Foolproof

I'll admit it - I only went to see this movie to support the fact that a Canadian movie was playing at my local giant movie-plex - a rarity in these parts. I didn't know all that much about it and I went in thinking that there was a good chance that I was not going to like this movie.

But I was surprised. Although it wasn't the most techno-savvy heist movie with the coolest gadgets and up-to-the-minute technology, it had me entertained. That's not to say that there weren't gadgets and neat props used to pull of the heists - just not a plethora of things like you would see in a huge budget Hollywood movie. The parts in the movie that were supposed to be funny made me laugh and the tense parts had me going.

The setup, a trio of twenty-something friends making a game out of planning the perfect crime without actually any intention of pulling them off, was at least a refreshing start to a caper movie. They are not looking to score diamonds and make it rich - they are satisfied with knowing that they outsmarted the security companies and that they could pull off these jobs if they didn't have morals and a respect for the law (they are just desk-jockies).

I thought that the acting was well-done and the roles were believable. The script was pretty good and at least there wasn't a bunch of cheesy one-liners and awkward dialogue (although I too found that they said "foolproof" more times than warranted).

All in all I would have no problem recommending this to anyone. As long as you don't go into the theatre expecting the smartest, savvy-est, most original heist movie ever to grace the screen, then you'll most likely enjoy it for the 'popcorn movie' that it is.

Foolproof was the largest domestic opening for a Canadian film. Roughly 2 million in prints and advertising was wasted on what was a truly an abysmal caper film. I was hoping for it to do well, felt the need to cheer for the cinematic home team but after seeing it I tried to understand why so much money was sunk into a film without a chance. AT the heart of the story lies a trio of friends led by the talented Canadian export Ryan Reynolds. They stage "foolproof" capers as a fun thing to do as friends. This was the first script obstacle which was terribly wonky and hard to get over but we move on. Enter bad guy, played with the stereotypical menace by David Souchet, another good actor whose talents were wasted by the director. What ensues is a ridiculous story which is so poorly written that the film can't possibly survive it's own running time. It tries to be a high impact crime caper full of twists and turns. The problem is that like many great caper films, the script has to be airtight. This script was no where near production ready. Another problem is that Foolproof didn't have the budget that caper films require in order to be successful. They blew their load on one or two scenes and the rest of the film looks like a TV movie. It's sad that this film died such a public death. It makes it so much harder for other Canadian films to get out there. While I admire the risk taken on Foolproof's domestic release, I'm saddened that they blew a bunch of cash releasing a mediocre film, that never had a chance.

I loved this movie.

Foolproof is a pretty intelligent caper film that rises above standard caper/action movies that you get from, say, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Acting: It was very good, but the acting from Ryan Reynolds was great. I found his delivery perfect for the role.

Script: The script was fairly intelligent but fell into a few standard-caper-script holes in a few spots. Overall the script maintained its character through the interpersonal banter, particularly with Reynolds.

Soundtrack: Excellent. Perhaps the greatest complement to an intelligent movie is a groovy soundtrack that helps keep the momentum of the film going. This soundtrack is groovy. Think Ocean's Eleven with George Clooney.

Plausibility: Well, here we have problems. Don't think this is realistic, just be thankful you don't have Arnie flying a Harrier jet. Hey, it's as plausible as Ocean's Eleven.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie, and I would happily recommend it to almost anyone.

8/10

While not up to the pace and drama of The Italian Job or Heist,this made for cable epic is redeemed by a nice twist ending.

Kristin Booth as the female lead has charm and presence. Her smile lights up the screen and she looks capable of the part played by her character, with a well muscled build unlike the typical stick woman of Hollywood.

David Suchet, who you may remember as the cop in A Perfect Murder, underplays the villain well though the other leads struggle more with the wooden dialogue.

A diverting way to spend some time. Certainly better than The Score, which wasted a huge budget and big name actors. Here, a modest budget and working talent exceed expectations.

This movie was outstanding! Clever, funny, exciting, and Canadian. I'm quite proud to see this film on the big screen. I'm even more proud of the fact that the film makers decided to base the story in Toronto. Too often has Toronto doubled for other cities in films, it was refreshing to see the "T dot O" being its good old self.

Until I saw this movie, Ocean's 11 (the remake, not the boring original) was hands-down favourite heist movie. In my opinion, FoolProof is practically dead even with Ocean's 11 on sheer cleverness. I don't want to spoil anything, but suffice it to say that the plot surrounding the heist and the "thieves by mistake" is brilliant, twisting, and...foolproof!

The characters were expertly played, with Ryan Reynolds really shining in his performance. He came across as smart, quirky, and of course very funny. His comic timing blended very well with the tense heist drama.

The great part about FoolProof is that, unlike Ocean's 11, it didn't try to hype itself up with some veteran all-star cast to try and sell more tickets. Ryan Reynolds has significant star power, but I'm not sure if the fratboy fans who say Van Wilder will warm up to this much more dynamic role. Only time will tell I suppose. Either way, if you're a Canadian, support your film industry and check out this stellar movie!