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Nothing but the Truth is an incredibly topical drama that force you to think and often question your values that may think are concrete about freedom of the press vs national security. Such is the subject of the film that it will polarise opinion throughout the viewing with the classic ‘what you would do in that situation’ argument. I would be haste to suggest whatever prejudices you may have regarding journalists or journalism in general, just watch the film impartially and then make your judgement after viewing the whole feature.

NBTT essentially focuses on Rachel Armstrong (Beckinsale) who is a journalist for newspaper the Capital Sun Times and is currently sitting on the biggest story of her career. The story involves the uncovering of the identity of a CIA agent who is revealed to have gone undercover in Venezuela illegally to determine whether they were responsible for a assassination attempt on the U.S. President earlier that year at the very opening of the film. Perhaps rather non-conveniently that same CIA agent, Erica (Farmiga), is a mother of a child at the same school as Rachel’s young child Timmy. Still Rachel persists with the story and when it breaks duly throws Erica’s life into turmoil under the press radar pressuring her to give more insight into the story. 

However, a surprised Rachel is then immediately asked by powerful Government Prosecutor Patton Dubois (Dillon) to tell him the original source of her story as to reveal the identity of an undercover CIA agent is a criminal offence. Rachel refuses and is found in Contempt of Court and taken into Police custody. The film then focuses on her ensuing fight for freedom as she continues to protect her source against incredible scrutiny from Dubois and as her life begins to fall apart in front of her eyes.

NBTT is a triumph for film-making and effective scriptwriting as well as most importantly conveying the struggle of Rachels cause that not all will take sympathy with or even understand. Indeed watching it with my mother I could feel her getting rather restless as the film progressed and showed her frustration at Rachel’s continued defiance when all that was required for her to be released was to simply say one persons name.

But this is the true essence of the subject, for it is so critical to democracy and accountability to society that journalist’s sources be given protection. Being a Law student myself I extensively studied the right to protection of journalist’s sources within the European Union and how fundamentally this right is held. In Goodwin v United Kingdom [1996] it was held that:

“[p]rotection of journalistic sources is one of the basic conditions for press freedom … Without such protection, sources may be deterred from assisting the press in informing the public on matters of public interest.”

Without some sort of protection of identity why would anyone come forward with incriminating evidence against someone else?

Journalists are very serious about this matter and if anyone thinks that the stance shown by Rachel in the film may be far fetched then you only need look at case law to see that journalists are very willing to go to prison to protect a source identity. Indeed Rachel has the backing of the newspaper and editor whilst inside who constantly try and appeal to the courts about the nature of Rachel’s imprisonment. 

The film will definitely make you question which you would prefer; a free press that can report on anything it wants if correct, or a nation that is safe and which has completely secret security. Many will say the latter and argue that the prying eyes of the press have no right potentially compromising the safety of the public. I would ask you to reconsider this motion at the climax.

For this is not just the content of the film. We are shown the full extent of the fallout of the story both for Rachel and Erica and how there lives are never the same again afterwards. Beckinsale gives a fantastic performance as Rachel. Her emotion is pure and very affecting. The relationship with her on screen son Timmy is fantastic and he is one of the best child actors I have seen in a long time. The breakdown of her relationship with her son and husband are chronicled with good pace and detail which really adds to feel of the destruction of Rachel’s life as she considers whether her stand is really the correct action to take the longer she stays in prison and every day she does not get to see Timmy.

Dillon also gives a good account of himself as stern Prosecutor Dubois, almost as a metaphor for the dark veil of the government and their constant restless hounding encircling Rachel to force her to reveal her source. This antithesis of the almost coy but strong willed Rachel vs the regimented and justice driven Dubois will too make you question whether Rachel has actually really done anything wrong. 

