Customer Reviews

Foolproof

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I had never heard of this Canadian film before, but had seen Ryan Reynolds in "Blade Trinity" recently as well as in "Van Wilder" and, having enjoyed his performances, quickly hunted down a few more of his lessor known films. And I am very glad I did because this film is a real hidden gem! If you enjoy heist/caper films, you will definitely enjoy this. It's not prefect (in fact, it may be just a bit predictable to the most experienced film-watchers) but this is a very slick, beautifully produced, skillfully directed, smartly written movie and is still a lot of fun to watch. Great acting here as well. Reynolds again was terrific in the lead. He is fast becoming one of my favorite actors and is the man to watch in the future. David Suchet is awesome as well as the suave villain. Alternating nicely between suspense, comedy and even a few breathless action sequences, this film is one the most enjoyable surprises I've seen in a long time. Definitely a keeper. An important note to DVD buyers however: There are TWO versions/editions of this film available! One is a single-disc edition distributed by DEJ in the US (the one sold here on Amazon). It is in FULLSCREEN only and is lacking in some of the special features. The other edition is a 2-disc edition distributed in Canada by Alliance-Atlantis. This one is in WIDESCREEN, has more special features (a featurette on the special efffects for example) and has the second disc (a CD) consisting of the complete soundtrack music to the film. The cover art of this Canadian edition is different as well, showing Reynolds, Suchet and Kristen Booth standing in front of a glowing blue vault. Just some info I thought anyone should know if they are thinking about buying the film.

I thought this Canadian movie was pretty well made. I love heist movies or films where they use really cool, high-tech ways of breaking into safes and other things... so this one was right up my alley. I can't say I was disappointed. The movie starts out with a group of three people who, for fun only, plan how to break into places and safes ... making their plans "foolproof" so that they are able to go off without a hitch (it's just a game to them). They never carry out their plans though ... until a set of their plans is stolen. Then a mob-like guy contacts them and makes them break into a safe for him. I don't want to give too much away because it has good twists and turns in it. But if you are looking for an entertaining, exciting, funny, interesting movie, definitely give this one a try. Ryan Renolds is a great actor - he made the movie better just by being it. The supporting cast was pretty good as well. It wasn't an award winning movie or anything, but for a night at home watching a decent movie... it's perfect. Also, check out the extras on the DVD. As stated in the Trivia section on IMDB, an interesting tidbit: The movie was not only the widest release of a Canadian movie in history (as of October 2003), but had a record-breaking marketing budget of $2 million.

You can tell what kind of role Ryan Reynold's is playing by getting a look at his facial hair. Stubble? Beard? Goatee? Why, then he's probably a ruff-n-buff take-no-guff rumbler, perhaps a cop or mercenary do-gooder. Clean shaven with a smarmy grin? Why, then he's probably a fast-talkin' slick-n-sassy womanizer who is struggling with personal demons in spite of his uber-confident exterior.

"Foolproof" is unique, not just because it was the most expensive and most widely released Canadian film for its time, but also because it showcases Reynolds as an enjoyable mix of both of his time-tested cinema personas. He isn't wholly one or the other. In this case, he is Kevin, an insurance claims investigator who, along with his friends Sam (Kristin Booth) and Rob (Joris Jarsky), spend their spare time figuring out "foolproof" plans for daring robberies and bold heists.

They don't ever actually plan to DO any of said robberies/heists; these are just brain exercises, you see, ways to expand the mind and flex one's mental muscles. (And here my idea of stretching the brain is doing crossword puzzles on the john.) Unfortunately, the paperwork on their latest project -- a flawless and meticulously crafted diamond caper -- is stolen and used, with all clues pointing back to them. The culprit, a mobster named Leo, recognizes their skill and coerces them into planning and pulling off one last "foolproof" stunt for him.

It's a caper movie on several levels, since Leo is not only taking advantage of but is also manipulating Kevin and his crew, splintering long-honored trusts, watering doubt where it was sown long ago. Kevin, Sam, and Rob do a good job of getting us to believe they have the brainpower to come up with plans where every base is covered, but Leo introduces a human element that makes "foolproof" seem like a contradiction in terms. People aren't as easy to figure out as locks and security alarm systems.

