Deception (2008)

Deception (2008)

Before I watched it, I had no idea there is a movie called Deception and is surprisingly starred by well known actors and actress such as Ewan McGregor, Hug Jackman and Michelle Williams. It all began with conversation between me and one of my friends about under exposed but good movies and “Deception” popped out. The next day when I browsed movies link database, I saw this movie link and decided to download and watch it.

Synopsis

Jonathan McQuarry(Ewan McGregor) is an auditor in Manhattan who has a very boring and monotone life, moving from office to office, checking their books. While working late, a smooth and well-dressed man named Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) chatted whim Jonathan, offered him a joint, and soon they were pals. Jonathan’s life changed dramatically when their cell phones were accidentally swapped. Jonathan answered Wyatt's phone to a series of women asking if he was free that night. Jonathan discovered it was a sex club: busy powerful people meet each other anonymously in hotels. Jonathan fell for one of the club members, whom he knew only as "S” (Michelle Williams). When she went missing, Jonathan had to faces demands involving violence and lots of money. Suddenly his life changed but in a way that he would never have expected.

What I thought about this movie

Many Hollywood movies use “Small little things that can change your life” concept as their main idea. I can say that most of the audience likes it. Because people love to see and really want to believe how coincidences can affect our lives. Disney movies are excellent examples on excellent implementation of this concept. Even though most likely we already know how the movies will end after watching the first 20 minutes of the movie, we still want to continue watching until the end because with the right pace and plot, the movies can be very entertaining and meaningful. Sadly, Deception is one of those kind of movie.

I think the best thing way to describe Deception is a lame copy of The Fight Club. You will see many scenes that remind you of The Fight Club but sadly not as classy or stylish as The Fight Club. There are many scenes that I think are little bit “off” and raise my eyebrows because they feel out of place with the plot. Like how McQuarry wanted to risk his life for a girl that he just met, S, it lacks strong background history. The plot just forces us to accept that suddenly the existence of S is much more important for McQuarry rather than his own life. If you think McQuarry is some kind of super hero like the well known Jackman’s character, The Wolverine, then I’m sorry to disappoint you; He is not.

In the acting department I do not feel any good chemistry between the actors. If we compared McQuarry-Bose with Narator-Durden from The Fight Club, then McQuarry-Bose are like real strangers. Michelle Williams’ acting is also unconvincing.

For my final words, I do believe that with better execution this movie has a lot of potential. There are many aspects that have not been explored deep enough to enrich the story lines. I think you can skip this one and watch similar movies with the same concept (i.e. The Fight Club). For curiosity sakes you may consider watching this movie but I suggest just do it if you have much free time to spent, a lot of free time.

Rating

2 Stars

Watch 40 Movies in 80 Days: Movie#17 – Role Models

Role Models – Easy come easy go

Bercerita tentang Danny(Paul Rudd) seorang sales marketing minuman berenergi yang pemurung dan sangat membenci pekerjaanya. Partner kerja Danny, Wheleer (Sean William Scott) sebaliknya sangat menyukai menjadi Minotaur mascot dari minuman berenergi yang di jual Danny. Bersama- sama mereka kesekolah-sekolah untuk mengkampanyekan anti narkoba sekaligus, minotaur energy drink yang mereka jual. Masalah dimulai ketika karena hari yang sangat buruk danny bertindak implusif dengan mencoba kabur ketika polisi mencoba menertibkan mobil nya yang parker sembarangan. Hasilnya dia dan Wheeler harus menjalani 150 Jam kerja sosial di sebuah yayasan amal untuk menangani anak-anak.
Di yayasan sosial ini wheleer diharuskan menjaga Ronnie(Bob’e J.Thompson) bocah negro berusia 10 Tahun yang nakal dan kurang ajar, sedangkan Danny dipasangkan dengan Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) seorang bocah geek yang tergila-gila dengan permainan role play dalam perang medieval...

Characters and plot

Paul Rudd memainkan karakter Danny dengan sangat baik di film ini, seorang yang menganggap dirinya pintar, dan benci pada lingkungan dan orang-orang disekitarnya. Sean William Scott juga bermain sangat baik di film ini meski secara karakter yang ia perankan, ia bermain di dalam comfort zone nya(Just like Stiffler in American Pie) tapi kehadirannya juga membawa kesegaran tersendiri bagi film ini. Plot dan alur ceritanya berjalan cukup baik dan tidak membosankan meski cukup datar dan akhirnya sangat bisa ditebak.