In the end NBTT is an upsetting film about a journalist’s fight for what she believes, but also a mother’s fight to see her son. The acting is brilliant and direction superb. The storyline is fresh and well written but don’t misread the cover of the DVD and think this film is some sort of thriller because it is drama through and through. Please watch this film, question what you believe and be totally impartial about it. If you open yourself up to this that way you will enjoy it for much more than just the film that it is, and you will have plenty to muse over at dinner parties to come.

The Tourist is the story of Elise Clifton-Ward (Jolie), the lover of tax criminal Alexander Pearce. At the opening of the film she recieves a letter at a Cafe detailing that she should get on the next train to Venice and pick out a man who resembles him in height and build. Why? Because Elise is under heavy surveillance and Alexander hopes she can send them a red herring. The man she choses to sit with on the train is Frank Tupelo (Depp) an American Widower who is a teacher. The film then follows both through the ensuing chase caused by Frank being thought to be the man everyone is after. 

It does sound like an interesting premise; the innocent man caught up in the sinister plot - but this film stutters and stalls before falling far short of any expectations you had.

Firstly, Jolie and Depp never hit it off. Though I think Depp is an exceptional and very versatile actor there is just no getting away from how little chemistry there was between him and Jolie. The escalation of the relationship between Frank and Elise was seemingly so severe that Elise and Frank both say that they ‘love’ each in the film - WHY? Seemingly it must be revealed in the deleted scenes on the DVD extras when it is released because the flimsy relationship on screen is near criminal to call love without some further explanation. All I saw was several semi engaging dialogues that just seemed to involve Frank getting a little upset and then Elise suddenly professing her love for him later in the film!? Actually I am a cynic; that is how it happens in real life.

Therein lies one of the major problems with The Tourist - I don’t know what it wants to be. Is it a dark comedy or action? From the sleek poster you would assume it is a thriller, maybe with conspiracy elements. However, I was still debating this very point upon leaving the cinema with my brother (a very bad sign when you can’t figure out the genre of a movie you have finished watching) and we concluded it must be a action-comedy because of several scenes (see the tape measure one) that if truly intended to be serious are just laughable, thus solving the issue.

I also believe Jolie because of this Jolie is miscast and it does suit her at all. In my eyes she is definitely more suited to either Drama (See Changeling) or action (See Salt, Wanted) which she has proved she can do, but I just can’t stand her in this quasi-action comedy that is neither here nor there (Definitely don’t see Mr. & Mrs. Smith).

The story here is very poorly executed, badly written and left me thinking I could probably have written something that good, if not better - I mean the ‘twist’ was so stupidly obvious even though it makes no sense in light of previous monologues by Frank throughout the film. Indeed lack of explanation is present a lot in this film and crops up several times such as Frank and Elise’s love epiphany or characters just appearing with perfect timing with no justification, just to change the course of the film - maybe you can put it down to the espionage genre but to be honest I just think that it is just lazy writing. If you want to be disappointed see this film. If not see anything else.

The biggest surprise of the year so far?- Most definitely (Though it has only been 7 days)

Unstoppable is the ‘inspired by true events’ story of a runaway frate locomotive carrying toxic cargo and travelling at high speed headed for a populated area in rural Pennsylvania. Tony Scott directs and immediately from the opening credits I recognised something familiar in the film - the music. The slightly 80’s synth/electro combined with orchestral strings and heavy percussion seemed reminiscent of the soundtrack to the cult video game series Metal Gear Solid. Indeed, also when Denzel Washington appeared on the screen I again began to think ‘I have seen this before somewhere…’

It is then perhaps ironic that before long I remembered the 2006 film Déjà Vu (see what I did there?) also starring Denzel Washington; directed by Tony Scott and, surprise surprise, also scored by Harry Gregson-Williams (also responsible for Metal Gear Solid). This is not the first time these three have combined in cinema however, as you may also recognise Man on Fire and The Taking of Pelam 1 2 3 crediting all three. 

