An average movie

To be honest, I wasn't sure about this flick. I mean, I always had a weak spot for Hugh Grant but a thriller?!? It didn't seem to be a genre for him and, indeed, it didn't get much loved when it was released. To my surprise, I thought it was not bad at all. Of course, since it is an American production, you have the usual unnecessary chases, action scenes and, obviously, the annoying twist(s) at the end but, still, I actually enjoyed most of it. Indeed, Michael Apted is a very decent director, especially when he is given the right material. I was also rather surprised by Hugh Grant who was actually pretty convincing and much more interesting that the typical macho tough guys that you usually get in this kind of production. And, of course, you have the always dependable Gene Hackman (such a shame that the guy doesn't make any more movies). You could say that, at this point, it has become a cliché to see Hackman playing such figures but he does it so well, with such gusto, it is always a pleasure. Especially, with his amazing speech at the end, I was rather floored. I mean, it is not unusual to have a showdown between the good guy and the bad guy to finish the whole thing but, and I won't spoil it for you, there is actually a really interesting and rather thoughtful debate to conclude. It was rather smart, really unexpected and completely appreciated. To conclude, even though the whole thing was still a little too generic for my taste, it is actually a decent thriller and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

6/10