Most Americans fear street crime more than anything else, but during the last decade white-collar crime rose to equally frightening levels. Pacific Heights is a scary and convincing picture of how two individuals are victimized by a sinister and smart white-collar criminal.
Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) and Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) put themselves deep in debt in order to purchase a $750,000 Victorian house in San Francisco. The challenge of restoring this 1886 mansion gives an edge to their romantic relationship. Although they call it their home, the property is also an investment they hope will pay off valuable dividends in the future.
They rent an apartment to Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton), who quickly moves in before Drake can complete a check of his references. When he doesn't pay, the couple knows they are in big trouble. It turns out Hayes is a con man who knows the ins and outs of tenement law having made $250,000 on his last scam. When Drake roughs him up, he is told by the police that the law is on Hayes's side. The battle between the young couple and this manipulative sociopath escalates into an all-out war of nerves.
John Schlesinger expertly directs this psychological thriller. The screenplay by Daniel Pyne is a gem, especially as a polished character study. The conflict with the intruder in their home changes the relationship between Drake and Patty. Drake's macho exercises only play into Hayes's hands, but Patty's invasion of his privacy finally causes the criminal to step over the line. Pacific Heights is a watershed thriller with its telling portrait of white collar crime and the primal value of privacy in this information age.