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Guilty as Sin

Guilty as Sin

She's finally met her match. He's handsome, wealthy, seductive. A Real Lady Killer!

1993107 minRMidcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Director
Sidney Lumet
Starring
Rebecca De Mornay, Don Johnson, Stephen Lang, Jack Warden

Before a criminal lawyer knows what has happened, she is forced to defend a wife killer she knows is guilty.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Guilty as Sin?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Guilty as Sin to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Guilty as Sin?

Guilty as Sin earns 2 badges, led by Award Winner and Broadly Agreed.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Guilty as Sin worth watching?

Guilty as Sin's Midcredits score is the 30th percentile of all films, from 10K ratings across 4 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

30th percentile

Better received than 30% of films

29th percentile among Crime33rd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)38th
Approval (how many liked it)24th

58 /100

38th percentile of all films

37th percentile among Crime41st percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

23rd percentile among Crime26th percentile among 1990s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

Critics 38% · Audience 44%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 0 noms overall

78th percentile

10K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Crime72nd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$12M
Opening weekend$5.7M
Domestic gross$23M
Worldwide gross$23M

Returned 1.9× its budget — 86th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a slick, well-acted psychological thriller centered on a dangerous game of wits between DeMornay and Johnson, though they differ on whether its contrivances and slow burn work in its favor.

Fans praised

  • Don Johnson's chillingly convincing portrayal of a charming sociopath
  • Taut cat-and-mouse tension between the two magnetic leads
  • Rebecca DeMornay's sharp, layered performance as a driven lawyer

Detractors panned

  • Inexplicable character motivations that strain credibility
  • Derivative courtroom-thriller formula with predictable beats
  • Tedious pacing that drains suspense from the central premise

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Don Johnson and Rebecca DeMornay give standout, intense performances; Johnson praised for embodying charming menace

Characters70

Compelling lead dynamic; supporting roles like Jack Warden's are seen as underused

TensionDivisive65

Taut psychological games between leads; suspenseful but not always gripping

Dialogue60

Snappy courtroom banter but occasional clunky lines

Plot and storyDivisive55

Twisty but formulaic cat-and-mouse; some find it predictable or silly

Ending55

Finale polarizes; some find it satisfying, others anticlimactic

Pacing45

Some find it slow; others think it drags despite short runtime

OriginalityDivisive40

Seen as derivative of other 'Jagged Edge'-style thrillers

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Guilty as Sin like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadThrilling
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Hardboiled · 1% of films: Terse, unsentimental, noir-inflected.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneA legal thriller played straight, treating the courtroom proceedings and the attorney's growing danger with earnest gravity.
The rideThe synopsis builds pressure through the attorney's entrapment and the threat to her safety, with the climax likely carrying the most weight.
StructureA conventional thriller told in order: the case is taken on, suspicions grow, and the attorney's private investigation unfolds.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

The answer rests on this: UnsettlingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe client's manipulation and the attorney's endangered position leave a lingering unease about control and safety.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film is driven by the question of whether the womanising client actually murdered his wife, with the attorney conducting her own investigation of him.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film is driven by lies and hidden truths, especially the client's manipulation and the attorney's ethical trap.
StanceThe film warns about the dangers of being deceived by a charming psychopath and the ethical traps of the legal system.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Howard Shore
Settinga big-city legal world, 1990s

Content guide

Is Guilty as Sin okay for kids?

R

Guilty as Sin is rated R: “Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (39/100), sexual content at mild (23/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at moderate (39/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany16
  • Czechia15+
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (35 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Guilty as Sin have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Guilty as Sin?

Cast

Rebecca De Mornay
as Jennifer Haines
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Don Johnson
as David Edgar Greenhill
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Stephen Lang
as Phil Garson
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jack Warden
as Moe Plimpton
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Dana Ivey
as Judge D. Tompkins
Ron White
as Prosecutor DiAngelo
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sean McCann
as Nolan, Greenhill's Doorman
Luis Guzmán
as Lt. Bernard Martinez
Robert Kennedy
as Caniff
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
James Blendick
as McMartin
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Guilty as Sin?

Movies like Guilty as Sin include Jagged Edge (1985), The Gingerbread Man (1998) and The Firm (1993). Of the 12 closest matches, most are psychological thrillers, and most are films about deception.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its world: legal. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Guilty as Sin?

237 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: legal thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.