Acting on Impulse

Acting on Impulse is a 1993 American black comedy crime thriller film directed by Sam Irvin and starring Linda Fiorentino, Nancy Allen, and C. Thomas Howell. The film, which is also known under the alternate titles Secret Lives and Eyes of a Stranger, premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival on June 3, 1993^[1] before being broadcast by Showtime on July 10, 1993.^[2] Adam Ant, Paul Bartel, Isaac Hayes, Charles Lane, Don Most, Zelda Rubinstein, and Dick Sargent (in his last role) make cameo appearances.^[3]

Acting on Impulse
theatrical poster
Directed by	Sam Irvin
Screenplay by	Mark Pittman Alan Moskowitz
Story by	Solomon Weingarten
Produced by	Michael Jaffe Mark Benton Johnson David Peters
Starring	C. Thomas Howell Linda Fiorentino Nancy Allen
Cinematography	Dean Lent
Edited by	Neil Grieve
Music by	Daniel Licht-+2
Production company	Spectacor Films
Distributed by	Showtime Networks Academy Home Entertainment
Release date	June 3, 1993 (1993-06-03)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Cast

• C. Thomas Howell as Paul Stevens
• Linda Fiorentino as Susan Gittes
• Nancy Allen as Cathy Thomas
• Judith Hoag as Gail Black
• Tom Wright as Dave Byers
• Adam Ant as Eric Boggs
• Paul Bartel as Bruno
• Patrick Bauchau as Yoram Sussman
• Isaac Hayes as Detective Stubbs
• Don Most as Leroy
• Peter Lupus as Steven Smith
• Kim McGuire as Bambi
• Miles O'Keefe as John
• Cassandra Peterson as Roxy
• Zelda Rubinstein as Nosy Lady
• Nicholas Sadler as Tommy
• Dick Sargent as Mr. Randolph
• Brinke Stevens as Waitress
• Michael Talbott as Melvin
• Bob Golub as Harley (credited as Robert Alan Golub)
• Craig Shoemaker as Jeff
• Gary Bowers as The Bartender (uncredited)

Critical response

The Kansas City Star called Acting on Impulse "perverse fun",^[4] while Entertainment Weekly noted it as an "inevitable goofball thriller" and commenting on the relaxed nature of the sexual tension in the film.^[5]