Reynolds pulls off the balance between his frat boy mugging and tough guy frustration quite well, and he's working alongside some other players that, while maybe not mainstream faces, are just as up for the task. The script and the story don't need much help though; this is a story that sort of tells itself, although the twists at the end -- while plausible and delightful -- might come across as a little ludicrous. Still, when you've got three twenty-somethings with desk jobs whose idea of a fun day off is planning high-profile crimes in elaborate detail, well, words like "ludicrous" don't really play into the equation. It's a fun little film, snarky and slick, fast-paced without snags, and equal measures of smart and silly. It may not be as perfectly executed as Kevin and Co.'s criminal plans, but it is just as rewarding.

This entertaining Canadian caper movie bears more than a passing resemblance to 2001's OCEAN'S ELEVEN and the 2003 remake of THE ITALIAN JOB, yet without the A-list star power that propelled the other two movies into the blockbuster lists.
I really was not sure what to expect of this movie when I programmed my TiVo to record it on one of the Encore channels over the weekend. I had never heard of it, but I always had a certain weakness for crime caper movies and so I decided to give it a try.
I am pleased that I did.
The plot involves three friends who are planning a heist on a diamond-trading house. They have laid out intricate plans for the job worked out through months of surveillance and training.
Then, the said plans are stolen by a mob-like figure, played by a wonderfully villainous David Suchet (of TV's POIROT fame) pulls off the job using their plans as a blueprint. With the plans in-hand (complete with some nice clean prints of the three friends) Suchet's character then blackmails the three to come up with a plan and execute the theft of $30 million in bonds from a highly secure bank vault.
The manner in which the heist is pulled and the clever little twist at the end (which I personally never saw coming) means what we have here is a nice lower budget but in some ways more intelligent take on the Clooney vehicle mentioned above. The cast all turn in admirable performances with Kristen Booth a real find both in beauty and talent and the always watchable Ryan Reynolds and Suchet bringing the movie into a higher class.
Recommended

Although FOOLPROOF's leading characters are talented young actors, the film's finest moments come from the delightful performance of that marvelous character actor, David Suchet (Hercule Poirot in the BBC Mystery series). Suchet plays Leo, a cunning, shrewd and acerbic front man, who blackmails our three heroes into doing a heist for him. Why? The three youngsters have been playing a game, devising foolproof heists for pleasure. Suchet, however, steals the plans for one of their heists, and it works beautifully, so he uses this to get the guys to do a 20 million dollar bonds theft.
The movie moves slowly to a rather unpredictable and clever ending, buoyed by Suchet's performance and of course by the charming leads: Ryan Reynolds (Van Wilder, Boltneck) as Kevin, the insurance investigator somewhat nerd, who forms the moral conscience of the group; Kristin Booth, a perky, feisty and suggestively sensuous presence; and Joris Jarsky as Rob, the one member who really seems to want to make the bond exchange work. Why not? Suchet has slid him a hefty sum unknown to his comrades, who fail to notice his new clothes and new car? Hmmm.
FOOLPROOF is a refreshingly entertaining movie, that doesn't rely on gratuitous sex scenes or even any major violence. Well directed by William Phillips, this Canadian made film is quite surprisingly good.

I thought it would have been cheesey but it was better than expected it kind of had an alomost ocean eleven feel to it. Don't think it should have gotten a 2 or 2 1/2 stars from some reviewsers..I like Ryan's sense of humor great guy...

(mild spoiler warning)
Foolproof aims for solid matinee fare, and while that's not a highbrow target, it is still a tough mark to hit. Foolproof succeeds with liberal doses of camaraderie, comedy and a clever heist replete with realistic technical detail.

The story begins as Rob, Kevin and Samantha put the finishing touches on the plan for their latest heist--their latest *pretend* heist. The trio comprised of grungy electronics repair guy Rob, insurance adjuster Kevin and, uh, blonde, Samantha, plan heists, to the last detail, for fun. Once they have convinced themselves the plan is foolproof, the game is over and they move on to their next virtual robbery.

