What Is The Right Temptation About?
The premise of The Right Temptation in 226 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a sleek, high‑stakes world where wealth masks hidden agendas, former police officer turned private eye Derian McCall has traded her badge for a modest detective agency she runs with a trusted partner. The city’s glittering social scene provides a constant stream of discreet requests, but the latest commission pulls her into a delicate domestic drama: a wealthy spouse hires her to probe the fidelity of her husband, a request that quickly blurs the line between professional duty and personal curiosity.
Anthea Farrow‑Smith presents herself as a nervous client fearing for her safety, while her husband Michael Farrow‑Smith appears coolly detached from the accusations swirling around him. As Derian steps deeper into the investigation, the chemistry between investigator and subject becomes impossible to ignore, turning a routine surveillance job into a tangled dance of attraction and suspicion. The stakes rise in a setting where ordinary relationships are laced with power, privilege, and the ever‑present threat of secrets coming to light.
The film balances the tension of classic noir intrigue with a simmering romantic undercurrent, painting a portrait of a woman who must reconcile her disciplined past with the unpredictable pull of desire. In this world of polished facades and shadowed motives, Derian walks a razor‑thin line, questioning who she can trust—and whether love can survive when the very foundations of a case are built on doubt.
What Happens in The Right Temptation?
The complete story of The Right Temptation, from the first scene to the last, in 575 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Derian McCall, a former police officer who hands in her badge and, with a colleague, opens a detective agency, finds her quiet new life disrupted when Anthea Farrow-Smith, the wife of a wealthy investor, asks her to test her husband’s fidelity. Anthea suggests using Derian as bait to uncover whether the husband is unfaithful, setting the stage for a tense and dangerous arrangement.
Derian bumps into Michael Farrow-Smith at a racket-ball club, where she also nabs his Rolex watch and later returns it at his office. He invites her for a drink, and she shares that she used to be a vice cop who worked undercover but now handles insurance claims. He explains that he is married and wants to avoid giving the wrong impression, insisting he isn’t a cheater.
Anthea claims she wants Michael’s affairs investigated because she fears for her life, alleging that his business dealings involve high-risk transactions and that he can be violent at times. She paints a picture of danger, suggesting that staying any longer could be deadly.
One night, Derian wakes to find someone rummaging through her papers. The intruder overpowers her, but her pet pig intervenes, and she stabs the intruder, who manages to escape before the police arrive to take her statement. The sense that someone is watching her moves deeper into the mystery.
Michael and Derian share another drink, and he confesses that he can’t stop thinking about her. He proposes hiring Derian as a detective to tail Anthea, claiming he’s in an empty marriage and that Anthea might be seeing someone else. The idea of a paid pursuit pulls Derian further into a web of secrets.
To follow Anthea, Derian enlists a photographer named Travis, who captures photographs of Anthea meeting with a mysterious man in his apartment. When Derian confronts Anthea about the photos, their relationship ends in separation, but the clues keep piling up.
Travis phones Derian with new information about the man in the photos, but is killed before he can reveal more. Anthea, meanwhile, calls Derian claiming that Michael may kill her, insisting she once went up to his office carrying a gun and fired at the ceiling while the target was apparently upstairs. Derian heads upstairs with the impression that something lethal is unfolding, only to find a dead body on the bed and herself arrested as the prime suspect in Michael’s murder. As she is led away in handcuffs, Anthea smiles evilly from a distance, a chilling moment that hints at deeper plots.
Falco visits Derian in jail and recalls that Travis had called her with new information. Based on a photo, Derian infers that the man in the image bore a shoulder cut and was likely the intruder who attacked her home. Her deduction hints that Michael may have faked his own death to run away with Anthea, turning the case on its head.
Anthea is arrested as a material witness to a homicide while boarding a flight under the alias Alice Jones, signaling that she may have been part of a larger conspiracy. Meanwhile, Michael returns to his office, opens a safe, and, in a moment of unsettling honesty, tells Derian he loves her and that no one intended for anyone to get hurt. When he turns with a gun, Derian shoots him, and he falls from the office to land atop a car, sealing a volatile chain of betrayals and shifting loyalties to an explosive conclusion.
