: Out of Time
Modest but effective thriller. Denzel Washington is the police chief of a small Florida town. His police detective wife is divorcing him and he’s having an affair with a local married woman. Her husband abuses her, making Denzel feel protective. Then he learns her cancer’s come back and she’s got no money for expensive treatments. When she names him the beneficiary in her million dollar life insurance policy, he stupidly gives her a half million in cash from a drug bust which he thinks won’t be needed as evidence until the trial a year away (by which time he’ll have the insurance money and he can pay back what he borrowed). When the woman’s house burns down and two bodies are found inside (and no money anywhere), a murder investigation is started with the wife assigned to the case. The first thing she does is look for any extra-marital activity and suddenly Denzel is rushing to cover up evidence before she can find it, desperately trying to keep one step ahead of her. It looks bad for him: he’s the insurance beneficiary, a neighbor saw him at the house the night of the fire, and the drug bust money is missing. It’s a great idea and fairly well implemented, at least as far as tension and drama are concerned. There are truck-sized plot holes (Why does the accomplice end up with the money? Why is this intelligent police chief stupid enough to borrow drug bust money?) but overall it’s fun. The ending’s convoluted, confused, and doesn’t make much sense, but by that time you just want a resolution, so to works. There’s some good humor and excitement and overall it’s a good film. But it’s too lightweight to be great or perfect.
Topic: [/movie] |