It is indeed a comedy of errors leading to train 777 travelling at high speeds becoming unmanned. Not only does incompetent engineer Dewey (great name) not attach the air brakes to all the carriages when moving the train in the yard but also puts it into full throttle and then decides to get out of the train to change the track switch, only to see it scoot off into the distance. The fairly basic premise introduces us to the two main characters Frank (Washington) and Will (Pine). They both work for the same train company and are assigned together to fetch a load on the particular day that the runaway train decides to… runaway, and end up entangled in stopping the train before it does some serious damage.

Both characters have good back-stories hinging on forgiveness and redemption. For Will - to patch things up with his estranged wife so he can get to see his young son, and for Frank - to make it up to his daughter for forgetting her birthday. All the ingredients for a great action movie and both stories immediately reminded me of John McClane’s relationship with his wife from the original Die Hard for it should not be forgotten that forgiveness is key in an action movie to feel true sympathy for a character that shows, despite their differences, when in real peril they can depend upon each other.

When I entered the cinema I admittedly didn’t have particularly high hopes for this film and I though it would alright. Such is the disposable nature of Hollywood now-a-days that you cannot tell a fantastic film from an awful film just from the trailer. Unstoppable’s trailer boasted the usual massive explosions and panning clips of shocked faces that you would expect of a generic action film but I decided to give Denzel Washington the benefit of the doubt - he is after all a fantastic actor.

The film is break-neck action from pretty much start to finish. Once the train begins to run then the action starts and it doesn’t stop until the very end. Washington and Pine are both great in this and work well as mutual confidants in each other - not an easy thing in an action film - and it really endears them to the audience. Credit should also be given to Rosario Dawson who plays the Fat Conductor role; constantly in contact with Frank and Will as they pursue the train giving a somewhat rebellious performance to her superiors (maybe hinting and an undertone of a theme against executive decision making?) and firmly siding with the prohibited, though selfless, prerogative of Will and Frank.

So why is this film so good? Well it just is. I can’t really put my finger on one stand-out factor, but I can say for certain it literally had me on the edge of my seat for the whole film. Never have I been in a packed cinema before and heard the collective gasp of everyone inside to something happening on the screen. The characters, storyline and pace were such that you were taken by the scruff of the neck along with the action and I never got bored. Credit should also be given to the camera work - stereotypically shaky and eye-burstingly quick shot changes were typical but caught the essence of the speed on the train perfectly.

It surprised me and definitely made such a non-story (can you imagine this idea being pitched?) into such a great film. I haven’t seen such a fun action film in a while that hasn’t been either a) Corny or b) Crap. This is neither. The only downside is maybe that because it is such an adrenaline filled film that on second viewing it would have no where near the same effect as first time - but who cares. Watch this film! You will not be disappointed. 

Fantastic performance of a fantastic song

As I sit in Melbourne a week after seeing Australia’s Cricket team completely outplayed and demolished by a classy and incredibly well drilled England team at the MCG in Melbourne, it is incredibly satisfying to see a similarly clinical performance in Sydney to ensure the first Ashes series win in Australia for 24 years. Even more satisfying is the manner that Australia were beaten by a superlative England team, crushing them to 3 wins by an innings. This has never happened in Australia, let alone in an Ashes series of such importance.

The guile and incredible ability shown by this England squad over the past 2 years is suitably heart warming as a fan, and all the more important to see them topple Australia in one of the all time great rivalries sport has ever had. Indeed I feel very lucky to have been in Australia and at the MCG for a such a monumental achievement in the sport and for our country. Standing with the hardcore fans of the Barmy Army in the terraces for 4 days, singing along and caught and up in massive national pride I haven’t felt since our Rugby World Cup win back in 2003 was a very special moment indeed.

