User reviews

This is a film about paranoia. When you think you're being watched, your every move being documented, your every action recorded and analyzed. Mace Sowell, an ex-military officer from a covert operations team no one knows about, is confined to his home, because he fears for his life. His daughter doesn't think that he is in danger, instead, she just thinks he's getting senile, or maybe he's just paranoid. He regularly runs 'drills' in order to keep himself prepared for any direct strike on his house. Meanwhile, he also discovers that he's slowly developing Alzheimer's Disease, which only makes things worse. The plot is great, the idea is quite original, and the movie moves along at a great pace; every scene has some development in the plot, and often it also has some great humor. The film delivers a great sense of paranoia all the way through. The acting is great, both by Patrick Stewart and Kimberly Williams. The consistent paranoia, the various intense scenes that are easily explained once they're over, the overall mood of the film, it all leads up to an exciting climax that only few will be able to figure out until it happens. All in all, a great thriller about paranoia. I recommend this to fans of thrillers, especially fans that are fond of conspiracy theories and paranoia in thrillers. 8/10

"Safe House" from 1998 stars Patrick Stewart, Kimberly Williams, and Hector Elizondo.

Stewart plays Mace Sowell, a former operative for the DIA (not CIA as he's quick to point out) - the Defense Intelligence Agency. Now retired, he lives as if he is about to be killed any second. In his bed is a dummy version of him, while he sleeps in another area; he has a room full of computer monitors which track what's happening on his property, monitors conversations, and he seems to always be signing into something top secret. When he goes out in the car with his daughter Michelle (Joy Kilpatrick), he is heavily disguised and lying on the floor in the back seat. His doctor (Elizondo) prescribes medication for him that he won't take. He periodically schedules "drills" which includes such things as attacks on his home where a masked man (actually his friend Marc) uses his maid as a human shield.

It's clear to Michelle that her father needs round the clock care, as he's in the early stages of Alzheimer's. In order to allow him to stay at home, she hires a social worker, Andi Travers (Williams) to stay with him. Over time, the two form a bond. He tells her that he has enough evidence against his old boss at the DIA, Thomas Michelmore, who is running for President, to ruin his career. Michelmore has already had several people eliminated who knew too much, and Mace believes he is next.

Mace has this evidence on a server that will email it to every news outlet in the world unless it's reset with a new password every 24 hours.

So the question becomes - okay, he probably is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, but is he just paranoid or is someone really out to get him? Is any of this true? It's clear his daughter, her husband, and Mace's doctor don't believe him. Will Andi?

Really fantastic film that keeps you absorbed and involved until the very end with lots of surprise action and humor, all leading up to a fantastic finale.

Patrick Stewart is wonderful as a man who realizes he's going over the edge and fights every second to stave off dementia. Kimberly Williams as his patient and level-headed caretaker does an excellent job throughout, as does James Harlow (Marc) who is constantly coming up with new impressions of actors, everyone from Jim Nabors to Jimmy Stewart.

Highly recommended.

I will start by admitting that I'm a Star Trek fan, and in particular a Next Gen fan. So yes, I have a bias towards liking Stewart, although I think most can agree he is a skilled actor.

That concession aside, and as my summary suggests, this is not an epic movie, just a short story. I loved the set design, which was quite clever; where most movies tend to create the impression of big houses and locales, this one manages to create the impression of close spaces, as appropriate for a fortress in suburbia.

You will continue to guess at whether or not Stewart's paranoia is justified or just symptoms of Alzheimer's until the very end. Stewart is well fitted for the part, or at the very least he was convincing to me. I think this particular says something since I'm used to seeing him as Captain Picard.

I wouldn't try to sell this off as an accurate portrayal of how DIA operatives act when they retire. I wouldn't know anything about that. I don't even know if there is such a thing as the DIA.

What I will say is that the movie is best taken as a diversion, a fun romp that keeps you interested, but it doesn't grip you like an epic. Perhaps rightly so, since the subject matter doesn't fit an epic movie anyway.