Of course, there is a hitch. A folio containing the plans for the current round of foolproof finds its way into the wrong hands. With the threat of turning over the plans to the police, one "Leo the Touch" , played with seething menace by David Suchet, blackmails the three into pulling a very big, very real heist.

While blackmail is nothing new, in Foolproof it is a useful mechanism for forcing our three 'ordinary' protagonists into unusual situations. This conceit draws the viewer into the film, because we can't help but picture ourselves in place of the foolproof gang.

The heist isn't the biggest ever committed to celluloid, but neither does it go over the top with huge, gleaming vaults, laser security systems, or 'Mission Impossible'-style rope work. All of these make an appearance in the film, but in a low-key fashion that doesn't create a target so impregnable that the notion of successful robbery becomes incredible. Keeping the technology in the background keeps the focus on the Kevin, Rob and Sam.

Performances from the three leads are solid. Kristen Booth does her best with the weakest part. We don't know her job or anything about her except that she plays foolproof with the other two. She's the most aggressive of the three, easily incapacitating (at least temporarily) a goon whose hands wander during a pat-down.

Ryan Reynolds plays Kevin, the insurance adjuster. His character comes off as nerdy at first, but I think the nerdiness is a front designed to quell the suspicions of his co-workers about his sometimes odd behaviour.

Rob is played by Joris Jarsky. His part is the meatiest. Running a somewhat moribund electronics repair shop, his ambition-challenged character is sorely tempted by the payoff of a real heist. The growing rapport between Leo and Rob forms the heart of the film and gives this popcorn flick its darkest moments.

The snaky Leo is easily the strongest presence in the film. He is so enjoyably villainous, I felt bad for him when things didn't quite pan out as planned.

Kevin (Ryan Reynolds), Sam (Kristin Booth), and Rob (Joris Jarsky) are good friends, but what is special about them is that they are planning a perfect heist - only on paper. They make and improve their plans, even do researches, but have no intention of doing it for real. Their secret joy turns into a bad dream when a real master criminal named Gillette (David Suchet) steals and puts into practice their elaborate plans. Moreover, Gillette demands that the next heist must be done by Kevin and his friends.

`Foolproof' unashamedly takes up familiar elements that you have seen in the past films about heist, but it still does the tricks fairly well. Though there is nothing new about the way it entertains us, it is entertaining, and there is a neat conclusion after a good twist and two. Whatever you might find in it, at least you will admit it is slick.

Still, for all these merits, the film is disappointing for the following two reasons. As I said before, the film uses the conventions of the genre, and I am not against that use, but if you show a villain or a criminal in this kind of film, of which main purpose is to entertain us, you just need a better baddie than this one. David Suchet's Gillette is a boring presence, not coldly threatening nor devilishly charming enough. These `bad' guys must keep cool and collected even with a gun pointed at his head for he is a master criminal, but Gillette is visibly scared when it happens. If the three friends are smart enough (and they are), it is truly easy to outwit the insipid flatly-written baddie. Unfortunately, however, the three young reluctant thieves are not interesting either, for all its star Ryan Reynolds' competent acting.

The other disappointment is that the heist itself is a mediocre one. No real race against the clock, no real sense of impending danger, and no detailed geographical knowledge about the target of the thieves. In other words, we are not allowed to realize how difficult to get into the building and steal the thing from there. They use apparently high-tech equipment, but what they do looks like guess work with luck. They should be mapping out the plans minutely before beginning the heist, but in `Foolproof' they simply forgot to do it, or if they had done, they did it somewhere off-screen.

`Foolproof' is a Canadian film (co-produced by Canadian director Atom Egoyan) with very modest budget. But the real problem about the film is neither the low-budget, nor its fast pace. It is that the film goes fast without giving much to us, giving something other than usual props like guns, elevator shaft, bonds, telescopes, etc. Even the annoying robot alarming 'Error, Error' looks familiar.

It's a shame that no one went to see this movie. Ryan Reynolds is hilarious as usual, and the script and plot were extremely well done. It isn't the greatest movie of all time, but definitely one of the best heist movies I've seen in a while. A great Canadian movie that I think action-comedy fans will enjoy.

This was a pleasant surprise. Great for a movie that i've never heard of. I don't want to give anything away so i'll just say...it's not what you think it is.