Safe House

This is a film about paranoia. When you think you're being watched, your every move being documented, your every action recorded and analyzed. Mace Sowell, an ex-military officer from a covert operations team no one knows about, is confined to his home, because he fears for his life. His daughter doesn't think that he is in danger, instead, she just thinks he's getting senile, or maybe he's just paranoid. He regularly runs 'drills' in order to keep himself prepared for any direct strike on his house. Meanwhile, he also discovers that he's slowly developing Alzheimer's Disease, which only makes things worse. The plot is great, the idea is quite original, and the movie moves along at a great pace; every scene has some development in the plot, and often it also has some great humor. The film delivers a great sense of paranoia all the way through. The acting is great, both by Patrick Stewart and Kimberly Williams. The consistent paranoia, the various intense scenes that are easily explained once they're over, the overall mood of the film, it all leads up to an exciting climax that only few will be able to figure out until it happens. All in all, a great thriller about paranoia. I recommend this to fans of thrillers, especially fans that are fond of conspiracy theories and paranoia in thrillers. 8/10

The concept of making the audience wonder whether the hero is really being threatened or is the victim of delusions, has been used several times recently. I enjoyed this take on it better than most and I love Patrick Stewart in any role! I hadn't expected it to be so heart-wrenching at times, but it was. One scene, in which Mace (P.S.)is doing a cognitive test for his doctor, was particularly effective. As a result, this was not only a suspense movie it had some very realistic portrayals of the slow but steady mental decline of Alzheimer's victims--and how tragic that is, as they realize it is happening. I think I appreciated that accurate and informational aspect as much as I did the mystery of Mace's activities with his complex computer set-up. I watched this while walking on my treadmill and usually do a movie in two sessions. This one kept me going through the entire time.

"Safe House" from 1998 stars Patrick Stewart, Kimberly Williams, and Hector Elizondo.

Stewart plays Mace Sowell, a former operative for the DIA (not CIA as he's quick to point out) - the Defense Intelligence Agency. Now retired, he lives as if he is about to be killed any second. In his bed is a dummy version of him, while he sleeps in another area; he has a room full of computer monitors which track what's happening on his property, monitors conversations, and he seems to always be signing into something top secret. When he goes out in the car with his daughter Michelle (Joy Kilpatrick), he is heavily disguised and lying on the floor in the back seat. His doctor (Elizondo) prescribes medication for him that he won't take. He periodically schedules "drills" which includes such things as attacks on his home where a masked man (actually his friend Marc) uses his maid as a human shield.

It's clear to Michelle that her father needs round the clock care, as he's in the early stages of Alzheimer's. In order to allow him to stay at home, she hires a social worker, Andi Travers (Williams) to stay with him. Over time, the two form a bond. He tells her that he has enough evidence against his old boss at the DIA, Thomas Michelmore, who is running for President, to ruin his career. Michelmore has already had several people eliminated who knew too much, and Mace believes he is next.

Mace has this evidence on a server that will email it to every news outlet in the world unless it's reset with a new password every 24 hours.

So the question becomes - okay, he probably is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, but is he just paranoid or is someone really out to get him? Is any of this true? It's clear his daughter, her husband, and Mace's doctor don't believe him. Will Andi?

Really fantastic film that keeps you absorbed and involved until the very end with lots of surprise action and humor, all leading up to a fantastic finale.

Patrick Stewart is wonderful as a man who realizes he's going over the edge and fights every second to stave off dementia. Kimberly Williams as his patient and level-headed caretaker does an excellent job throughout, as does James Harlow (Marc) who is constantly coming up with new impressions of actors, everyone from Jim Nabors to Jimmy Stewart.

Highly recommended.

What a brilliant idea: A former secret agent, who'd lied to his family about his real career, can't make anyone believe that his life is in danger from his old colleagues. Plus he's suffering from Alzheimer's, so is the conspiracy all in his head or for real? You sure want to believe him, but it gets harder as the film goes on. I was amazed and touched by Patrick Stewart's vulnerability as this proud man realizes he can't remember names and faces. Kimberly Williams was impressive, and I enjoyed Craig "Love Master" Shoemaker in the supporting role. Originally aired on Showtime. Go rent it!

This is a great film that premeired as a Showtime original picture in 1999, I believe. The plot is awesome, and it will leave you guessing the entire time, it's very entertaining to watch, even tho you are watching a poor man drift further and further into Alzheimer's disease. The setting of the film is in a very lavish, very expensive house in which a very rich man (Patrick Stewart) lives. After being diagnosed with the disease, his daughter decides he needs someone at the house to take care of him and whatever else needs taken care of. He is a proud man, and he's very stubborn in that he doesn't think he needs anyone to live with him. He is grouchy and rude to begin with, but he begins to warm up to the hired help (the bride in the movie 'Father of the Bride'--Kimberly Williams, I think?)...anyhow...it's been a while since I've seen the movie, but I remember he was involved in very top secret stuff during his career, and he is paranoid that someone is out to kill him. You see him thru out the movie practicing with a gun in and outside of his house (he won't leave the yard, he's so paranoid.) There is that element to the film, but there is also a much lighter note on top of everything. It's a comedy, a 'buddy' movie, and an adventure all in one. It is beautifully shot, unlike some of the originals you'll see on Showtime, and it was a nice change from most of the films they have done in the past. Stewart does a superb job, and he keeps you entertained thru the entire film. On the subject of plot changes and surprises...be prepared, it is very good in this way at the end.