As a final note, I still don't see anything wrong with genre mixing. Why can't you have a drama that's funny, or a comedy with serious action, or whatever it is you want to blend? If it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't, and it works for me here. (See as an example "The Big Hit," which the writer called a "hip-hop comic Hong Kong action movie") This movie is a small little tidbit, to be taken and enjoyed as such. 8/10

This is a great film that premeired as a Showtime original picture in 1999, I believe. The plot is awesome, and it will leave you guessing the entire time, it's very entertaining to watch, even tho you are watching a poor man drift further and further into Alzheimer's disease. The setting of the film is in a very lavish, very expensive house in which a very rich man (Patrick Stewart) lives. After being diagnosed with the disease, his daughter decides he needs someone at the house to take care of him and whatever else needs taken care of. He is a proud man, and he's very stubborn in that he doesn't think he needs anyone to live with him. He is grouchy and rude to begin with, but he begins to warm up to the hired help (the bride in the movie 'Father of the Bride'--Kimberly Williams, I think?)...anyhow...it's been a while since I've seen the movie, but I remember he was involved in very top secret stuff during his career, and he is paranoid that someone is out to kill him. You see him thru out the movie practicing with a gun in and outside of his house (he won't leave the yard, he's so paranoid.) There is that element to the film, but there is also a much lighter note on top of everything. It's a comedy, a 'buddy' movie, and an adventure all in one. It is beautifully shot, unlike some of the originals you'll see on Showtime, and it was a nice change from most of the films they have done in the past. Stewart does a superb job, and he keeps you entertained thru the entire film. On the subject of plot changes and surprises...be prepared, it is very good in this way at the end.

Every time I see Patrick Stewart I become more and more impressed by this actor's versatility. From Shakespeare to SciFi, from drama to suspense to historical epic, Stewart does it all, and does it very well. With "Safe House," Stewart demonstrates a wide range of talent, including - what I enjoyed most - a flair for subtle comedy, unexpected in a movie billed as a suspense flick.

I have to admit first off that if you're looking for a hair-raising, edge of your seat thriller, look elsewhere. I spent a lot more of my time sitting back chuckling than I did on the edge of my seat - and I mean that positively. This was a very funny movie in many ways, laced with some tense moments. Stewart plays Mace Sowell, a man suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease, who tries to convince his daughter Michelle (played by Joy Kilpatrick) that the life she thought he had lived had been a lie, and that he had really been a military intelligence officer whose life was now in danger because of the things he knew. She, of course, assumes that her father is delusional because of the Alzheimer's, and hires a caregiver (Andi Travers, played by Kimberley Williams in a pretty decent performance) who Sowell distrusts from the start, but finally begins to warm up to. There's the outline of a pretty suspenseful movie there, except for one basic fault: I had this thing figured out within about 10-15 minutes of the opening! It's very predictable. However, I must confess that the decision to have Sowell suffering from Alzheimer's throws a wild card into this, and there were a few times when, with the twists and turns that happen, and with Sowell's obvious confusion, I began to doubt what I had assumed would happen. So it definitely managed to hold my interest. Stewart, in addition to some wonderfully funny scenes, also showed his dramatic flair as he portrays Sowell struggling with his emotions as he confronts the disease beginning to ravage his mind.

Most of the other performances in the movie are solid but unspectacular. I frankly found the character of Stuart (played by Craig Shoemaker) to be nothing less than irritating. Why he had to play almost every scene at least partly impersonating a famous actor was beyond me, and I really just wanted him to go away after a while. Hector Elizondo as Dr. Simon, Sowell's psychiatrist, was underused and offered little.

Basically, though, this is a pretty good movie. I'd rate it as a 7/10.

The concept of making the audience wonder whether the hero is really being threatened or is the victim of delusions, has been used several times recently. I enjoyed this take on it better than most and I love Patrick Stewart in any role! I hadn't expected it to be so heart-wrenching at times, but it was. One scene, in which Mace (P.S.)is doing a cognitive test for his doctor, was particularly effective. As a result, this was not only a suspense movie it had some very realistic portrayals of the slow but steady mental decline of Alzheimer's victims--and how tragic that is, as they realize it is happening. I think I appreciated that accurate and informational aspect as much as I did the mystery of Mace's activities with his complex computer set-up. I watched this while walking on my treadmill and usually do a movie in two sessions. This one kept me going through the entire time.

