Gary Wolcott's "Mr. Movie" column has appeared in the Tri-City Herald since 1992. The Tri-City native now lives in Portland, Ore., and watches about 250 movies each year. This member of Portland's association of movie critics, Far From Hollywood, believes movies are made to be seen on theater screens and should be seen there and not on television screens. Have a question for Mr. Movie? Click on "Add Comment" below. Mr. Movie has joined Twitter. Follow him here.
Sam Worthington is an ex-cop set up during a sting.
He gets accused of stealing a huge diamond from a dishonest developer and mogul. The guy needs the cash from the insurance to pay for an investment and stave off bankruptcy.
After a couple of years in jail, Worthington’s Nick Cassidy is let out to attend his father’s funeral. It’s there he makes a clever, car-chase intensive escape. Once out, he rents a hotel room, has a meal, opens the window and walks out onto the ledge.
The pretend suicide is to distract police and prove his innocence.
While on the ledge and with all of the cops focusing on his dilemma, Cassidy’s goofy brother and babe girlfriend have the time they need to get the diamond back via a complicated heist. It’s stored in a safe guarded by ultra high-tech cameras, gizmos and gadgets and just happens to be in an office next door to the hotel and the ledge.
The heist is accompanied by the usual almost-get caughts and near misses.
The bad-guy cops soon figure out Cassidy is the leaper and as a now very loose, loose end, they’d just as soon he jump and go about finding ways to get rid of him — permanently. That’s why Cassidy asked for the department’s suicide talker-downer, Lydia Mercer. She’s in disgrace after losing her last leaper. But in his mind, she’s honest.
Besides, he needs a love interest — the writers think — to keep your interest.
Ed Harris plays the high-roller developer who has the diamond.
Starting with the premise, this one is as close to brain death as brain death gets. And you know when Ed Harris can’t save a movie — it can’t be saved.
Decent performances from the very likable Worthington (Avatar), Banks (Zack & Miri), Harris, Edward Burns, Jamie Bell and Genesis Rodriguez are damaged by a convoluted, contrived and obvious plot that in the last act crashes harder than if the guy really jumped.
By the way, he doesn’t. But by movie’s end you’ll wish you could.
Mr. Movie rating: 1 star
Rated PG-13 for mature themes and violence. It opens Friday, Jan. 27 at Regal’s Columbia Center 8, the Fairchild Cinemas 12 and Walla Walla Grand Cinemas.
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it's your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on video.
2 stars to 1 star: Don't bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.
When a movie sits on a shelf for a year after the original release date is set it’s usually the kiss of death.
Plot flaws, bad acting, zero marketing budget and a host of other problems plague them.
This is not the case of the now-released The Debt or for last week’s Don’t be Afraid of the Dark . The official reason for the delay of both films is not plot problems or a marketing budget but the sale of distributor and art house fave Miramax.
'Our Idiot Brother' more idiots should be as entertaining
Paul Rudd is Ned, the idiot brother.
The lights are on but no one seems to be home. He’s a throwback hippie with long, thick hair. The naive Ned gets tossed in jail for selling pot to a cop who claimed to be having a bad day and really needs some relief. He tries to give the cop some weed at no charge, but the man will not hear of such a thing.
Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams play characters Leo and Paige. Their story and that of the real life couple the film is modeled after have little in common. Married, careers on the upswing, he produces music and she’s an artist growing in fame. And they are very, very happy.
Then comes the traffic accident. She has serious head trauma. When Paige eventually comes around she remembers nothing about Leo or their life. All her memories are up to a year or so before she met Leo.
'Contraband' a rare January movie that doesn't tank
Studios dump movies in January.
This month is when the biggies released between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day begin to fade and the studios begin dribbling award-worthy art films out to smaller markets.
Woody Harrelson goes behind the badge for 'Rampart'
LOS ANGELES - Woody Harrelson wants the windows down. "Do you mind if we go old style on this? I don't like air conditioning." The journalist at the wheel of the Honda Accord jabs a button and the famous passenger gets a face full of Sunset Strip. Harrelson is used to breathing in paradise - he lives in Maui most of the time - but even West Hollywood tastes sweet when you feel like you're smothering. "Yeah," the 50-year-old star said, "that's better already."
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