Paranoïa

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!

Every time I see Patrick Stewart I become more and more impressed by this actor's versatility. From Shakespeare to SciFi, from drama to suspense to historical epic, Stewart does it all, and does it very well. With "Safe House," Stewart demonstrates a wide range of talent, including - what I enjoyed most - a flair for subtle comedy, unexpected in a movie billed as a suspense flick.

I have to admit first off that if you're looking for a hair-raising, edge of your seat thriller, look elsewhere. I spent a lot more of my time sitting back chuckling than I did on the edge of my seat - and I mean that positively. This was a very funny movie in many ways, laced with some tense moments. Stewart plays Mace Sowell, a man suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease, who tries to convince his daughter Michelle (played by Joy Kilpatrick) that the life she thought he had lived had been a lie, and that he had really been a military intelligence officer whose life was now in danger because of the things he knew. She, of course, assumes that her father is delusional because of the Alzheimer's, and hires a caregiver (Andi Travers, played by Kimberley Williams in a pretty decent performance) who Sowell distrusts from the start, but finally begins to warm up to. There's the outline of a pretty suspenseful movie there, except for one basic fault: I had this thing figured out within about 10-15 minutes of the opening! It's very predictable. However, I must confess that the decision to have Sowell suffering from Alzheimer's throws a wild card into this, and there were a few times when, with the twists and turns that happen, and with Sowell's obvious confusion, I began to doubt what I had assumed would happen. So it definitely managed to hold my interest. Stewart, in addition to some wonderfully funny scenes, also showed his dramatic flair as he portrays Sowell struggling with his emotions as he confronts the disease beginning to ravage his mind.

Most of the other performances in the movie are solid but unspectacular. I frankly found the character of Stuart (played by Craig Shoemaker) to be nothing less than irritating. Why he had to play almost every scene at least partly impersonating a famous actor was beyond me, and I really just wanted him to go away after a while. Hector Elizondo as Dr. Simon, Sowell's psychiatrist, was underused and offered little.

Basically, though, this is a pretty good movie. I'd rate it as a 7/10.

I will start by admitting that I'm a Star Trek fan, and in particular a Next Gen fan. So yes, I have a bias towards liking Stewart, although I think most can agree he is a skilled actor.

That concession aside, and as my summary suggests, this is not an epic movie, just a short story. I loved the set design, which was quite clever; where most movies tend to create the impression of big houses and locales, this one manages to create the impression of close spaces, as appropriate for a fortress in suburbia.

You will continue to guess at whether or not Stewart's paranoia is justified or just symptoms of Alzheimer's until the very end. Stewart is well fitted for the part, or at the very least he was convincing to me. I think this particular says something since I'm used to seeing him as Captain Picard.

I wouldn't try to sell this off as an accurate portrayal of how DIA operatives act when they retire. I wouldn't know anything about that. I don't even know if there is such a thing as the DIA.

What I will say is that the movie is best taken as a diversion, a fun romp that keeps you interested, but it doesn't grip you like an epic. Perhaps rightly so, since the subject matter doesn't fit an epic movie anyway.

As a final note, I still don't see anything wrong with genre mixing. Why can't you have a drama that's funny, or a comedy with serious action, or whatever it is you want to blend? If it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't, and it works for me here. (See as an example "The Big Hit," which the writer called a "hip-hop comic Hong Kong action movie") This movie is a small little tidbit, to be taken and enjoyed as such. 8/10

My one line summary is a reworking of the tag line "The less you know, the safer you are". Reading the original synopsis on IMDB gives too much away. If you haven't read it - don't. Just RUN to the store and rent this video. Be like me and don't read the synopsis on the box either. Just take my word for it and that of the anonymous author of the very well written comments that precede mine. This is a GREAT movie. It's witty, falling down funny, sad as blazes, suspenseful, and exciting. Stewart and Williams are dynamite together.

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