Impulse

Impulse

Year: 1990

Runtime: 109 mins

Language: English

Director: Sondra Locke

CrimeThriller

Undercover as a sex worker, a Los Angeles vice cop finds her professional disguise colliding with her personal life, forcing her to juggle fragile relationships while navigating a deadly maze of murder and deception. As the investigation spirals, she must keep control or become another victim.

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Timeline & Setting – Impulse (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Impulse (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, New York

The story unfolds mostly in Los Angeles, focusing on the LAPD's vice squad and the city's nocturnal underbelly. Beverly Hills provides a sharp contrast with a mansion backdrop where a deadly confrontation unfolds. The plot also nods to New York as the source of Tony's trouble, referencing a pending trial and the cross-country reach of the drug trade.

🌆 Urban landscape 🚓 Police procedural 🏙️ City nightlife

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:27

Main Characters – Impulse (1990)

Meet the key characters of Impulse (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Lottie Mason (Theresa Russell)

A LAPD vice squad officer who works undercover as a decoy prostitute. She is drawn to the dangers and thrills of sting operations, yet haunted by harassment from her superior and the moral compromises they force her to make. Her decisions pivot on desire, duty, and a growing suspicion that her personal and professional worlds are spiraling out of control.

👮‍♀️ Police 🕵️‍♀️ Decoy 💔 Drama

Stan Harris (Jeff Fahey)

A detective who begins a romance with Lottie and becomes entangled in a plan to manipulate Tony's case. He is pragmatic, resourceful, and willing to use unorthodox tactics to solve the murder, even when it strains trust and ethics.

🕵️‍♂️ Detective 💔 Romance 💡 Strategy

Lt. Joe Morgan (George Dzundza)

Lottie's abrasive superior who oversees the vice squad. He embodies the pressure and machismo of law enforcement, sometimes clashing with Lottie and testing her resolve under a male-dominated system.

👮‍♂️ Authority 🧭 Morality 🗣️ Tension

Tony Perón (Shawn Elliott)

A pivotal mobster figure whose presence in Los Angeles triggers the central murder and investigation. His whereabouts and actions set off a chain of events that exposes the vulnerabilities of both criminals and police.

💼 Crime 🕴️ Witness 🔪 Danger

Vic Dimarjian (Eli Danker)

The killer who confronts the investigation and later reveals his motive tied to Tony’s murder. His actions drive a critical turning point and underscore the violence at the heart of the thriller.

🗡️ Assassin 🧭 Motive 🧩 Mystery

Rossi (Nicholas Mele)

A supporting figure in the investigative world, whose role intersects with the crime's web of loyalties and threats. He contributes to the film's atmosphere of suspicion and negotiation.

🕵️‍♂️ Ally 🗺️ Link

Maria (Maria Rangel)

A character who appears in the social network around the case, contributing to the human dimension of the LA nightlife and its intersections with crime.

👥 Social Circle 🎭 Drama

Coroner (Robert Phalen)

The medical examiner who confirms the deaths and contributes to the forensic thread of the investigation.

⚰️ Forensic 🧭 Evidence

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:27

Major Themes – Impulse (1990)

Explore the central themes of Impulse (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Corruption

The narrative probes how power within law enforcement and organized crime can blur ethical boundaries. Lottie uses undercover deception in sting operations, risking her safety and integrity. Stan's manipulation of media and the investigation reveals the costs and consequences of pursuing leads that may be more about spectacle than truth. The film presents a world where duty, desire, and coercion collide.

❤️ Romance

A volatile romance blossoms between Lottie and Stan, complicating the investigation and threatening professional lines. Their affair brings intimacy into a high-stakes case, heightening trust issues and loyalty conflicts. The relationship drives crucial choices, including whether to turn in or protect each other as the case spirals. Love here is both a catalyst and a vulnerability.

💰 Greed

The plot centers on a million-dollar cache and the motive behind Tony's murder, underscoring how money propels crime and cover-ups. The suitcase of cash and the base motive to avoid testifying reveal a world where wealth can dictate life-and-death decisions. The pursuit of the money accelerates danger, leading to further killings and a tense standoff. The theme questions whether wealth justifies reckless risk.

🔎 Identity

Questions of identity drive the suspense as Lottie navigates being undercover as 'Carla' and as a law-enforcement officer. The investigation works with disguises, sketches, and 911 recordings to uncover truth, yet misdirection abounds through staged news developments. The killer's motive and the truth behind Tony's death hinge on who is trusted and who is manipulating the narrative. The pursuit of truth tests loyalty and self-perception.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:27

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Unlock the Full Story of Impulse

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Impulse Summary

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Impulse Summary

Impulse Timeline

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Impulse Timeline

More About Impulse

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