Copycat (1995)

Score: 6 / 10
Category: Movie
Platform: Netflix

One-line verdict

Interesting serial-killer premise and strong female leads, but the villain and buildup feel weaker than the classics.

Why I watched this

I went into this mainly because of the poster. I’ve been seeing it since I was a kid. The image always reminded me of Val Kilmer with the sunglasses, and for some reason it stuck in my memory.

The movie came out in 1995, and over the years I kept seeing it appear on streaming platforms but never actually watched it. So I finally decided to clear it from my list.

Story & Structure

The story follows a criminal psychologist who studies serial killers and assists the police in tracking down a new murderer. The twist is that the killer is copying famous historical serial killers for each murder.

It’s a solid premise.

The doctor, Helen, suffers from agoraphobia and works with two detectives, MJ and Ruben, trying to profile and catch the killer before the pattern escalates.

Watching it today, I realized the structure is somewhat the reverse of The Silence of the Lambs. In that film, Hannibal Lecter helps the FBI catch another killer. Here, the doctor herself is the consultant helping the police.

The idea is strong. The execution, less so.

What worked

• The dynamic between the characters improves as the movie progresses.
• MJ, played by Holly Hunter, slowly becomes the most compelling character. She has a good balance of toughness and vulnerability.
• The film features strong female leads long before Hollywood started loudly talking about the need for them.

Looking at it now in 2026, the cast is actually quite stacked: Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, and Dermot Mulroney.

What didn’t

The biggest weakness is the serial killer himself.

The buildup isn’t as suspenseful as it should be. Compared to other films in the genre, the tension feels quite straightforward and predictable.

Some things also feel underexplained. The killer’s background isn’t fleshed out enough. The situation with the woman in his house raises questions but never really answers them. Even Helen herself points out the killings are “new,” which makes you wonder why he started now.

Then there’s Ruben’s death. It felt cheap. Understandable from a dramatic standpoint, but unnecessary for the story.

What others think

Copycat generally receives mixed-to-positive reviews. Many viewers praise the performances, especially Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter, while others point out that the villain lacks the depth seen in other serial-killer thrillers.

That lines up closely with how I felt.

Final thoughts

The premise is good and the performances carry the film.

But the killer isn’t memorable enough, and the tension never reaches the level you’d expect from a serial-killer thriller.

Because of that, this sits at 6 / 10.

Interesting concept.
Just not executed at the highest level.