Derailed (2005)

X An excellent must-see
O Good video rental
O Mediocre
O Rent something else

Review by Jason Pyles / August 11, 2007

I love my life just fine. But I’m the type of person who loves to watch thrillers because it makes me feel so thankful and cozy in my comparatively uneventful, everyday life. For this reason, I especially like disturbing moves. “Derailed” is only mildly disturbing but an overtly excellent, emotionally engaging thriller.

“Derailed” is a movie about escalating bad choices. But not just bad choices — terrible choices.

Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is restless. His relationship with his wife is tense, but probably because their daughter has a serious medical condition. While taking the train to work one day, Schine encounters Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston), a flirty charmer who is also quite a looker. Oh, and she’s also married with a child, just like Charles.

Against their better judgment, the two cave in and decide to rendezvous at a motel in downtown Chicago. Unfortunately for them, they have a traumatic experience courtesy of the big city’s criminal underworld. This experience, by the way, continues to haunt and revisit them throughout the movie, especially Schine.

I know I’m being vague, but this is a movie filled with surprises. It’s one of those films where you think that it couldn’t possibly get any worse for our protagonist, then it does.

The edited version is still rather violent. There is fighting, gunfire and bloodshed. Of course, there’s the adultery theme, too, along with some fairly brief, passionate kissing.

“Derailed” is intense and will anger you (in a good way), but if that emotional ride is your thing, then this movie is an absolute must-see.

Directed by Mikael Hafstrom
Clive Owen / Jennifer Aniston / Vincent Cassel
112 min. Thriller / Drama
(Original MPAA rating: R)
Edited version age recommendation: 17 and up

DVD release date: March 21, 2006
Copyright 2007.
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