The Right Temptation Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Derian quits the police and starts a detective agency” to “Michael’s final confrontation with Derian ends in gunfire”. 12 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Derian quits the police and starts a detective agency
Derian McCall resigns from the police and leaves her badge behind. She teams up with a colleague to open a private detective agency. They start building their practice, taking on cases as private investigators.
Where:City detective agency
- 2
Anthea seeks help to test her husband’s fidelity
Anthea walks into the agency requesting help to test her husband’s fidelity. She asks Derian to flirt with Michael and to use herself as bait to trap him. She presents herself as anxious for her safety and seeks proof of infidelity.
Where:Detective agency
- 3
Derian meets Michael at the racket club and secures his Rolex
Derian bumps into Michael at the racket ball club and ends up with his Rolex after a brief exchange. She later returns the watch at his office, and he invites her for a drink. He mentions that he is married and not looking to cheat.
Where:Racket ball club
- 4
Anthea explains her plans and risks involved
At the meeting, Anthea explains that she wants to uncover Michael’s business deals and fears for her life. She alleges Michael is violent and suggests Derian use herself as bait to trap him.
Where:Detective agency
- 5
An intruder targets Derian at home; her pig intervenes
One night, an intruder rummages through Derian's papers. Her pet pig intervenes and distracts him. Derian stabs the intruder, who escapes, and the police arrive to take her statement.
Where:Derian's apartment
- 6
Michael offers to hire Derian to tail Anthea
After a drink, Michael admits he can't stop thinking about her and proposes hiring her as a private investigator. He wants Derian to tail Anthea, hoping to uncover her possible involvement. He explains he is in an empty marriage and seeks discreet help.
Where:Michael's office
- 7
Derian uses a photographer to shadow Anthea
Derian arranges for a photographer, Travis, to shadow Anthea. They capture images of Anthea meeting a strange man in his apartment, raising questions about her true activities.
Where:Anthea's apartment
- 8
Travis is killed before sharing a crucial lead
Travis phones Derian with a lead about the man in the photo, but is killed before he can reveal more. The loss deepens the mystery and signals danger surrounding the case.
Where:City
- 9
Anthea warns Derian and a confrontation reveals a corpse
Anthea calls Derian claiming Michael may kill her. Derian goes to Michael's office with a gun and confronts him, only to discover a dead body on the bed and is arrested as the prime suspect.
Where:Michael's office
- 10
Falco’s jail visit spurs a new deduction
Falco visits Derian in jail and recalls Travis's call about the photo. Derian deduces that Michael could have faked his own death and escaped with Anthea.
Where:Jail
- 11
Anthea is arrested as a material witness while boarding a flight
Anthea is arrested as a material witness to the homicide while boarding a flight under the alias Alice Jones. The development suggests she is still entangled in the crimes around Michael's death.
Where:Airport
- 12
Michael’s final confrontation with Derian ends in gunfire
Michael goes to his office and opens a safe to reveal Derian. He professes love and says no one was supposed to get hurt. He turns with a gun, and Derian shoots him, sending him tumbling onto a car.
Where:Michael's office
Who Are the Main Characters in The Right Temptation?
6 characters, among them Derian McCall (played by Rebecca De Mornay), Anthea Farrow-Smith (played by Dana Delany) and Michael Farrow-Smith (played by Kiefer Sutherland): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Derian McCall (played by Rebecca De Mornay)
Played by Rebecca De Mornay
A former vice cop who leaves her badge to run a detective agency. She is pragmatic, fearless, and morally complex, using wit and grit to pursue the truth. Her line between professional distance and personal risk becomes blurred as the case deepens.
- 🕵️♀️ Ex-cop
- 💼 Private investigator
- 💪 Determined
-
Anthea Farrow-Smith (played by Dana Delany)
Played by Dana Delany
A wealthy, anxious wife who frames her investigation as protecting her life. She is manipulative, charming, and capable of cold calculations to keep control over her situation. Her demands drive Derian's actions and ignite the central conspiracy.