Although many of the English players tried to underplay their performance there was no doubting their skill and ability completely overshadowed a very poor Australian team. Where we have a que of quality fast bowlers (Broad, Finn (maybe), Tremlett and Bresnan all very close in terms of selection) waiting to pair with the absolutely brilliant Jimmy Anderson - who had a brilliant series taking 24 wickets - the Australians are not even sure who their best bowler is. Mitchell Johnson is incredibly overrated and inconsistent leading to him getting thoroughly mocked by the English supporters after the Australian press hailed him as their saviour after his 6 wicket haul in Perth, only to be unable to replicate this form. The Australian commentators at the MCG summed this up calling him a ‘bowler who can swing’ as opposed to a ‘swing-bowler’ that he believes he is, when he was struggling in attack, saying that he is a bowler who can only swing when the conditions permit. If he can’t get it the swing then seemingly only Peter Siddle is effective enough in attack. Similarly Doug Bollinger, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Steve Smith and Michael Beer all seemed very average and unable to create much with the ball, and epitomised by none having a secure place in the team. It could not be shown more when England picked up the ball and terrorised Australia with brilliant swing bowling.

But lets not take it away from England. They showed brilliant discipline - none more so in the form of Alistair Cook who scored a formidable 766 runs in the series averaging 127.66 per innings(!) in over 35 hours at the crease. This discipline was also manifested in a fantastic fielding team who saved countless boundaries and caused numerous run outs through slick communication and execution. Coach Andy Flower has truly masterminded an almost perfect series with a team that was underrated by many and this scoreline was certainly not expected. This retention of the Ashes in such a convincing manner should show to us however the importance of togetherness and unity within a team. It was clear from the closing celebrations in Melbourne and Sydney the brotherhood this team and squad possess. Everyone was playing for the same goal and there were no egos stalling the progression of the team. Captain Andrew Strauss looked in total control and importantly underpinned with such experience and skill of the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood a Ian Bell that played such an important role in the team. The team can be truly proud of their achievements and now it is time that this England squad should be less regarded as underdogs, but instead true contenders for the top.

Many of our sporting teams can take a look at the success that has been shown by the England Cricket team and can apply it to themselves. Yes the incredibly disappointing performance by England at the Football World Cup in South Africa may have been very painful to take at the time but it can act as the catalyst for change.

English football is currently stuck in a difficult period. Many of our players are getting old (Gerrard, Lampard, Ferdinand, Terry) and over reliance is clearly placed upon these players who are arguably past their peak or close to the twilight of their career. This was shown exceptionally well by the youthful German team who completely tore England to shreds in their 4-1 quarter final victory. What this team possess is what the England Cricket team have - Unity. Where our team of celebrities look like and play like they have never met before, the fluidity and vision of the mostly young and inexperienced German team really showed the value of understanding in your team mates and also that weakness can be defeated by belief.

The structure of our football system and league should also be questioned in the light of our failings. The influx of foreign players means that English players in the Premier League is at an all time low (only 170 out of 498 who started games in 2008: from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7417746.stm) and most of them being represented by teams outside the top 6. Compare this to Spain where 8 of the Barcelona starting line up also comprise 8 of the starting line up for the Spanish team. Coincidence? 

The Premier League has tried to tackle this however by introducing the ‘Home-Grown Quota’ at the start of the current season. However, this does little to tackle the problem. On the face of it the requirement for 8 home-grown players in a squad of 25 does sound promising nationally though the true meaning is less promising: 

“A home-grown player will be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday”

This therefore means there is no requirement to have English or British players in a squad of 25, but just have a player of any nationality that has been at an English or Welsh club for 3 years before becoming 21. Now if we look at this in the perspective of Arsenal, a team renowned under the leadership of Arsene Wenger to import youth from abroad when as young as 16 and develop them into 1st team players, it will not affect them at all. The players are usually there for at least 3 years and therefore can be added as a ‘home-grown player’ to the squad list when they have no ability to play for the national team. Though FA chief at the time, Richard Scudamore, said “Its not the clubs interests to stockpile players” I suppose only time will tell.