This movie concerned the life of a paranoid retiree who was formerly employed with the Defense Intelligence Agency who was convinced, with good reason, that there was a plot made on his life. This role is not quite the role in which Patrick Stewart shows his genius, but he gave a stimulating performance nonetheless. There were also a few scenes which were positively Hitchcockian in their broken suspense. There were certain scenes which were quite fragmented and did not keep a very good sense of forward motion and continuity. However this movie was a very interesting and rather well acted piece.

My one line summary is a reworking of the tag line "The less you know, the safer you are". Reading the original synopsis on IMDB gives too much away. If you haven't read it - don't. Just RUN to the store and rent this video. Be like me and don't read the synopsis on the box either. Just take my word for it and that of the anonymous author of the very well written comments that precede mine. This is a GREAT movie. It's witty, falling down funny, sad as blazes, suspenseful, and exciting. Stewart and Williams are dynamite together.

This movie doesn't compete for best thriller of the year, or best comedy but offers a good combination of both. The cast is great ( Patrick Stewart is awesome), The story and it's development are very interesting.

This movie begins with a relaxed, easy mood with very funny scenes, and turns toward the end into a serious thriller with a twisted end, which alone makes it worth to watch.

If you happened to notice this movie ( on a TV program or somewhere else ), and you just want to relax and have a good time, this movie certainly will do. You will definitely not regret you saw it.

Stewart is either ex-secret service assassin or Don Quixote tilting with espionage windmill. In the first case he makes no reasonable excuse why he could not convince his family of his true occupation and in the second case the considerable humour potential was totally ignored. The villains are barely visible and the character connections lack interest. The Alzheimers backdrop gives the film what little dramatic punch there is and of course Stewart is a presence. I can't help but feel the screenplay was banged off in a weekend.

This was a reasonably interesting flick, though the ending was not a huge surprise. Also, I felt a little irritated with the film's negative references solely to Republicans, i.e., Iran Contra and Watergate. The evil politician was a Republican as well. It get tiresome to see this persistent Hollywood PC in so many otherwise laudable films. Why not reference Koreagate, Travelgate, Interngate or Chinagate? Talk about old scandals!

Patrick Stewart is a fine actor and Kimberly Williams very accomplished and lovely to behold. The supporting cast was good as well. The script, too, was tight and moved right along.

It's sad that Hollywood is so politically paranoid.

"Safe House" shows us a public service retiree (Stewart) with early Alzheimers secluded in a suburban home with a fantastic maze of electronic surveillance equipment, an armory, and a beautiful young caregiver (Williams) to protect him from what he believes to be a plot to get him and what his grown kids believe is simple disease-related paranoia. What could have been a good thriller/suspense/psychodrama is unfortunately brought to the small screen as a comedy cum drama cum farce cum whatever. Although the flick has its moments, they're few and far between and a good premise sinks under the awkward one-man-band execution.

What an incredible movie this is! Patrick Stewart masterfully portrays a rich man who is trying to come to grips with the threat of Alzheimer's, and is plagued with paranoia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This is nothing like Stewart has ever done before, and he deserves an Oscar more than any of the nominees this year did. Kimberly Williams (the bride in Father of the Bride) plays a psychiatrist who is assigned by the man's daughter to help him keep hold of his sanity, and the movie (most of the time) is about their growing relationship, which thankfully stays out of tired old romantic cliches and feels very real and very interesting to watch. It will no doubt remind many of movies like Rain Man and Good Will Hunting, and it is just as good, if not better, than them. It manages to be funny, touching, powerful, and clever, all in about equal doses. And rather than just confine itself to this plot, it moves back and forth between his paranoia and flirting with the notion that it may not be completely unfounded. Yet despite this jumping back and forth, it never fails to be as entertaining and interesting as any movie you'll see this year. This is a wonderful, highly overlooked gem of a movie, and I suggest you give it a look if you get the chance.

This movie was billed as a thriller and a semi caper film. Though I adore Patrick Stewart the movie had a very very 'Baywatch' feel, silly American production stereotypes and poor direction made it into a movie rather difficult to take seriously. Any scene with Patrick Stewart by himself is well done and believable. The other characters seem to get in the way of the main idea of the movie and blow of proportion the Clandestine sub plot (which was what the main plot was billed as) or the Maguffin if you will. This movie is worth a watch, but it isn't exciting or memorable really. Sloppy production, miscasting, misdirection and a weak story take away from what could have been a terrifying film about the middle aged 'coming of age' into senility and the fear that accompany's that.

