SNMR 3.21: "Derailed"
Tonight's SNMR feature is "Derailed" (2005, R, 107 minutes), starring Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel, Melissa George, Xzibit and RZA. The film was directed by Mikael Hafstrom.I checked this movie out of the library solely because of Jennifer Aniston's presence in it. I had never heard of it before, so had no clue what to expect. Suffice it to say I was pleasantly surprised.
From the DVD's dust case:
Married man Charles Schine (Clive Owen) meets Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston), a high-powered business woman, on a commuter train one morning. An innocent conversation leads to an evening drink. Before either one can stop it, their aroused passions lead to a sizzling one-night stand. Suddenly a stranger explodes into their world, threatening to expose their secret, and lures them into a terrifying game with more surprises than they saw coming.
From Martin and Porter's DVD & Movie Guide 2007, p. 290:
A tryst between would-be adulterers Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston is interrupted by a mugger who robs them, rapes the woman - then later blackmails the man, threatening to tell his wife of the aborted affair. The story's basic implausibility is exacerbated by several plot twists that fail to surprise and by a glum, unsympathetic performance from Owen. Aniston also seems miscast.
The basic premise is nothing new. A married man and woman meet, find each other attractive and decide to have an affair. Then all hell breaks loose. I have to disagree with the review given above. There are enough turns and twists in this film that jolt you to the edge of your seat just when you get comfortable and think you know what's going to happen next. The script is overall very good. There are very few spots in the film that don't seem to go anywhere and drag the film down, but then it bounces right back up like it didn't skip a beat. Owen is adequate in the lead role and may be the film's weakest link, Aniston is good in an atypical role for her. Vincent Cassel, though, is highly underrated and virtually steals the movie with his suave, sophisticated and excellent bad guy performance. I think you'll enjoy this film - I certainly did. I'll give it four out of five stars.
Labels: SNMR
posted by Tim @ 19:53
7 Comments:
I thought Clive Owen did a good job. But Jennifer Aniston is just awful. I don't know how she keeps getting paid millions of dollars for her movies when they keep bombing and she's so bad in them. She's so one-dimensional as an actress I kept expecting Ross to come into the hotel room.
The plot was predictable and realistic but thrilling and didn't drag along. I found it entertaining for a rental, but Jennifer Aniston without a "Friends"laugh track was very disappointing. She was not convincing in this role and proved to me her acting range is very limited in this movie!
bluez: I thought Owen's character was kind of a wuss until the end. His performance seemed uninspired.
We'll agree to disagree on Aniston. I thought she did fine in this film. Vincent Cassel though owned this film. He was excellent.
I liked this movie. I may have to rent it and see it again!
I will have to rent this one, I love Clive Owen.
I'm with bluez on this one. Green, you say you got it solely because of Jennifer Aniston. I look at a movie and if she's in it I stay well away.
For that matter, as a general rule of thumb - anything that has a friends cast memeber in it (with a few notable exceptions) is pretty much guaranteed to be a poorly thought out waste of my time.
and just what would thise exceptions be, in your opinion?
granted, Jennifer Aniston is not the world's most gifted actress but she's fine....
I rented this movie sometime in the last year. I thought it was pretty good. I don't know what's wrong with Aniston, I thought she did just fine.
Now, if I see Sarah Jessica Parker in a film, I RUN!
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