Line #24 Film/ExceptionToTheRule


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/exception_to_the_rule_300x396.jpg]]
2
3	''Exception to the Rule'' is a Canadian DirectToVideo {{Thriller}} movie directed by [[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003941 David Winning]] and released in 1997. It was produced/distributed by Artisan Entertainment (later acquired by Creator/LionsGate) and Shavick Entertainment.
4
5	Tim Bayer (Creator/EricMcCormack) is a diamond trader unhappily married to Angela (Creator/SeanYoung), who also happens to be the daughter of his boss Larry Kellerman (Creator/WilliamDevane). Despite seeking advice from his co-worker Ron and psychiatrist Dr. Beeson, Tim still feels his marital relationship is getting worse.
6
7	When Tim meets the beautiful Carla Rainer (Creator/KimCattrall) it quickly leads to a passionate one night stand. Unfortunately for Tim, his "chance encounter" was not an accident. Carla turns out to be a scheming criminal intent on stealing a collection of diamonds from Larry's firm. And she will stop at nothing - including blackmail and murder - to achieve her goal.
8
9	Screenshots and a spoiler-heavy trailer can be viewed on the film's [[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119085 IMDB page]].
10
11	----
12	!!''Exception to the Rule'' contains examples of:
13
14	* AndImTheQueenOfSheba: A literal example, used by Burt in response to Carla when she claims Tim is a willing participant in her scheme.
15	--> '''Carla:''' We're lovers, and the point of this is to clean out the father-in-law Larry.
16	--> '''Burt:''' Yeah, right. And I'm the Queen of fucking Sheba.
17	* AwfulWeddedLife: Tim and Angela's relationship is anything but happy.
18	* BigBad: [[FemmeFatale Carla Rainer]] is out to get a collection of diamonds from Diamond trader Tim Bayer's firm and is using him to do so.
19	* {{Blackmail}}: Carla videotapes a steamy encounter with Tim, and later uses it to blackmail him into doing her dirty work.
20	* BoomHeadshot: Carla's preferred method of execution.
21	* CaughtOnTape:
22	** Carla uses video footage of Tim's affair to coerce him. Since this is a 1990s movie, an actual VHS tape is used.
23	** A microcassette example late in the film: Tim [[spoiler: secretly records a conversation between himself and Carla using a HiddenWire to provide evidence to the police]].
24	* ChekhovsGun: Several examples.
25	** During a conversation with Carla, Angela mentions her fear of snakes. Guess what Carla leaves as a nasty surprise for Angela later on.
26	** During another conversation in a women's restroom, Carla tells Angela about her half-heart tattoo on her leg, and mentions her lover has the other half. Later on [[spoiler: Angela notices an identical tattoo on Ron's chest, tipping her off he's in cahoots with Carla.]]
27	** Angela's sculpture ''Blind Justice'' - a grotesque metal statue of a woman - appears in several scenes, with more than one shot focusing on a raised vertical arm. At the climax, [[spoiler: Carla falls onto the statue and is impaled on the sharp hand.]]
28	** Subverted with Tim's dog, which repeatedly appears in scenes leading the viewer to think it will later play an important role. This never happens.
29	* ComeOutComeOutWhereverYouAre: The climax has the sadistic Carla searching for Angela in a darkened workshop. This comes with the obligatory taunts.
30	* CrazyPrepared: Carla has several plans to steal the diamonds
31	** She murders an acquaintance in order to steal them in Johannesburg, but the local dealer has already passed them onto an employee of Larry's firm.
32	** It's possible she attempts to steal them from Ferguson also, but Tim didn't bring the stones to the meeting.
33	** Before she even meets Tim, Carla has already involved several men in her scheme - her blackmail of Tim was in effect a backup plan.
34	** Or perhaps Carla just likes screwing the men in her life. She practically admits as much.
35	* DisneyVillainDeath: Diamond broker Ferguson falls to his death in San Francisco, pushed from a balcony by Carla (though we don't actually see her perform the deed).
36	* EvilAllAlong: Both [[spoiler: Dr. Beeson]] and [[spoiler: Ron]] turn out to be in league with Carla. Perhaps Tim should have chosen better friends.
37	* FemmeFatale: Carla is a particularly deadly one.
38	** Her plot to blackmail Tim - and what follows - is the central focus of the story.
39	** Ferguson - the San Francisco diamond broker - mentions he's expecting a "special kind of room service" moments before Carla bumps him off. This implies the two know each other, though it's possible Ferguson was referring to a third party.
40	** Carla was one of [[spoiler: Dr. Beeson's patients]], and uses this relationship to blackmail him.
41	** Carla and [[spoiler: Ron]] are secret lovers.
42	* GoryDiscretionShot: Happens during the opening sequence, when the screen fades to black just before Carla shoots a diamond dealer in the head. This also happens when she murders [[spoiler: her accomplice Ron]], though some blood spatter is shown.
43	* HellBentForLeather: Carla spends much of the movie wearing a leather jacket and gloves.
44	* HollywoodSilencer: Carla uses a silenced pistol to off several victims. And the silencer sound pre-empts a change of shot more than once.
45	* IHaveYourWife: When Carla's blackmail scheme doesn't work on Tim, she breaks into his house and [[HostageForMacGuffin holds Angela at gunpoint in exchange for the diamonds]].