What I thought about this movie

Well, I must say film ini cukup menghibur baik dari jokes-jokes yang original dan nggak dipaksain dan bagaimana kekonyolan Danny dan wheleer dalam menghadapi “pasangan kecil” mereka. Sayangnya selain 2 aktor utama dan 2 anak asuhnya acting para actor pendukung yang lain tidak ada yang istimewa bahkan bisa cenderung dibilang buruk.
Final words, film ini menghibur dan ringan but jangan berharap ada something special yang akan bikin kita inget atau mau menontonnya dua kali.

Rate:

17 Movies Down 23 more to go
Days 48/80

Watch 40 Movies in 80 Days : Movies#2 – Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Don’t have to worry you can forget Sarah Marshall very easy

Back again on my review, sekali lagi gue nge-review film yang nggak gue rencanain mau gue review, hari senin kemarin gue gak bisa tidur, so gue nonton film apa aja biar gak ngantuk, pilihan gue jatuh ke Forgetting Sarah Marshall soalnya gue gak mau nonton film berat( karena itu dah malem banget) dan mau film yang “ tinggal telen aja” ditambah lagi tulisan di cover dvdnya yang bilang “ From the guy who brought you 40 years old virgin and SuperBad” . So here’s the review…

Romantic Disaster Comedy

RollingStone menyebut film Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a Romantic disaster Comedy Movie. Well gue rasa ini bener. Ceritanya soal Petter Breeter ( Jason Segel) yang menjalin hubungan 5 tahun dengan Sarah Marshall(Kristen Bell)(Yup!! she’s Elle, our lovely lightning girl in HEROES) aktris terkenal dari serial TV CSI look a like ( Suerr gue lupa nama acaranya, panjang bener kayaknya). Dan tiba-tiba diputusin karena Sarah jatuh cinta dengan penyanyi eksentrik Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). So untuk melupakan sakit hatinya Breeter memutuskan untuk pergi berlibur ke Hawaii, namun apa lacur disana dia bertemu dengan Sarah dan Aldous kekasih barunya. Dibumbui dengan kejadian kejadian konyol dan adanya cameo pasangan yang sedang mencari tau “ the Myth of the Clitoris” serta resepsionis cantik dan baik hati Rachel( Mila Kunis) yang mau membantu Breeter melupakan sakit hatinya menjadi daya jual utama film ini.

Character and Plot
Ide cerita di film ini sudah dikemas dengan cukup baik sebagai sebuah film yang menghibur dan memiliki humor slangkangan yang meski cenderung vulgar but still acceptable. Jason Segel sendiri sebagai pemain utama menyuguhkan acting yang lumayan, ekspresi dan pembawaanya sangat mengena disetiap situasi, Mila Kunis Sebagai Rachel pun sangat mencuri perhatian disini. Namun sayang itu semua nggak dibarengi sama acting yang baik dari Kristen Bell. Bell seperti clueless memainkan perannya sebagai sarah marshall, sangat tidak ekspresif dan seling salah gaya. Kemana Kristen Bell yang Jadi Elle di heroessangat ekspresif itu? ( tunggu sampe adegan dia mencoba merayu kembali breeter that’s the ultimate acting disaster of her) Kelas acting yang ditunjukan gak beda jauh sama artis2 karbitan di sinetron- sinetron Indonesia (umm okay, berlebihan analoginya. sedikit lebih bagus lah, but still in the same league)

What I thought about this Movie
Gue Suka ide awal dari film ini, tapi sayangnya pengaplikasian dalam film ini cenderung terkesesan dipaksakan. So hampir gak ada adegan yg bener-bener berkesan buat gue. Kecuali Kristen Bell yang memerankan sarah marshall semuanya beracting cukup baik semua karakter yang mereka mainkan dapet feelnya. Slapstick Jokesnya pun meski ada dibawah 40 years old virgin dan Superbad cukup orisinil.
Buat kita yang suka film-film dengan slapstick lengkap dengan selangkangan jokes nya mungkin film ini akan cukup menghibur tapi tidak akan memorable seperti American pie atau 40 years old virgin, but nothing special but this movie and like I said in the tagline.. you can forget it very easy….very very easy.

Rate:

2 movie down 38 to go
Day : 3/80