Klute

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alan J. Pakula’s Klute isn’t your typical detective thriller. It might start with a classic setup — private eye John Klute (Donald Sutherland) is hired to find a missing man — but what unfolds is a slow-burning, psychological drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The story kicks off when Tom Gruneman, a small-town executive, vanishes without a trace. Klute’s search leads him to Bree Daniels (Jane Fonda), a call girl and aspiring actress who might be the only link to the executive’s disappearance. But as Klute gets drawn into Bree’s world, the film becomes less about solving a crime and more about understanding a woman haunted by both her past and her present.

Jane Fonda absolutely owns this movie. She inhabits Bree Daniels, giving us a woman who’s tough and brittle on the outside but deeply vulnerable underneath. Her therapy scenes are especially raw, peeling back Bree’s defenses and letting us see her fear, ambition, and aching desire for control over her own life. Fonda won the Oscar for Best Actress for this role because she makes Bree unforgettable, flawed, fascinating, and heartbreakingly human.

Donald Sutherland is the perfect counterpoint as Klute — quiet, watchful, and almost ghostlike as he moves through Bree’s world. There’s a chemistry between them, but it’s complicated, built on mutual distrust as much as attraction. Their relationship is never simple, and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.

Visually, Klute feels like a character in its own right. Cinematographer Gordon Willis bathes the film in shadows and muted tones. Nearly every frame carries a sense of paranoia, as if unseen eyes are always lurking. Michael Small’s haunting score heightens the tension, perfectly completing the experience.

But Klute is more than just style. What really sets it apart are its themes — alienation, exploitation, the struggle to find identity in a world that wants to define you. Bree’s sessions with her therapist reveal the emotional toll of her work and her struggle for independence. The film never judges her; instead, it asks us to empathize and understand.

When Klute was released, it was both a box office and critical success, pulling in over $12 million — a solid return for a film that’s so moody and introspective. In addition to Fonda’s Oscar win, the film was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. It’s still celebrated today for its unflinching look at trauma and its pioneering portrayal of a complex female character.

As a film lover and reviewer, I can confidently say this film gets everything right, making it one of my favorite films of all time. If you haven’t seen it lately, it’s time to watch it again.

Frank Gaimari is an author and film reviewer in Seattle. He lives with his husband and their two golden retrievers. You can learn more about his work at www.FrankGaimari.com