Customer Reviews

Witness Protection

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Witness Protection is a bit of a curiousity. It takes the viewer into a world that is a little alien - the infamous witness protection program that is run by the US government to protect witnesses from major criminals. The epilogue to the film tells us that 16,000 people have entered the program to date - this is the story of one such family. Tom Sizemore plays the father, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio the mother and with their two children they spend five days in the Witness Protection safe-house where, instead of the family coming together, they are slowly ripped apart by unspoken anger, fear and terror. Yet the movie is neither depressing or solemn - you do feel for these people who have ended up in this situation, but as Forrest Whitaker keeps reminding the family as their liason in the program, they only have themselves to blame for entering this world in the first place. The direction is sharp, and though the writing is sometimes sluggish, it picks up again shortly afterward. Another great movie from HBO.

Witness Protection is one of the few movies that focuses on the guys behind the scenes. In this mob story of a man who goes into hiding with his family, few things are clearly stated to the viewer. The acting is decent, a good director is in the making with Richard Pearce, but the story moves slowly and is very choppy. You are left to wonder how they got from one place to another. It had a well-developed plot, but it never followed through. I was particularly disappointed with the ending and the fact that the wife really had no idea what her husband did. All in all it was a decent movie. But rent it before you consider buying it.

This 1992 HBO film dealt with a subject that has always fascinated me and yet I knew little about. What happens to a family that goes into the witness protection program? What kind of problems do they face? And how, exactly, does the transformation work. This film attempts to answer some of these questions. And, if the characters are a little larger than life, and the story sometimes dips to the level of a soap opera, it really didn't matter to me. Because by then, I was so involved with the story and the personalities of this particular fictional family that I was too caught up to care.

The story starts out strong and continues its hectic pace. We soon learn that Tom Sizemore is involved with the mob who are out to kill him. It becomes apparent that his wife and children are also in danger. That's when Tom Sizemore goes to the FBI and agrees to testify in exchange for his family's protection.

The teenage son who is doing so well is school that he could get into a prestigious college is heartbroken. He has to leave his girlfriend too. And give up what looks like his whole future. The little 5-year old girl has to learn to lie about her name. And the wife, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, has to give up all the luxuries she's become adjusted to. This family is going to be poor in their new location and the father is going to have to work as a laborer.

This change doesn't happen overnight however. First, the family must spend 5 days in an FBI relocation house which looks like a house but is really a fancy prison. Here, they have to learn how to behave in their new environment. Forest Whitiker is cast as the FBI agent who will help make this happen. He plays his "tough love" part well and keeps saying he doesn't care. But it is clear that he does care about this family.

There are arguments between the husband and wife and one scene where the dishes fly and she hits him with a frying pan. There is one scene where the son refuses to go along with the relocation. The little girl cries a lot and we wonder how this will all affect her little life. Tensions do more than mount. They explode. And there were times that my own emotions were touched and I found my eyes tearing up.

I enjoyed this film and its unique angle on what the witness protection program means in the lives of one particular family. It made me think.

The performances make this made for cable efforta must see. Some of the writing particularly in the middle section of the film is really strong. Give it a chance it is quite fascinating.

This movie starts off with a bang and keeps you in suspense but the ending becomes obvious during the last 20 or so minutes. Ms. Mastrantonio is incredible in this movie and I recommend viewing it when you've got nothing on your mind because the story really pulls you in and you might forget those important car insurance bills that have overwhelmed you tired little mind.

This was a all around great movie. All actors were on point in this movie. It shows you the real reality of how everything goes down if anyone ever has to get into a witness protection program. Forrest Whitiker tells it like it is, and you know that he always come strong, and also the other actors came strong. I would definitely reccommend this movie for any and all ages.

Wow, I didnt think HBO was ever gonna make a decent movie. The acting is fantastic, even down to the little 8 year old daughter. I mean it doesnt leave anything out or candycoat the experience of entering the witness protection program. Its heartbraking at times I think, I dont know I cant explain it you know when you see someone that gets themself really embarrassed in front of a lot of people? Or when someones facad of coolness or strength suddenly gets broken down in front of strangers? And you kind of cringe when you see it cause we all have skeletons in the closet, we all think "man, that could be me." Watching the really strong parts of this movie are a lot like that. This tough crime boss suddenly becomes like a quivering child as hes' against the wall in the movie, trying to decide how to continue on with his family. The wife, too...Her prissyness and rich-housewifeness gets torn away as she realizes the life they were living is really gone. In the end, they have to become the 'great-American' honest family cause its the only way they can survive...And had they not entered the witness protection program, who knows how they mayve ended up. Thats another good thing about the movie, besides it being very well-acted and excellently written...It really has no ending. You'll see what I mean.

Having worked in the Witness Program (WSP, WitSec) for 9 years, I was very impressed with this film. Sizemore was typical of mobster entering the Program: fearful, cocky, arrogant, patronizing, angry, unhappy, and unfeeling about what his actions have cost his family; in short... self-absorbed. Since I'm retired now, the movie brought back all the memories of dealing with these guys and talking to them in the only language they understand. I even remembered in which section of the file the Memorandum of Understanding went.

It also brought back memories of the James Caan movie "Hide in Plain Sight", which was a true story and changed the rules regarding non-custodial parental rights when a spouse in WSP is relocated.

Both Whittaker and Sizemore did an outstanding job in this film, which got the stamp of approval from the USMS. It's a shame it was made for video and not for the big screen. I watch it every few months just to keep my mind fresh about a job I worked and loved.