I was surprised to see Patrick "Shakespearian" Stewart commit himself in such a bad movie. The scenario is cheap and everything is so predictable. Did they really have to run that Robert De Niro line again - Aye you talkin' to me? This movie is a major deception.

What a brilliant idea: A former secret agent, who'd lied to his family about his real career, can't make anyone believe that his life is in danger from his old colleagues. Plus he's suffering from Alzheimer's, so is the conspiracy all in his head or for real? You sure want to believe him, but it gets harder as the film goes on. I was amazed and touched by Patrick Stewart's vulnerability as this proud man realizes he can't remember names and faces. Kimberly Williams was impressive, and I enjoyed Craig "Love Master" Shoemaker in the supporting role. Originally aired on Showtime. Go rent it!

The end is fairly good, but the movie's setup drags on and on forever. By the time anything really happened, I didn't care anymore. If I hadn't rented it I probably would have turned it off before the end. Bottom line: Boring.

I usually don't rent movies from the video store that I haven't heard of before, except from another video store. Chances are I'll end up watching something that deserved the straight-to-video fate it received. Every once in a while I need to be reminded why. "Safe House" is that reminder.

The house that Patrick Stewart's character lives in is a real beauty. If I had that kind of money, I'd be happy to live there -- Mace Sowell wouldn't even have to take any of the decor or furniture with him. I mean, aside from the fact that it has more weaponry than the United States Marine Corps and Ghengis Khan's army put together, Sowell is really living it up. If there's one line of truth in the screenplay, it's when Kimberly Williams compliments him on his great taste.

Plot holes are too great in number to count, and it's a waste of energy to resent a ludicrous twist ending when the whole movie has been pulling the rug out from under you up until then. What I did resent was the really awful acting job by Stewart. I know he's a good actor; he did "A Christmas Carol" on stage, and played all the characters. He gives the "Star Trek" films, like the TV series they are based on, a solid foundation. He gave an outstanding supporting performance in "Conspiracy Theory." Here he just isn't suited for the role. I wasn't able to accept him as an Alzheimer's sufferer, or even an infirm old man. He's about as believable as Denzel Washington would be as a movie villain -- who's going to buy that?

Minus Stewart, I would have liked to have seen a movie about a man suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and his dealings with his beautiful young caretaker (though you might skip the romance angle). That part of the story thankfully manages to avoid the "Driving Miss Daisy" cliches, if not the "Charly" cliches. Even better, I wouldn't mind a movie about an ex-DIA operative shacking himself up in a SoCal mansion with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of high-tech security equipment and heavy artillery, and his constant "drills." But both? I don't think so. By the end of "Safe House" I was tired of the characters, tired of being jerked around, tired of the laughable dialogue, and tired of the pool cleaner's movie star impersonations. But I was not tired of looking around that house.

From the capsule review of this film, I wouldn't have chosen it at first.. but having seen it more or less by accident (I caught the start unexpectedly, and within minutes was hooked), I would strongly recommend it. It is very well done, with a poignant story line about Alzheimers disease, couched in an action/mystery setting, with just a hint of romance, and just scattered bits of very well placed subtle humor. Patrick Stewart does a magnificent job playing the several facets of his character, and Kimberly Williams provides a strong performance. The ending takes one by surprise, and is complete, so it does not leave one dangling.

I'm very glad that I saw this film - it really affected me.

Safe House is a boring never ending saga that is so unrealistic it is not even worth watching. Patick Stewart does a really bad Sean Connery impression and looks dumb as he stumbles through the terrible script.

Sure the plot turns but you can see it coming including the "surprise" ending. If you have a choice watch something else.

The story is original and Patrick Stewart acting make this a great film. I liked Star Trek The Next Generation, but never really was a trekkie, Patrick Stewart amazed me with this role as an ex-black-OPs who is getting Alzheimer's. The role is funny and depressing and he pulls it off masterfully.