Customer Reviews

Derailed (Unrated Widescreen)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(63)
3 star:		(56)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

They are the critics, especially those writing reviews collected online. Part of this is that they want Jennifer Aniston to be cast, as usual, as the wholesome girl next door.

The critics saw all the surprises ahead of time. I really didn't and I enjoyed them. (If you figured out the twists in A Beautiful Mind, you can guess this, too.)

Another possible reason for the tepid reviews is that it is an upsetting movie with several horrific scenes of violence. No doubt about it, it simply isn't a likable movie; if you were to take your kids --dont!-- they'd have nightmares.

Financial advisor Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston) and ad guy Charlie Schine (Clive Owen) have an illict affair after a chance meeting on a commuter train. But it doesn't go smoothly and soon they are victims of an extortion plot.

As usual, the advertising agency scenes are off the mark. What is a "commercial executive?" Even though we see Charlie at work what exactly does he do? (Even What Women Want -- a much better film -- went wrong here.) Even worse, there is no there there to the financial advisor scenes. So both characters' jobs are Hollywood hooey.

Both the main chracters are in a complete bind between family conflicts -- Charlie has a sick child -- high-pressure jobs, their shared secret, and their shared victimhood.

As in all the Hitchcock films, the victims can't go the police. (Remember how threatening the police officer is to Marion Crane -- Janet Leigh -- in Psycho?)

Surely this is no Hitchcock masterpiece, but it is an entertaining and twisty thriller.

The screenwriter Stuart Beattie also wrote the far better Collateral. Maybe the more you liked Collateral, the less you will like Derailed?

Even with two well-known stars, there is zero anticipatory buzz about this movie. We all know Jennifer Aniston from Friends on TV, but Mr. Owen has been in many excellent films: Sin City, Closer, The Bourne Identity, Gosford Park, Croupier.

Rappers RZA and Xzibit are well-cast supporting players. Vincent Cassel captures the essence of the chameleon-like villain. You want to throttle him throughout the picture.

Did the studio that released this picture have little faith in it? The marketing budget and the short marketing time frame -- a few weeks in advance, not months -- suggest that's true. Maybe their dismissive attitude was conveyed to the critics.

After you watch this, you will believe that it has likely happened to people, Clive Owen, who is one of the better actors to come along in ahwile is an average guy who many of us could identify with, he is an advertising executive who has a pretty wife(Melissa George) & a sick child, but the passion in his marriage has gone by the wayside, he then has a chance encounter with Lucinda(Jennifer Aniston), who is very attractive, & they have a fling, only to be alarmed by an intruder(Vincent Cassel, who is downright nasty & intimidating) in their hotel room, he not only robs & beats Owen, but rapes Anniston, if that wasn't bad enough, he harasses Owen throughout the film, threatning to expose their secret if not paid off, Owen conveys the emotion of a man whose life has gone from bad to worse, forget "Fatal Attraction", this is every cheating man's worst nightmare!!, & Anniston is very good in a slightly different role, who has a secret all her own, A very good thriller that will not bore you, why this film didn't do better is beyond me, the message is simple, "dont' fool around"!!!!!

This movie is a little difficult to watch because of all the violence the viewer is exposed to---rape, torture, and mind numbing bloodshed---but in its own way, this is an entertaining thriller.

It begins as an adulterous love/lust story when Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston) and Charles Schine (Clive Owen) meet on a Chicago commuter train. Charles is bored with life, saddled with a very sick daughter, and having a difficult time at work. He is thrilled that someone as beautiful as Lucinda could be interested in him and before long the two are headed to a hotel. Just as they are about to consummate their relationship, a thug (Vincent Cassel) bursts into the room, robs and beats Charles and rapes Lucinda repeatedly. Ashamed, shaken, and badly hurt, Charles is shocked when the villain not only calls him and demands blackmail money but also shows up at his home. Charles pays the blackmail but enough is not enough. The villain, sensing Charles' weakness and inability to fight back, increases his demands.

There are twists and turns that will keep the viewer on the edge of his seat. I won't, of course, reveal what happens, but the first twist is not the last and this story will not let you relax. It's terribly violent, unnerving from start to finish, but worth seeing. Clive Owen is sympathetic as the embattled victim and Jennifer Aniston proves once and for all she's not Rachel Green anymore.

Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is a married man who has an affair with Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston), a woman he meets on a train, who is also married. The two of them go to a hotel room and start making love, when a guy comes bursting in the door demanding the two of their wallets. Later on, we find out the guy's name was Philippe LaRoche (Vincent Cassel). To Charles' wife (Melissa George) and their daughter Amy, Philippe is just a guy who works with him. But behind closed doors, Philippe wants Charles' money. In order to protect his and Lucinda's family, Charles has to do exactly what Philippe says.

This movie will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I wasn't expecting what happened to happen. The film started off slow, and then it picked up. The ending will shock you like it did for me. Derailed is worth a watch.

A real supprise of a super movie. I had no idea of the excellant twists towards the middle and end of the movie. Who is everybody anyway? A real nice Hitchcock theme of a movie. After renting it I just had to own it. You will be stunned and I am sure you will like it as well.

Clive plays Charles Schine, a harried Chicago suburbanite that meets a sultry passenger on the train, Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston.) Soon, Charles is caught up in a frightening game of cat and mouse between the movie's resident bad-guy, LaRoche (Vincent Cassel.)

"Derailed" is the movie that truly turned me on to the talent of Mr. Clive Owen. In my humble opinion, Clive Owen is the best actor of his generation because he is thought-provoking and not afraid to get his hands dirty so to speak because he gladly plays multi-faceted roles. Clive reminds me of a young Clark Gable.

I have never been crazy about Jennifer Aniston (am I the only person that has never seen "Friends"?) Because she's never done anything that I liked; although I was able to sit through "The Object of My Affection." Jennifer Aniston is the perfect example of one of today's "stars" that coast by and do as little as possible but are able to rise right to the top. In any event, after I saw this movie I had a new fondness for her.

The movie has some very fascinating twists and turns, up to the very end. This is one of those movies that will give you chills. So sit back, and enjoy the ride with Clive Owen.

I could not take my eyes off this film.I had to watch the DVD again to see if I missed any clues,and I did.Everyone in the movie is fantastic.I can't understand why this picture wasn't a huge hit.

I've always loved thrillers, that "who done it" mentality, and wondering what will happen next. Perhaps the best thing about these movies is guessing who really is the villain and what the bigger plan is. For me, I guessed the ending about halfway through the movie and left the remainder to unfold. Still, this was a good movie.

Clive Owen plays Charles, a well to do, average guy in a Chicago suburb who is living a somewhat boring and somewhat troubled life. His marriage is not exactly happy these days, and he has a sickly, diabetic child who is taking a toll on him. On a train to the city one day, he meets a clever, cheerful Jennifer Aniston. They go from casual aquaintences to friends, then, thinking this is going to turn into a Fatal Attraction-esque movie, he decides to have a tryst with Aniston in a sleazy hotel room. Their encounter goes terribly wrong when a mugger breaks in, and soon he is being terrorized literally and figuratively by his own guilt and the mugger's continued harassment of him and his family.

How many little moments of insanity have cost us things? Adultery, wanting to steal that pretty little item, greediness, and jealousy have always motivated us to do things we wish we hadn't. And we wish we hadn't given into those little wants or needs that ended up costing us things. It is part of life's learning experiences. None of us are perfect. This is an extreme example of what happens when we don't think about the consequences of our actions. A good movie, a tad predictable, but still a good time.

This really shows that Clive Owen is a star and that Jennifer Aniston is capable of other types of films. This is the kind of thriller that they used to make and it is done quite well.

Worth catching.

I just got done watching this film. I was pleasantly surprised at the range of emotions this film pulled out of me. I really felt for the characters. Jennifer Aniston is a very gritty, meaty role. Clive Owens, always brings a great intensity into any role ... he chose a great role here. I loved seeing him as this character. He really drew you in. I also have to say, I loved seein' Rza, one of my favorite rappers acting and doin' a damn good job of it. All in all I have to say this has got to be the best suspense drama I have seen in a while. *I work in a video shop* I would highly recommed this film.