Derailed...unfortunately so. Review on Derailed Movie

Now the main reason I went to watch the movie was, yes, Jennifer Aniston! I mean, who doesn’t want a chance to see Rachel in action again?!!! Anyway, though the movie wasn’t quite up to my expectations, it wasn’t all that bad either…. The cast: Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Melissa George and Vincent Cassell The Story: Clive’s a nice guy with a nice family except for the fact that his daughter suffers from Type 1 diabetes and therefore they are under a lot of strain with her ill health and high costs. One rainy morning he gets late leaving for work, has to take the train and ends up meeting Jennifer(looking a little old and worn out in that first scene) who very kindly offers to pay for his train ticket when he realizes his wallet is empty…. They connect and a couple of meetings later, they’re on the verge of starting an affair…. Here the movie gets a little interesting when right smack in the middle of their very first sexual encounter, they are very rudely interrupted and robbed by Mr. Vincent Cassell (whom u might recall from Oceans 12). Thereafter, the movie is quite predictable, but for the benefit of those who do plan the movie, I will refrain from spelling out the entire story.

At any rate, it boils down to the two of them being blackmailed by Cassell. They can’t go to the cops because then the affair would come out in the open and Aniston could end up losing her kid in a messy divorce! Clive being the good old British bloke that he is, agrees to keep the whole thing quiet AND volunteers to come up with the entire money for the blackmail….. The demands increase, Clive gets more and more desperate, coz now all the money saved up for his kids illness is being stuffed down Cassell’s pockets…. The rest you will have to see for yourself!!!

My opinion: Let’s see….the story could have been written better, there should’ve been more action, heat and passion!!! The drama also lacks Punch if you know what I mean, it JUST isn’t convincing enough. And there are times when you get the distinct feeling that the story’s being dragged on. Clive Owen does a pretty good job as the devoted father and good guy who just wants to take care of his daughter and once Jennifer enters the scene, her as well. I thought Jennifer Aniston did a pretty good job pulling off the very serious and somber role as a working mother who unfortunately gets herself into an affair which ends before it and yet ends up paying a heavy price for it. That can’t have been easy after having been Rachel on Friends for near 10 yrs! The rest of the cast works well, and it’s a little unfortunate that the end product didn’t come out a little better. Anyhow, if you ask me, its not too bad a time pass, you could do a lot worse!

Bottom line: Nice script but the execution let the movie down. Jennifer Aniston looks great as always except for the first scene!!