman kills one of a psychiatrist's patients, and then goes after the high-class call girl who witnessed the murder.

Directed By:Brian De Palma

Written By:Brian De Palma

Dressed to Kill

Metascore
Generally Favorable
74
User score
Generally Favorable
7.3
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
81% Positive
13 Reviews
13% Mixed
2 Reviews
6% Negative
1 Review
  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
100
The New Yorker
One of the most sheerly enjoyable films of recent years, this sophisticated horror comedy, written and directed by Brian De Palma, is permeated with the distilled essence of impure thoughts.
91
The A.V. Club
It’s easy to see why people hated a movie as arch, violent, and glib as Dressed To Kill, and equally clear that this is exactly what De Palma was going for with all the gusto he could muster.
User score
Generally Favorable
73% Positive
46 Ratings
22% Mixed
14 Ratings
5% Negative
3 Ratings
  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Nov 15, 2021
10
Habibiehakim
Dressed To Kill is like watching Psycho (which is inspired the movie) and Carrie (one of De Palma's previous film) at the same time, from the music, cinematography, tense, and of course the story is exactly like Psycho with more freedom of nudity and violence, and the most impressive thing on the movie is that when everytime they build the tense with no dialogue, just a music score in the background, following the person for a pretty long time and it's just really moving you, you're into it, and then oddly it's still get you, it's a terrifying movie with a fantastic performance by all the cast, Dressed To Kill is a hell of a movie and it's definitely one of, if not De Palma's best.
Aug 9, 2025
8
alejandro970
One of director De Palma's early efforts. A fairly functional thriller that clearly draws inspiration from the classic Psycho. Above all, for the performances, it's never too late to discover it
90
The New York Times
A witty, romantic, psychological horror film and it's almost as rewarding as a successful analysis...The fun is not in logic but watching how Mr. De Palma successfully tops himself as he goes along, and the fun lasts from the sexy, comic opening sequence right through to the film's several endings.
75
The Film Stage
The masterful ten-minute gallery set piece, for instance, is first positioned as a scene of meditation as she absentmindedly gazes around the room, looking back and forth between the paintings in the room and the people around her until Pino Donaggio’s serenely swirling score ebbs and flows with her own rising passions.
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
The technical packaging of his picture is terrific - with its high-tech Manhattan and its split screens and slow motion, Dressed to Kill is - but the goods it opens to reveal are shoddily second-hand. [26 July 1980]
30
Chicago Reader
Originality has never been a high value in the genre-bound aesthetic of filmmaking, but De Palma cheapens what he steals, draining the Hitchcock moves of their content and complexity. He's left with a collection of empty technical tricks—obtrusive and gimmick-crazed, this film has been “directed” within an inch of its life—and he fills in the blanks with an offhand cruelty toward his characters, a supreme contempt for his audience (at one point, we're compared to the drooling voyeurs who inhabit his vision of Bellevue), and a curdled, adolescent vision of sexuality.
See All 16 Critic Reviews
Oct 30, 2024
8
jackthepgl95
From the director of Scarface, Carlito's Way, Carrie, The Untouchables and Mission Impossible just to name a few, Brian De Palma is known for erotic thrillers and this one is just one of them. Known for it to be referencing the **** of Psycho which I loved. A sexually frustrated housewife Kate Miller played by Angie ****, is attending therapy sessions with Dr. Robert Elliott played by Michael Caine. During an appointment, she attempts to seduce him, but he rejects her advances, stating his unwillingness to jeopardize his happy marriage. She has planned to spend the day with her son Peter, an inventor, but he's busy with his research. She then goes alone to the Museum where she and the stranger stalk each other. In his apartment while the man is asleep, she awakens and leaves him a note and finds a document indicating that he has contracted with both syphilis and gonorrhea. Shocked to find out, she leaves the apartment and went in the elevators where a blonde woman in dark sunglasses slashes her to death. Liz Blake, the prostitute played by Nancy Allen, discovers it and subsequently becomes both the prime suspect and the killer's next target. Back when I have seen this film where Fifty Shades of Grey is in cinemas where I watch my films filled with eroticness whereas this one ripped off Psycho in the creative way and it does have a LGBT theme to it if you haven't seen it already or you have. The film is scary as an erotic psychological film. I'm surprised how underused Michael Caine is in it but at least I can get over like I always do. I said before in my old review that there are scenes where Angie **** doesn't talk much, it's like me being very quiet while watching it. The soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal. What else can I say about the soundtrack? It's all early 80's and the way it's composed it makes the film more enjoyable. Now I haven't seen Blow Out with John Travolta. Do know that two casts from Dressed to Kill and it is directed by Brian De Palma but I'll be doing so in the near future. So that is Dressed to Kill (Not to be confused with the Sherlock Holmes film.) I enjoyed it for the thrills and diverse twists and turns and it's soundtrack. Definitely will give you nightmares whilst you saw this review.
Sep 30, 2024
8
alanpotter17
Com um ritmo perfeito, temos um "Psicose" feito pelo Depalma, com sequências absurdas de tão bem dirigidas, como a perseguição na galeria, ou as tomadas de cima. Há também menção a filmes como "Janela indiscreta". Mas o grande barato mesmo é falar sobre transexualidade usando figuras como um profissional da saúde mental, um garoto aspirante a cientista, uma prostituta. São tipos que, de alguma forma, sintetizam visões demasiadamente fortes sobre o tema. Apensar do didatismo no final e do qual fácil seja esse plot, o roteiro consegue ser natural e real, numa história que sabe muito bem qual caminho seguir mesmo com a quebra de expectativas. Direção praticamente perfeita.
Jun 5, 2022
8
JeBjBo
This is the best "Psycho"-remake you could possibly get! Seriously though, it features problematic tropes and a lame twist. Still, the style, atmosphere, score, acting and directing of this rock!
Feb 23, 2026
6
HellHoleHorror
This was a good little eighties classy thriller. It was quite gritty. It was certainly not smooth and slick. The camera work was fantastic. Nancy Allen was excellent in this, such a charismatic actress. The acting is brilliant. There were some amazingly well shot scenes. Some scenes felt slow and uneventful though. The exciting moments are well done. Nothing too scary sadly. Interesting story. I did enjoy this film although I don’t think that it is very special, somewhat forgettable?
Jun 19, 2025
6
glenpolin
Huge DePalma fan, but no matter how much he tries to emulate Hitchcock here, his perversions tend to overtake the material. Where Hitchcock shined was in not showing as much. Also, it's quite predictable. There are some well written characters and great performances, but it takes much too long for the plot to get going. Also, the film has a never-ending cycle of false endings. It's definitely one of DePalma's inferior entries.
See All 9 User Reviews
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  • Filmways Pictures
  • Cinema 77 Films
  • American International Pictures (AIP)
Jul 25, 1980
1 h 45 m
R
The latest fashion in murder.
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
Razzie Awards
• 3 Nominations
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