Mike’s Murder

Mike’s Murder

Year: 1984

Runtime: 109 mins

Language: English

Director: James Bridges

ThrillerDramaMystery

Betty, infatuated with her tennis instructor Mike, is drawn into an underworld after he vanishes. Unaware Mike traffics drugs, she learns he promised a date that never comes. After a botched deal forces Mike to disappear, he contacts her—only to be murdered before they meet. Determined to uncover the truth, Betty delves into a dark web of crime.

Mike’s Murder (1984) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Mike’s Murder (1984) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the glossy suburbs of West Los Angeles, the everyday rhythm of a bank teller masks a restless undercurrent of desire and danger. Betty Parrish finds herself drawn to the easy charm of a young tennis instructor, a man whose smile promises something more than the predictable cadence of her life. Their brief encounter ignites a quiet obsession, setting her on a path that soon brushes against the polished façades of Brentwood and Doheny, where wealth and secrecy coexist in a delicate balance.

_ Mike_ Chuhutsky moves through this world with a duality that is both alluring and unsettling. By day he teaches tennis on sun‑drenched courts; by night he navigates a shadowy underworld that fuels his ambitions and keeps him tethered to a precarious lifestyle. The promise of a date that never arrives becomes a thread pulling Betty deeper into a network of whispered favors, half‑kept agreements, and the seductive promise of escape from ordinary routine.

When Mike disappears after a botched deal, the void he leaves is filled with unanswered questions and a lingering sense that something far more perilous lies beneath the surface. The brief messages he manages to send before his fate is sealed thrust Betty into a maze of hidden connections, forcing her to confront a reality where the glitter of Hollywood’s elite conceals a darker, more volatile underbelly. The city’s bright lights cast long shadows, and Betty discovers that every polished veneer hides a story of debt, loyalty, and quiet desperation.

Against this backdrop of sun‑baked streets and opulent mansions, Betty embarks on a personal investigation that intertwines her own yearning for meaning with the mysterious allure of the criminal world she never imagined. The tone remains taut and atmospheric, a blend of noir‑ish tension and the wistful longing of a woman determined to untangle the truth while navigating the seductive, treacherous currents of a world that feels both intimate and utterly foreign.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 16:16

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Movies about amateur sleuths like Mike’s Murder

Ordinary people are pulled into a criminal underworld they don't understand.If you liked watching Betty's desperate investigation in Mike’s Murder, you'll enjoy these movies about ordinary people drawn into dangerous criminal worlds. Discover similar thrillers and mysteries featuring naive protagonists who become amateur investigators, uncovering dark truths at great personal risk.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with a personal connection to a crime or disappearance, pulling an ordinary protagonist into a web of danger. The journey involves navigating a hostile underworld, facing threats from criminals who operate outside the law, and a gradual realization of the true stakes involved.

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These films share a core pattern of an ill-equipped but determined protagonist confronting a hidden criminal element. They create tension through the vulnerability of the main character and the constant threat of violence from a world they cannot control.

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Moody crime stories where the city itself becomes a character of corruption.Fans of the anxious, melancholic atmosphere in Mike’s Murder will appreciate these similar neo-noir films. Explore movies that capture the same gritty urban crime vibe, featuring dangerous worlds, psychological unraveling, and a dark, atmospheric tone that defines the genre.

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Narrative Summary

Stories often follow a linear but layered investigation into a crime, revealing the corrupt underbelly of city life. The protagonist's journey is both external—navigating physical danger—and internal—grappling with disillusionment and the psychological toll of encountering brutal reality.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups films that share a specific neo-noir aesthetic: a dark tone, an atmospheric and often gritty urban setting, themes of crime and obsession, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from encounters with violence and corruption.

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Mike’s Murder Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Mike’s Murder

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Mike’s Murder

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