Derailed

Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston are two adulterer-wannabes who are "Derailed" from their plans in this 2005 film. It also stars Vincent Cassel, RZA, Tom Conti and Melissa George.

Charles Schine (Owen) and Lucinda Harris (Aniston) meet on a commuter train; on the night they take a hotel room to begin their affair, it's broken into by a criminal, LaRoche, who steals from both of them, rapes Lucinda repeatedly, and then continues to blackmail Charles for large sums of money.

Lucinda refuses to go to the police, saying that her husband will file for divorce and take her daughter away from her.

Normally I take a film for what it is, and even if it has holes, if I really like it, I'll accept those holes. "Derailed" doesn't have holes. It has gullies.

The character of Charles is completely unlikable throughout the film and a constant source of frustration. His diabetic daughter has had two or three kidney transplants, all of which were rejected by her body.

For seven years, he and his wife, a teacher, have been saving money for a new antirejection drug coming on the market that the insurance won't cover. And I'm supposed to believe that he just keeps meeting LaRoche, who beats him to a pulp every time they meet, and handing him this hard-earned money that will save his daughter's life.

Instead of going to the police, he honors the wishes of Lucinda. Well, forget it. Gulley number one.

Gulley number two. A young man at the office, Winston (RZA) who has been in prison decides to help out Schine. Knowing how violent and ruthless LaRoche is, Schine and Winston go alone, and Winston has an unloaded gun. Not a wise move. Didn't Winston have any buddies that could have gone along?

Gulley number three. Schine says he has two mortgages on his house and talks about how they've scrimped and saved. Question: a man, a woman, a child and a dog live in what looked to be a 10,000 square foot home in a ritzy neighborhood - gosh, ever heard of downsizing?

Bet the couple of million you'd have gotten for that place would buy a lot of antirejection drugs.

With a minimum of work, a terrific, exciting, scary story could have been made into a fantastic movie with just a little restructuring and some stronger motives that made sense.

Schine really didn't have a reason not to go to the police, even if he said he was mugged and left Lucinda out of it.

Clive Owen made a big splash in "Closer" and was considered for the role of James Bond. He's handsome and a wonderful actor, but if he wants a big-time film career, he's going to have to do better than this. Aniston did a good job as Lucinda, and Cassel was absolutely terrific as the revolting LaRoche.

At the end of the film, when the action and plot devices really pick up, I realized that the first hour and something had been a real waste. It had been badly DERAILED.

At first I thought wow, Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston, 2 big names. Might be good. I was a bit disappointed. Aniston's character is very flat and one-dimensional in the movie - very forgettable. Clive's acting is convincing, but the plot sucks. The villain (Vincent Cassel) looked pathetic and hardly scary. Even though he commits lots of violent acts in the movie, he really doesn't inspire fear in me. He actually looked more convincing dressed up as an office colleague of Clive Owen's in one particular scene, than when he's dressed as a street thug. Perhaps its because he's a bit too skinny and his skin is too good, perhaps its because his facial features looking more like a 17th century European aristocrat than some Chicago street thug. I think he'd probably do better acting as a psycho-killer rather than a professional thug.

By the end of the movie, I was really unimpressed. Yes the plot didn't really turn out like anyone had suspected, but its more of a "oh right, so what?" feeling I had, rather than a "oh my god. I can't believe it" feeling. By then I was just waiting, sitting there, hoping that something good - something really good - better come along soon, because I've not even gotten excited yet. But it never happened - and I never got excited or scared once throughout the whole movie.

I really wouldn't pay to watch this at the cinema - it would be like when I watched SWAT at the movies a few years ago. It feels like my money would be better spent elsewhere. Probably okay to watch this at home if you didn't have to pay like full price to rent this - if this movie was in the bargain bins somewhere in the video store.

Don't miss "Derailed". It is far from a big production, yet its twists and turmoil grip the spectator and force him to highly concentrate and attach to the movie's agitated rhythm. The Neanderthal chemistry between the couple of Owen and Anniston, translates to off screen, giving a satisfactory acting result, although individually many faults can be advised. Vincent Cassel plays the thief with a chilling magnitude."The book manipulates the reader so he cannot advise what is coming next", says Owen's character to her daughter, while analyzing a book together, as a hidden preface. Mikael Häfstrøm (who is quite unknown) cuts into the Hollywood formula and plays with the character psychological aspects while dipping and destroying their life's with certain Hitchcock reminiscences- Don't be confused; this thriller follows the book of Hollywood and has it's own particularities. Now, if you like fast, exciting rides where you remain in the dark and eager to know, this movie is for you. Otherwise, if you like intellectual films; maybe you won't pack to "rail in" to this movie.

I was avoiding the film because of the lower ratings it had received but after several recommendations, I went and saw it and was surprisingly pleased with the whole film from start to finish. In my opinion, this could be very well one of the best thrillers of the year. The trailer for it really doesn't do it justice for what the movie really is; a dark, suspenseful, edge of your seat thriller. Jennifer Aniston does a great job breaking out of her Friends character that everyone associates her with and that so few sitcom actors have been able to do. Don't wait for this one to come out on DVD. You definitely want to catch this one in the theater.

After checking out the plot and storyline for Derailed , I can comfortably turn round say that the recommendations posted on here were correct. This film takes the sticks to the old formula and thusly gives a us a very solid thriller rather than an overblown big budget flick . Clive Owen was brilliant playing his role - they should of chosen him for 007 instead of Daniel Craig I felt , and he is the type of character that I felt nearly every man can relate to in someway especially the relationship he has with his boss and not to mention his lateness to work (2 things which I know all to well). However Jennifer Aniston really has done a fine performance and she proves that by taking on this daring role and telling us that her Friends days are well behind her . Vincent Cassel really makes your blood boil, and you do want to smash his face in !!! The settings , moods ,all make it gritty and realistic so beware this could happen to you ! The only draw backs were that the second half of the movie was a little too rushed but giving Owen's situation I was willing to let it slide and the ever so annoying Xibit still trying to scare us with his gun-toting ways . Apart from that all I can say is that it is worth a look , may not be everyones cup of tea but Aniston fans won't be let down . recommended indeed . DERAILED - A STRONG 7.5 OUT 10 .