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Why did the move take place in 1990?
You would think that would be relevant to the plot in some way, but there does not seem to be any reason why it couldn’t have just taken place in the modern day. Yes they have to communicate exclusively by landlines and DNA evidence wasn’t yet a viable tool for law enforcement. But the only time a cellphone would’ve been useful in any way was when Baxter drove out to the country with Sparma, and it doesn’t really take him very long to find him anyway. Besides DNA could’ve only cleared Sparma. Even if his DNA had been on the murder victim in her apartment a defense attorney could’ve easily pointed out that she had come into the same shop where he worked and it could’ve easily been transferred then. There are no signs of parachute pants, gumby fades, big hair, grunge, or any early 90’s fashions. Plus there was a slot of gang violence in LA at the time and it’s never mentioned in any way. In fact Sparma’s neighborhood is very quiet for being in that part of town. The only logical reason I can think of is that the movie takes place six years before Se7en was released in theatres so perhaps they couldn’t use the angle that he was copying that movie?
- The script was originally written in 1993 and Spielberg was originally going to direct, but stepped back because he didn't want to direct another dark, stressful movie just after finishing Schindler's List. Presumably, that part of the screenplay just wasn't changed.
- Cell phones would have changed the plot in a few spots. The motorist in the beginning could have called 911 while fleeing from the killer. The "meet at the bar" bluff would have gone differently if Sparma could have called Baxter or Baxter could have called Deke. The fact that Deke had to track down Baxter and Sparma made him arrive too late to prevent Baxter from killing Sparma.
