Kevin Costner has a lot on his plate here.

Not only must he protect a singer-actress (Whitney Houston) from a threatening-letter writer and an unknown hit-man, he also has to contend with an entire supporting cast whose acting is at best moderate.

The ordinary dialogue does no one any favours, either, but director Mick Jackson stages some tense action scenes when the plot is allowed to follow its natural course.

Costner comes over as a cross between Steve McQueen and Gary Cooper in a movie that sorely needs his star presence.

Houston sings distinctively, even if she seems unlikely ever to collect the Oscar which her character receives at the end of the film.