Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) No Exit (2005) User Reviews

Can Guilt Drive People To Murder?

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 7 July 2008]

This begins with a dramatic "suicide club" scene in which four young people are in a car, which they purposely leave on nearby railroad tracks, waiting for the 9 p.m. train to come by and smash into them. That's exactly what happens with all four killed, of course. One of them, however, wasn't really part of the club. This "suicide" was news to him! Can you imagine his horror? It turns out he - "Carmine" - got lured into the car ride by someone else who planned to have him killed in this manner.....but who?

When it's all said-and-done, this story is really one about guilt. That guilt comes about for not speaking out against injustice, for lying to protect evil people. In this case, it's a demanding company and a brutal boss, out to harass and torment a selected employee or two. Part of that is because of an office romance gone bad. The main thing it involves is a company "yes man" who finally snaps and is ready to kill himself over all of his misdeeds of going along with evil people to save his job. He also tries to atone in a very twisted way. Fortunately, Goren and Eames figure things out before he kills himself and the whole case is lost, too.

I wonder how many viewers can relate to this episode, at least on a lesser basis? I used to know several employees who lied regularly for a corrupt boss I once had. For the honest employees, it can be rough.

This is another unpleasant-but-interesting story that keeps you guessing on exactly who-did-what.

An amusing moment...

[ttimgents · 8/10 · 22 January 2020]

In a scene about halfway through the episode, Eames (Erbe) dismisses the suicide website?/blog? operator saying, " Okay... You can go do your little dance in hell now." What occurs next is what I find so amusing: as a Goren (D'Onofrio) slips back into the frame, his face appears with a very large smile. Whether that was the way Goran was scripted/directed to act--or whether it was a spontaneous reaction by actor Vincent D'Onofrio--I just found it a very funny moment. Throughout the series he has usually reacted to Eames' cutting, brusque treatment of suspects in mock horror. This is the only time I can remember Goren's being openly amused--and I am just as amused by his reaction.

Behind closed doors

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 29 October 2020]

The subject here in "No Exit" has to be one of the toughest that 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' (no stranger to tough subjects) ever did, something that is apparent as early on as the very beginning. And it is a subject with parts that is likely to resonate with a lot of people who have had experiences of having a demanding situation in a demanding workplace, either personally themselves or with close friends and family driven to the edge.

"No Exit" does a great job with its subject, one that should have preferably an emotional and pull no punches approach and the episode delivers on both of those. While, like the previous episode "Beast", it is not one of my favourite episodes of Season 4 it is in the better half when ranking the season's episode and is one of the bravest of the season (and possibly of the show). A touch over-complicated on occasions but nonetheless a great and powerful episode.

Production values are slick and professional, not ever resorting to cheap or untested gimmicks or anything. The music is haunting in the right places and isn't constant or too loud, and the direction gives the drama urgency and breathing space.

It furthermore is a thoughtfully and tactfully scripted episode, a difficult topic handled with force yet sensitivity while still allowing room for some welcome and still tasteful levity with Goren and Eames. Love Eames' sass and Goren's reaction to Eames' burn mentioned elsewhere was pretty priceless, makes me wonder whether that was an improvised bit or a spontaneous reaction. The story is disturbing and also very moving, with nothing being what it seems. Was kept guessing right up to the end and the subject as said is likely to resonate with many, have not been through it myself but close friends and family have been driven close to the edge by demanding jobs.

Goren and Eames are still great characters and cannot get enough of their chemistry. The acting from all is excellent.

Concluding, great. 9/10

the more they burn, the more they earn

[Mrpalli77 · 10/10 · 15 September 2017]

Work hard. Even at weekends and late-hours, if you're afraid of making some mistakes. To climb the ladder you have to do this, otherwise you're done, you're fired. I experienced that situation in my work-life and even if I spilled blood, the employees who climbs the ladder are the one with the right parents or the right sponsors. Anyway the employers looks the same worldwide, boss Timmons (Darrell Hammond) lead a female employee (and mistress) to commit suicide when she didn't want to make out with him anymore and another two employees agreed to lie under oath in order to save him. At what price? Dog eat dog.

Not an easy job for Goren and Eames to dig up the truth after an accident that seemed at first the classic mass suicide set up in a website.