With all these problems one thing is clear: Change is needed. The German defeat almost acted as a metaphor for how massively we as supporters and in the media overrate our team and that it is now time for change. We can take it as the huge negative that it is, but we can also draw the positives from such an awful campaign and look over the horizon to a new dawn on English football. The FA and the Premier League need to join forces if they are serious about success for England nationally. Youth needs to come through in the Premier League. As long and hard as it may be there needs to be a time where we decide that youth is then given a chance for England and the players living off past glory be shown the door. The transition may be long but it is what is need if we wish to stop being overrated underachievers.

Indeed the benefit of a transition period is that you will eventually come out of the other side. The England World Cup winning Rugby team of 2003 was arguably the best team in the world for a year leading up to the tournament and proved it by taking home the trophy. However, the mass exodus of players either retiring or being injured long-term after that tournament meant we have only just started to come out of a 7 year transition period. Again over reliance on several players who peaked at the 2003 tournament but still continued to be picked for the team meant that no progress was made.

Yes there was the 2007 World Cup Final where it was shown what great fighting spirit the English team have beating both Australia and France in the run to the final whilst being massive underdogs. Still after the tournament with rumblings of unrest in the camp and the sacking of Coach Brian Ashton it was clear that the transition was not over. 

Only after 2010 can we say that England look like a new team. A fantastic win away in Australia (admittedly fortunate after a shocking Matt Giteau penalty miss) and a great autumn series capped off with again a convincing demolition of Australia (how many can there be!?) at Twickenham. Though you may say that the autumn series on paper was not brilliant with 2 wins out of 4 it was more the manner of the victories and the way in which the team gelled as a unit that was impressive.

Finally national hero (and forever will he remain) Jonny Wilkinson was not assumed to be our first choice fly half after several poor performances in the 6 nations and how deep he now sits in the back line not promoting attacking play. Toby Flood being paired with club mate Ben Youngs can only be described as a revelation as well as many selections including Courtney Lawes, Chris Ashton, Ben Foden and the centre partnership of Tindall and Shontaye Hape. The young players seemed undaunted by the autumn series against the tri-nation teams and played with a freedom and flair not seen in our national side since 2002/2003.

The 35-18 win over Australia was obviously the highlight but also the way in which England overcame the incredibly stubborn and physical Samoa side was also very impressive. England were unfairly criticised after this performance which I thought showed considerable short-sightedness by the English press, ever-so eager to jump on the failings of a national team, who incorrectly recognised the Australia victory as a sign that the team is now reborn into their 2003 form. The team is not reborn and they are not the finished article. Undoubtedly the grounded Martin Johnson will feel there is still plenty of work to do in this team, and there is, but there also are so many positives to take from the autumn.

We beat Australia, a side pipped for the World Cup this year, away and at home and we beat a tricky Samoa side. Yes we may have lost to New Zealand and South Africa but if you look at our neighbouring countries you will see they faired a lot worse against these teams and we were the only team who really looked anywhere near getting a result against them. I thoroughly believe the promise shown by the national team has come at the perfect time. With the 6 nations coming up and the World Cup in the Summer there is plenty to be positive about. With Ireland, Wales and France stuttering in the autumn tests there is definitely potential to win the tournament and go to World Cup in high spirits.

The current state of English sport is something to be incredibly positive about. Our Cricket team currently looks like one of the best in the world and our Rugby team is finally coming out of a long and painful transition period to finally look like a team people will take seriously. Our football team can look over at these two teams and see after past glory triumph can still come, but change must happen.

Entirely based upon the BBC mini-series of the same name, State of Play is a political conspiracy thriller which hits all the right notes and is an extremely engaging film. WARNING: This is not a light hearted easy-viewing film. You will need to be concentrating to understand the plot twists and turns, as well as the relationships between the characters that are integral to the story. So put down the popcorn!

