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4 Stars Derailed Dir. by Mikael Hafstrom (The Weinstein Company)
Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston keep Derailed on track. The spine tingling suspense thriller, directed by Mikael Hafstrom, is an unexpected relief from the recent Hollywood trends of weakly manufactured sequels and remakes of classics. Although the film shares many aspects with such blockbusters as Fatal Attraction and Collateral, it stands on its own as being original and surprisingly well scripted.
Interestingly, Derailed and Collateral share the same screenwriter, Stuart Beattie. For those who saw the 2004 Tom Cruise-Jamie Foxx film, they can expect the same twists and turns here.
Hence, the title; like an out-of-control locomotive, Hafstrom's adaptation of James Siegel's 2003 novel by the same name, jumps the track three-quarters of the way through, manipulating the viewers' perceptions and disallowing them to foresee the conclusion. Shock and awe are what the director is going for and what the audience experiences.
None of this, however, could have been accomplished without excellent casting. Owen and Aniston, the protagonists of the film, comfortably fill their respective roles - a workaholic advertising executive and an equally desperate financial adviser, who has been forgotten by her husband. The two married rush-hour commuters - you guessed it - meet on a train on their way to work in downtown Chicago. Charlie Schine (Owen), like the other men on the train, is intrigued by Lucinda Harris (Aniston), who tempts on-lookers with her well-sculpted legs and witty attitude. She offers to pay for Schine's fare - an act he altruistically promises to reciprocate. Thus, the affair, uncharted territory for both participants, begins. What begins as playful banter between fellow commuters transforms seemingly overnight into an enjoyable lunch date, drinks after work, and a Collateral-looking cab ride with both contemplating cheating. Their tryst culminates in an expectedly steamy hotel room visit.
Then, all goes wrong - and very ugly - for the adulterous twosome. Just as they are about to get hot and heavy, a gun trigger is heard. Owen's character looks up to see a skull-capped, French accented thug, played by Vincent Cassel, holding a gun at Lucinda's right temple. Physical and sexual violence ensue.
When Charlie regains consciousness, Lucinda is on the bed, clinging to herself seemingly for dear life. Charlie and Lucinda promise not to tell the police, because that would cause domestic turmoil for both. So, for the rest of the movie, Philippe Laroche (Cassel), with the help of his henchman, Lester (played by XZIBIT of MTV's Pimp My Ride fame), terrorizes and blackmails Charlie much like Gwen Close does to Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction. Just when it appears hopeless for Charlie and Lucinda to reclaim what they have left of their lives, the plot twists. And, just when you think it's over, you are "derailed" once more.
The film is Aniston's first in the genre. The former Friends star, whose most recent film was a quickly-forgotten 2004 comedy Along Came Polly, returns to the big screen to prove that she has staying power and is able to survive without the help of a live studio audience or cheap laughs.
Aniston pulls it off unexpectedly well, shedding her Rachel Green persona once and for all.
Owen, whose movie repertoire includes Arthur and Closer, answers the question that's been circulating Hollywood for the past year. Yes, he would've made a good James Bond. For, only Bond could wipe his prints off weapons with his own clothes, and still not be called in for questioning.
In an age of crime scene investigations, such actions are not plausible. The way Charlie handles his problems is quite hokey and could be considered blasphemy at a time when CSI is the most watched drama on TV.
Ignore Charlie's seemingly endless luck when it comes to police enforcement, and you will further appreciate the movie, and realize just how twisted or "derailed" one must be to come up with such a tale. Not only that, but it'll teach you an important lesson - be wary of your fellow commuters. You just don't know who they are.
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