Derailed Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)November 11th, 2005
DERAILED
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
In DERAILED, Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is a busy ad executive who commutes via train every day to the city. One day Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston), a friendly stranger, offers to pay his fare when he finds that his wife, Deanna (Melissa George), has taken all of his cash just before he left for the office. The family is tight on funds since their daughter is dying and has already gone through three liver transplants. They are currently saving for a yet-to-be-released miracle drug, which is awaiting FDA approval.
Lucinda is a banker with a serious and stern looking wardrobe and with hair and make-up to match. She and Charles exchange pleasantries, but she insists that there is really no need for him to bother paying her back.
The next time Charles runs into Lucinda on the train, things are different. Her harsh look has changed. She now has her hair down and her boobs are beginning to be visible. They talk a bit about their life stories. He admits to her that he has "all kinds of guilt" since his background is both Jewish and Catholic. The most telling line comes from her, when she off-handedly remarks, "Some people just don't know how to appreciate what they've got."
Yes, they will go on to have an affair, and, yes, there will be a twist that you'll see coming from a mile away. But, there is something to be said for such a satisfyingly cheesy thriller like DERAILED. It is a pretension-free B-movie that follows the formula of its genre closely, but it is always entertaining, even if it's never challenging. The plot, covering all of the bases, is full of adultery, blackmail and murder.
Part of the formula that it follows is that the wife being cheated upon is always gorgeous but not quite attentive enough. Another certainty is that there are no blind alleys. If someone says he has a police friend, you can expect the aforementioned officer will shortly be on the case. And, finally, the firmest rule of all is that the bad guys will be punished -- if not right away, then at least eventually. The one objection I have to the film is that it has one twist too many, but even that should be expected, since, whenever you think the monster is dead in a movie, you can rest assured that he will rise up one last time.
DERAILED runs 1:40. It is rated R for "strong disturbing violence, language and some sexuality" and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film is playing in nationwide release now in the United States. In the Silicon Valley, it is showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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Email: [email protected]
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