Arlington Road

It seems like every year, there's one or two films which are far from perfect but nonetheless shake us up in ways better films don't quite do. Last year, it was BULWORTH, and this year, it's ARLINGTON ROAD. Obviously, after all that's happened this decade in America, from Waco to Oklahoma City, the time is ripe for a movie to explore the cracks in the American dream which brought about events like those. This film ultimately asks more questions than it answers, but that may just be a condition inherent to this type of film. More troubling is two things: (1) Though I agree with those(and I'll try not to give away too much here) who theorize the ending changes the whole perspective of the film, there are still too many key narrative cheats(a conversation Robbins supposedly had with Bridges' son seems unbelievable, and the traffic light scene near the end also is) to make it fully effective; (2) The film seems a little confused of what it's about; it is a study of one man's psyche, or the nation's?

Still, ARLINGTON ROAD shouldn't be dismissed. There are troubling questions explored, and you don't have to be a conspiracy nut to believe those so-called "fringe" hate groups are entering the mainstream at a frightening rate for a so-called "civilized" society. The ending is also powerful, and though I understand it, more than anything else, was responsible for the delays, I applaud whoever was in charge for not changing it(though again, how they got there is another story). Bridges' performance is another thing which makes more sense once you look back with the ending of the film in mind, and it doesn't seem like over-acting. Robbins is a little more problematic; there are scenes where he's convincing, and then scenes where he goes over-the-top and shouldn't. Hope Davis doesn't have a big part, but she injects a lot into it as usual. But the biggest surprise here is Joan Cusack. Anyone who thinks of her only as a (good)comic actress will be in for a shock; there's one scene involving her which is the scariest in the film.

Again, ultimately, while it leaves you with nagging doubts about the quality, ARLINGTON ROAD makes you think enough to recommend it.

Jeff Bridges and Tim Robbins stars in this very original thriller. I thought Tim Robbins did an excellent job as the bad guy and Jeff Bridges is as always good.This movie is one of the better thrillers I have seen, it has some very creepy scenes and the ending is one of a kind.I have read that many people was unsatisfied with the ending,but I must say that I really liked it.It shows that it does not always go the way we want and that life is not always fair. I will not spoil anything so I am just going to say that this is a movie you have to see and I promise that it will be one of the better movies you have seen in a while.

Professor Faraday teaches on terrorism and FBI tactics in Washington, despite losing his wife in a blundered FBI raid on suspected terrorists. When new neighbours move in next door he begins to suspect that the husband Oliver Lang has a double life and may be part of an internal terrorist movement. However as he looks into Lang's past the evidence seems to lead nowhere – is he just being paranoid?

This starts well. It feeds off the US paranoia that has arisen from the fact that they are as likely to be attacked from within as they are from external agents. That said we are really not sure if Lang has a past or if Faraday is just paranoid. This tension is good right up till the lines are drawn in the sand and goodies and baddies are identified. At this point it becomes a more traditional cat and mouse thriller – but even then it is better than most of the same ilk. The tension builds to a great ending whose only fault is dragging it's point out over a few minutes.

Bridges is great as the crumbling Faraday – he sometimes get a little bug-eye crazy at times but overall he works very well. Robbins is also good for the most part – his average Joe with bite act is good and his ruthless terrorist (maybe!) has some genuine menace about it. However outside of the main two I can't say anyone caught my eye in particular.- but they were all good nevertheless.

Overall this is a superior thriller that trades off USA fear of internal terrorism. The plot may be a little too neat at times, but the ending is worth seeing.

Contrary to what you may think initially, nothing happens by coincidence on `Arlington Road.' Outstanding performances by Jeff Bridges (As Michael Faraday) and Tim Robbins (Oliver Lang) highlight this taut thriller about terrorism in America, a disturbing film instilled with a sense of loss, fear and paranoia. Director Mark Pellington perhaps does not mine this vein to the depths, but there is still a silver lining in this movie, which contains elements of two of Alfred Hitchcock's classics, `The Man Who Knew Too Much,' and `North By Northwest.' Had this film been made forty years ago, in fact, Hitchcock would have been at the helm and we would have had James Stewart instead of Bridges and Richard Widmark in place of Robbins. When Jeff Bridges stars in a thriller, you can usually bet that the project is going to be a cut above the average fare of the genre, and this one is no exception, arguably his best of it's kind since `Jagged Edge.' This is a riveting film, and the tension builds steadily throughout as we uncover, along with Faraday, the dark secrets which ultimately lead to an explosive climax. The excellent supporting cast includes Joan Cusack, Hope Davis and Robert Gossett. A trip to `Arlington Road' is a jolt to the senses and may cause you to stop and rethink a few things about your life. At the very least, you're going to want to finally meet that neighbor who moved in across the street last year. I rate this one 8/10.

Bridges plays the same character as always, but fits nicely into this part. Robbins plays a very back stage part for most of the film, the main concentration is on the small minded paranoia of Bridges. Brilliant film which brings home some harsh, hard truths about American society and security. An interesting storyline, which excels beyond the average Hollywood thriller, the typical guessing game of the goodies and baddies plays a secondary role to the real story. A uniquely intelligent terrorist thriller from Hollywood. Don't miss it.