46	* ImprovisedWeapon: Happens several times during the climax.
47	** Angela grabs a golf club to knock a pistol from Carla's hand.
48	** Angela grabs a blowtorch during a struggle. And after the flame goes out, [[spoiler: she uses it as a club to knock Carla over a ledge.]]
49	* InertialImpalement: At the climax, Carla [[spoiler: falls onto a metal statue with a sharp upward-pointing hand]].
50	* JackOfAllTrades: Burt Ramsey. In addition to being a nightclub owner and LoanShark, he also works as a PrivateDetective.
51	* MacGuffin: The collection of diamonds that Carla wants to steal from Tom and Larry.
52	* MsFanservice: In an early scene Carla is seen naked (from the rear and side), though the actress playing her is a body double.
53	* MyGodYouAreSerious: Late in the movie Carla shows up at Angela's house. The terrified wife manages to escape only to run into Ron.
54	--> '''Angela:''' There's a woman in the house.
55	--> '''Ron:''' Is she single?
56	* NotQuiteDead: An interesting subversion / example of misdirection when [[spoiler: Angela checks Carla's body]]. The shot implies the person will turn out to still be alive, but nothing happens except for a brief finger twitch.
57	* OhCrap: The diamond dealer in Johannesburg assumes Carla has shown up at his office for a dinner appointment. Until she pulls out a silenced pistol, and he makes a futile run for the exit.
58	* PlotArmor: At one point Carla has a clear shot at the pregnant Angela yet somehow misses - despite being portrayed as an expert markswoman prior to that. Lampshaded by her accomplice.
59	--> [[spoiler: '''Ron:''']] You're a lousy shot.
60	* PoisonIsEvil: Carla injects two victims with paralysing sea snake venom. The first time, we see only a sinister black gloved hand holding a syringe. The second time, we see Carla perform the injection ''and'' her sadistic reaction.
61	* PoliceAreUseless: Subverted with Detective Garcia, who quickly sees through Tim's lies and Carla's (admittedly rather poor) attempt to make a death look like an accident.
62	* PregnantBadass: Despite bearing a child ''and being taunted about it'', Angela puts up a real fight against the murderous Carla.
63	* PsychoticSmirk: Carla on several occasions.
64	** During her late night meeting with Burt she smiles throughout the conversation - shortly before she injects him with snake venom.
65	** She smiles evilly while listening in to a telephone conversation between a terrified Angela and her husband.
66	** When Angela grabs a lit blowtorch to defend herself, Carla seems visibly worried. Then the flame goes out, and Carla smirks in triumph. [[spoiler: Which gives Angela the opportunity she needs to deliver the killer blow.]]
67	* {{Sadist}}: Carla definitely qualifies as one.
68	** She has two methods of paralysing her victims:
69	*** A gunshot to the shoulder, then execution by headshot. This happens to an unnamed Johannesburg diamond dealer in the opening scene and [[spoiler: Ron]]. She later attempts to kill [[spoiler: Tim]] by the same method.
70	*** Injection with sea snake venom. This is the fate of diamond broker Ferguson and Burt Ramsey.
71	** After she injects Burt with venom, she waves goodbye, douses him in alcohol, and licks the bottle.
72	* SnakesAreSinister: Carla really has a thing for serpents. Besides injecting victims with sea snake venom and wearing a glove bearing a shiny snake-like motif, she leaves a ''live snake'' as a 'present' for Angela.
73	* TheseGlovesAreMadeForKillin: [[FemmeFatale Carla Rainer]] has a fondness for wearing black leather gloves [[HellBentForLeather as well as a leather jacket]] whenever she's going to murder someone.
74	* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: Like most direct-to-video movies, most of the action sequences (and the fates of many characters) feature in the trailer.
75	* TrappedByGamblingDebts: Ron is heavily in debt to Burt, who sends thugs around to his office to remind him of this.
76	* TooDumbToLive: For such a streetwise man, Burt should have known better than to meet a leather-clad gloved woman at the edge of a cliff. Particularly since she's wearing a sinister smile and has her hands behind her back.
77	* TookALevelInBadass: Angela goes from being a whimpering wife to a real fighter at the climax. Tim also qualifies to an extent - an ordinary guy not afraid to take risks to save her.
78	* VillainOverForDinner: After Carla blackmails Tim, he attends a business meeting between him, Angela, Larry and a businesswoman name Suzanne from Saudi Arabia. This woman turns out to be Carla using an alias, which leads to a somewhat awkward conversation (as Tim doesn't want to reveal he knows Carla).
79	* WhamShot: After a late-night rendezvous Tim follows Carla to a motel, where she receives a visit from her co-conspirator [[spoiler: Dr. Beeson]].
80	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness:
81	** When [[spoiler: Dr. Beeson]] has a change of heart and decides to contact Tim, he's drowned in a bathtub by a masked assailant [[spoiler: later revealed to be Ron]].
82	** After [[spoiler: Ron]] fails to lure Angela out of hiding, Carla decides she no longer needs his help, shoots him in the shoulder, and then finishes him off with a headshot after first delivering a PreMortemOneLiner.
83	---> '''Carla''': You're too much of a fuck up. I'll take it from here.

Context Film / ExceptionToTheRule