Safe House

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.