Charles is a local
banker whose idea of marriage includes cheating and physical abuse. One night
during the fight he gets killed and Rachel calls Kyle for help. Detective is
faced with the dilemma - whether to act as a professional or to help the woman
he loves. Confident that his crime-solving abilities would help him to cover up
the crime, he chooses the latter, unaware of the many unpleasant surprises that
await him.
China Moon is a slick noir thriller, nice to look at, well-acted and directed, but ultimately predictable, even to its "surprise" ending. Kyle Bodine (Ed Harris) falls in love with Rachel Munro (Madeleine Stowe), the unhappily married wife of a drunken Southern aristocrat Rupert (Charles Dance). One night, tired of his beatings and abuse, Rachel kills Rupert, apparently in self-defense. Kyle helps her cover-up the crime and establish an alibi. However, Kyle's young partner Lamar (Benicio Del Toro) suspects Rachel of the murder and begins an investigation. In fairly predictable plot twists reminiscent of the far superior Body Heat, Kyle finds his life falling apart.