The plot revolves around the relationship connecting two seemingly unrelated deaths; that of a petty thief shot at the opening of the film and the apparent suicide of a chief researcher to Congressman Stephen Collin’s (Affleck) investigation into Private Military Contractor (PMC) PointCorp. All seemingly innocuous but when veteran Journalist Cal (Crowe), who it is revealed went to college with Collins - thus having a personal link to the investigation, and junior blogger Della (McAdams) team up to delve deeper some shocking discoveries are made.

The storyline here is superb. Not only does it frequently confuse and baffle you (in a good ‘I want to know more’ way) but I was also left a-gasp at some of the revelations and plot twist that were thrust upon me as the viewer. The pace and length of the film are perfect also. Each scene served its purpose well and never did I feel I was being drained by irrelevant dialogue. Come the end of the film you will probably crave for more - such is the beauty of a well crafted conspiracy.

The film boasts a stellar ensemble including the before mentioned Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams as well as Helen Mirren and Jason Bateman. Though I am not a fan of Affleck usually, his performance here is credible. Rachel McAdams is one of my favourite actresses and she again puts in a passionate, and more importantly, believable performance - a great attribute that she possesses that many actors/actresses do not. Because of this Crowe and McAdams form a very watchable relationship which grows from the early animosity shown by Cal to the young and inexperienced Della to mutual respect, despite their differences, come the end of the film.

If you’re a fan of the political conspiracy thriller genre then this film is right up your street. If you liked films such as The Manchurian Candidate, Enemy of the State, Capricorn One (a personal favourite) or the brilliant No Way Out then this film is unmissable. Where many thrillers fail with poor delivery and 2 dimensional characters we have completely the opposite here - the film is a testament to great script writing and carries the torch of the genre aloft with great pride. Although it may be a remake of a British mini-series (which I have not seen) you wouldn’t guess it as such is the quality of the script adaptation you sincerely believe this story was made for Washington D.C.. It was never awkward or unfounded and credit should definitely be given for that. Indeed, many films fall down on this when being remade and I have severe reservations about some upcoming completely unnecessary adaptations (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo anyone?) which have flourished independently gaining a cult status only for Hollywood to simply jump on the bandwagon with $ signs spinning in their eyes.

My cynicism aside, this is brilliant film. If you’re stuck for a film to rent definitely give this a go if you haven’t seen it. Thought provoking with great acting and underlying themes questioning freedom of the press and dangers in privatisation of public functions - what more could you want!? On the other hand if you want a film to watch with the girlfriend then Marmaduke may be more up your street.

If Avatar director James Cameron has taught us anything it is that you can make a good film with jaw dropping graphics exploiting the new-found love for 3D movies. However the current trend of three-dimensional offerings seem to use this new feature as more of a gimmick to attract viewers through the turnstiles at the expense of storyline or substance. Tron: Legacy strikes somewhere between the two.

Tron: Legacy is the sequel, and somewhat reboot, to the 1982 cult classic Tron about computer hacker Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) who is unwittingly transported into a computer system while trying to gather information about the CEO of ENCOM (Ed Dillinger played by David Warner) who has stolen his prgramming and used it to prosper within the company.

While inside Flynn meets ‘programs’ in the form of humans in a society within the computer system. Unlike the outside world the ‘programs’ are stuck under a dictatorship of the supra Master Control Program forcing non-complying programs to play gladiator-style blood games. The MCP has previously on the real world blocked Flynns attempts to hack into ENCOM to expose Dillinger’s plagiarism. Flynn ultimately destroys the MCP and is able to get the evidence against Dillinger to gain justice and control of ENCOM.

Tron: Legacy follows on from this point revealing the new character of Sam Flynn, son of Kevin, played by Hayden Christensen look-a-like Garrett Hedlund. The premise is that when Sam was a young boy in 1989 Kevin mysteriously disappeared with no explanation. Sam appears in present day with many of the same characteristics and skills of his father. It is also revealed that Sam has a majority shareholding in ENCOM from the original film inherited from Kevin but wishes to have nothing to do with controlling ENCOM, but instead actively sabotages progress of the company. It follows suit that Sam is also unwittingly transported into the system when Kevin’s best friend Alan Bradley (Kevin Boxleitner) reveals he has been paged from Kevin’s arcade which has been closed for 20 years. 

