Kiss the Girls is a 1997 American neo-noir psychological thriller directed by Gary Fleder and starring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Cary Elwes.
The screenplay by David Klass is based on James Patterson's best-selling 1995 novel of the same name. The story follows Detective Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) as he investigates the kidnapping of two sisters and must navigate a complex web of clues and suspects to rescue them.
The film features a talented cast, including Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Cary Elwes. The cinematography by Aaron Schneider and editing by Armen Minasian, Harvey Rosenstock, and William Steinkamp effectively capture the tense and suspenseful atmosphere of the film. The music by Mark Isham adds to the film's sense of unease and foreboding. The production company was Rysher Entertainment, and the film was distributed by Paramount Pictures.
The film received negative reviews from critics, with a "Rotten" rating of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes from 34 reviews. The consensus was that the film was a clunky thriller that offered few surprises. Stephen Holden of *The New York Times* called the film "cut from the same cloth as *The Silence of the Lambs*, but the piece of material it uses has the uneven shape and dangling threads of a discarded remnant." Roger Ebert of *Chicago Sun-Times* gave the film three and a half out of four stars, praising the performances of Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd.
Despite the negative reviews, the film was a moderate commercial success, grossing $60.5 million at the box office. Ashley Judd was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Drama at the 1998 Satellite Awards. A sequel titled *Along Came a Spider* was released in 2001, starring Morgan Freeman reprising his role as Detective Alex Cross. The franchise was later rebooted with a 2012 adaptation of the novel *Cross*, titled *Alex Cross*, starring Tyler Perry in the title role.
Overall, Kiss the Girls is a suspenseful and engaging thriller that features strong performances from its cast. While it may not have received the critical acclaim it deserved, it remains a popular and entertaining film in the thriller genre.