Another remake bit the dust
Added 12/21/2009
Look up instead 'The Vanishing' (1988), George Sluizer, dir. Cast: Gene Bervoets, Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Johanna ter Steege, Gwen Eckhaus
Cannot imagine that anyone would prefer or bother with director Sluizer's inferior 1993 remake (Kiefer Sutherland, Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock and Nancy Travis in the role originally played by Gwen Eckhaus).
In France, Rex Hofman (Bervoets) and Saskia Wagter (ter Steege), a young couple like so many others, return home to Holland; stopping at a rest area, Saskia goes into the store. She does not come back. Rex sets out on an obsessive search, desperately seeking for information in France and Holland. The three-year investigation eventually draws the attention of her abductor.
Raymond Lemorne (Donnadieu), a respected educator and family man with wife, Simone (Bernadette Le Sache) and two children, to all appearances a normal individual, is a calculating sociopath. Raymond contacts Rex, promising to reveal what happened to Saskia. So begins Rex's terrifying ordeal. Raymond leads him and the movie audience along a psychological pursuit that builds steadily, intense, chilling and as unsettling as any.
Director Sluizer made us care about what became of Saskia, where she was, which is why we understand the circumstances that made Rex restrain himself from inflicting violence against Raymond. And we do learn about Sakia's fate, at the end, because the revelation matters. The alternate resolution in the remake, too conventional for its own good, does not.
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A Must for Jeff Bridges Fans
Added 9/8/2009
I'll make this short and sweet. If you enjoyed "The Big Lebowski" and want to see a different but equally potent side of Jeff Bridges' acting, buy this movie. It is very suspenseful the first time around, and it is great to watch this movie over again for the comedic elements. The only shortcoming in my opinion is that the ending is too abrupt.
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The Search for a Missing Woman
Added 5/18/2009
A young man and his girlfriend have some squabbles. They stop at a highway store for gas. Diane goes to buy a drink, but she never returns. The film shows a lone man who put a cast on his right arm to appear crippled. Diane's disappearance is advertised but there are no replies. Jeff continues with his life; he is a writer. Rita investigates his computer and finds some secrets. Jeff explains his actions. Rita works on the problem. Jeff makes his decision. He gets a letter from the man who says he kidnapped Diane. Will they meet? Will Rita be disgusted and leave? [Nobody locks their doors?]
Barney shows up for suspense. Jeff meets him and displays his feelings. Will Jeff follow Barney after being promised a meeting with Diane? Rita goes back to check on Jeff and gets the license plate number of Barney's car! Barney tells how he lured an unsuspecting young woman to his car. Jeff and Barney converse. Will Jeff do something foolish? Will Rita take that metal box? It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. There is conflict again. Rita has spunk, she is a fighter. She revives Jeff for a happy ending. "We don't drink coffee anymore."
This is an interesting story about a clever murderer who is a seemingly respectable college professor. You may find fault with parts of this suspense story. "Beware of a friendly stranger who wants to do you a favor" said Confucius. That is the moral of this story. Don't cooperate with a crazy killer either.
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Worst. Movie. Ever.
Added 5/17/2009
Laughably bad. I can't believe that anyone has given this more than one star; I'd give it a zero if I could. These are good actors but the plot, the script and Jeff Bridges' ridiculous accent are so bad they're funny. I would say that this is one of the five worst movies I have ever seen in my life. Makes "Howard the Duck" seem Oscar-worthy.
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I like movies that highlight actors early in their careers who later become major stars. This suspense thriller stars a pre-24 Kiefer Sutherland and Sandra Bullock (a minor role) a year before Speed (Widescreen Edition) threw her into the spotlight. The anchor is Jeff Bridges, who plays a disturbed villain so well that he keeps the film from becoming a melodramatic hash.
Another underrated film that help made careers is Freeway (Widescreen Edition), again starring Kiefer Sutherland, but this time with an early-- and very gritty--Reese Witherspoon.
The Vanishing can stand on its own as an interesting thriller, but watching these stars break out adds to the fun. A superior movie with a similar theme is Breakdown, with Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan. These veterans make a better movie, but I presume they were paid commensurate salaries.
I collect career making films because they always have something extra that propelled the actor into stardom ... and they're inexpensive.
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