Tron: Legacy will provide you with little surprise. The story of ’rise against oppression’ is fairly basic and you will have seen it many times before. Only the jargon details of the story is what might bog you down early on though I think the film does a fairly good job of not leaving newcomers completely in the dark (it is Disney afterall). Bridges is as good as always as both Kevin Flynn and the evil program ‘Clu’ but both Hedlund and Olivia Wilde (as Quorra) give very generic and forgettable performances and seem like quite disposable Hollywood ‘stars’. I wouldn’t expect to see them again in a major role any time soon.

Acting and storyline aside the visuals in this film are absolutely fantastic. The lightbike duels and disc fights are stunning and the detail is jaw-dropping. Along with the visuals the soundtrack provided by French dance duo Daft Punk is throbbing and absolutely perfect for this film. The electronic synth, strings and pounding bass provide the right balance between retro and modern bringing together the eras of both films. It seems perfectly placed in a 80’s reboot and reminiscent of the brilliant soundtrack from the Terminator films which really emphasise the action on screen.

Tron: Legacy is fun. At the same time though its not going to win any Oscars. It is however a sensual orgy of light and sound that uses the 3D platform perfectly to the extent I believe it is intended. Seeing this film in 2D would not be the same and would do injustice to the stellar graphics. It was well worth the entry price and I came out happy with what I had seen, but maybe not for the reason I am generally happy after a film. I usually am very critical of storyline and characters and yet here I have managed to see beyond that and appreciate the film for what it is. Will I want to watch it again? Probably not - but it was on the positive side of the spectrum, and that was easily more than I was expecting of it.

Hello all that may be reading!

This is my new blog that I will be using (mainly) to review films I have seen, new and old.

Not just that though!… I will also be using it to voice my opinions on anything ranging from politics to law, football to music, travelling to fashion - Pretty much anything that provokes me to write!

If you feel in any way moved by what you have read please feel free to comment.

Well, I did have high hopes for this film when seeing the front cover; Antonio Banderas and Liam Neeson. Both great actors and both with great pedigree so was I in store for a fantastic movie?

No. 

Think Pacino and De Niro in 88 Minutes and you get the idea. Poor writing and a very flimsy story dragged out over 2 hours with non-engaging dialogue between two wasted talents means that the film is frustrating, as well as boring. The story revolves around Peter (Neeson), a wealthy businessman with a seemingly happy life married to Laura Linney’s character Lisa, and his quest to find her secret lover (Banderas) whom he discovers of on a file on her laptop.

The ensuing tension, or lack of, is palpable. Not only does nothing really happen, but we are forced to sit through very dreary and confusing dialogue which doesn’t add much to the characters or make us really care what happens to them. I’m not sure if the writers or directors hinged on the idea that for an effective protagonist  we should feel some sort sympathy towards their cause. Indeed infidelity is something that would make us root for Neeson but in the end I felt nothing but apathy towards him. Indeed, also you will end up feeling no hatred towards the sinful Banderas. 

The worst thing is that towards the end of the ‘twisting story’ when the twist comes (oops) you actually don’t care. Its not like the Donnie Darko “Oh my god, what actually just happened?” but in fact if you went to go to the toilet when it was revealed it would have pretty much no bearing on the remaining scenes.

In fact, I retort. At the films strange and somewhat awkward conclusion you may well just ask yourself indeed ‘what just happened?’. You may wonder where the last two hours have gone and why two such great actors chose to be in such a weak film. There is nothing cunning, nothing clever and no reason at all to watch this movie. Save yourself the time and rent the recent overwhelmingly underrated Taken also starring Neeson.