In the Heat of Passion II: Unfaithful (1994)

In the Heat of Passion II: Unfaithful is a sultry 1994 American erotic thriller that dives into a tangled web of betrayal and deception, directed by Catherine Cyran and produced by Roger Corman’s Concorde-New Horizons. This 88-minute, R-rated drama, released on November 2, 1994, stars Barry Bostwick as Phillip Donovan and Teresa Hill as his stepdaughter Casey, lovers who conspire to murder Phillip’s wheelchair-bound wife, Jean Bradshaw (Lesley-Anne Down), staging it as an accident. With a 4.6/10 IMDb rating and a mere 30% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s a polarizing B-movie, infamous for its soapy twists and a surprising Lisa Kudrow cameo as a bank teller, predating her Friends fame, but panned for lackluster execution despite a solid cast including Matt McCoy and Michael Gross. The film’s guilty-pleasure appeal lies in its over-the-top plot: after Jean’s death, Phillip and Casey’s illicit affair unravels when inheritance issues—$4 million is at stake, but lawyer Howard (Gross) holds secrets—spark paranoia. A standout moment is Casey’s seductive goth-club escapade, bringing home a stranger (Betsy Lynn George) for a risqué three-way, only for trust to crumble as Phillip and Casey plot against each other. The final twist, hinting Jean may not be dead, keeps viewers hooked, though critics call it 'predictable' and 'TV-ish,' with choppy editing and a soundtrack that feels 'nailed to the ground.' The film’s attempt at eroticism fizzles—nudity is sparse, with stock footage from other Corman films tacked on—yet Teresa Hill’s alluring performance and enough 'gotcha' moments, like a tense will-reading scene, make it a curious time-killer. As an in-name-only sequel to 1992’s In the Heat of Passion, this U.S.-produced thriller reflects Corman’s low-budget 1990s output, leaning on scandalous themes but falling short of genre giants like Shannon Tweed’s erotic thrillers. Shot in the USA with James L. Carter’s cinematography, it’s a product of the direct-to-video era, with some noting its 'giallo-like' ambition but 'bad movie-of-the-week' vibe. Streamable on platforms like Tubi or Amazon Freevee, it’s a flawed but intriguing pick for fans of '90s B-thrillers, offering steamy betrayals and a question that lingers: who’s really pulling the strings in this deadly game of passion?