- 🎭 Socialite
- 🗝️ Manipulative
- 💬 Deceptive
-
Michael Farrow-Smith (played by Kiefer Sutherland)
Played by Kiefer Sutherland
A high-rolling investor whose marriage appears empty yet whose activities cling to danger. He is reserved, guarded, and capable of violence or calculated moves to protect secrets. His relationship with Derian becomes a pivot of trust and betrayal.
- 💼 Wealth
- 👔 Ambitious
- 🗡️ Dangerous
- T(
Travis (photographer) (played by Robert Jayne)
Played by Robert Jayne
A photographer who documents Anthea's meetings and becomes a key source of clues. His sudden death escalates the tension and pushes Derian to re-evaluate the information she has. He embodies the noir element of a junior informant caught in larger games.
- 📷 Photographer
- 🗞️ Informant
- ⚠️ Victim
- F(
Falco (played by Michael Ralph)
Played by Michael Ralph
A figure who appears in jail and provides crucial awareness that helps Derian solve the case. He acts as a catalyst for uncovering the truth behind the murder and the intruder. His role anchors the detective's path to the final reveal.
- 🧩 Informant
- 💡 Clue-giver
- 🕯️ Cautionary ally
- D(
Detective (played by Chris Persky)
Played by Chris Persky
A fellow law officer involved in the investigation into Michael's murder. Keeps pressure on Derian and anchors the procedural aspect of the plot. Represents the institutional perspective in the unraveling mystery.
- 🧭 Authority
- 👮 Law officer
- 🔎 Investigator
Where and When Is The Right Temptation Set?
The Right Temptation is set in Racket Ball Club, Derian's Detective Agency, Michael's Office and Derian's Home (Late 1990s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Late 1990s
The story sits in a late-1990s urban milieu, where private investigators mix with wealthy clients and high-stakes business. The era is defined by stylized fashion, tech limits, and a pre-digital thriller mood that frames suspicion and deception.
Where
Racket Ball Club, Derian's Detective Agency, Michael's Office, Derian's Home
The film unfolds in an urban, glossy world centered on a private detective operation and elite social circles. Key locations include a high-end racket-ball club, the detective agency, Michael's upscale office, and Derian's apartment where a home invasion occurs. These spaces reflect a tense mix of danger, glamour, and duplicity that drives the plot.
- 🌆 Urban setting
- 🕵️ Private investigation
- 💼 Wealth and power
What Are the Themes of The Right Temptation?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Infidelity, Murder Plot and Noir Trust.
-
01
Infidelity
A plan to expose an alleged affair drags Derian into a web of lies, testing trust and loyalty. The pursuit of truth becomes entangled with romance and manipulation. The film uses romantic deceit to reveal darker motives beneath glossy surface.
-
02
Murder Plot
A staged murder, a mysterious intruder, and a deadly confrontation push characters toward danger and betrayal. Clues surface through a photographer's photos and a killer's calculated moves. The climax hinges on a double-cross that endangers everyone involved.
-
03
Noir Trust
Trust is a rare currency as protagonists navigate shifty loyalties and hidden agendas. Derian's detective instincts are put to the test against a web of deceit. The mood echoes traditional noir, with revelations emerging from careful observation.
-
04
Power & Wealth
Wealth and ambition underpin the danger, with a glamorous social world masking criminal deals. The case exposes how money can corrupt motives and warp relationships. The pursuit of control drives the characters to take extreme risks.
What Kind of Film Is The Right Temptation?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A fast-paced, tense erotic thriller that creates a dangerously seductive atmosphere as a private detective becomes entangled in a web of lies and murder, leading to a violent and bittersweet conclusion.
- suspenseful
- erotic
- dangerous
- anxious
- claustrophobic
- deceptive
- infidelity investigation
- double cross
- murder
- private detective
Content notes: murder, home invasion, gun violence.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Right Temptation? Test yourself on the story.
