Thriller is one of Hollywood's better movie genres

ELLIOTT SMITH

Originally published Friday, February 22, 2002

The one sure thing in Hollywood seems to be the thriller. They're pretty easy to produce and have the kind of broad range that other genres lack.

What's funny is usually tough to agree upon, and serious movies usually drive people away.

But who doesn't like being on the edge of their seat watching characters battle against antagonistic forces out to cause them harm? No one, I say.

And that's why the thrills keep coming.

I don't know about you, but was there anything more annoying this fall than the commercials for DON'T SAY A WORD (R) ** 1/2, with Brittany Murphy sing-songing "I'll never telllll."?

Still, it might be the most memorable thing about this generic thriller, which isn't bad, but doesn't really bring anything new to the table.

Michael Douglas stars as Nathan Conrad, a child psychiatrist with a loving wife (Famke Janssen) and a cloying daughter (Skye Nicole Bartusiak). Things are just fine and dandy. But you know it wouldn't be a Michael Douglas movie if something bad didn't happen.

So when he's introduced to Elisabeth, a new patient in the city's mental hospital (Murphy), his life is turned upside down when one of those tight-knit groups of criminals that exist only in the movies kidnaps his daughter and demands Nathan pry a number out of Elisabeth's head that will lead to untold riches.

Maybe I missed it, but how would this group of criminals, who have been imprisoned for 10 years, know that Elisabeth has a number they need in the first place, especially since they've never met her? And why do they need it by 5 p.m.?

Anyway, you can probably figure it out from here. Nathan and Elisabeth develop a bond that allows him to find out the truth, the black henchman dies first and Nathan, a mild-mannered doctor, becomes a bad-ass karate expert in the film's final frames.

To her credit, Murphy continues to show she's an actress to keep your eyes on by delivering a solid performance -- about the only thing here that's not strictly average.

The Video Guy has always been fond of Shakespeare, whose works are perfect fodder for Hollywood thriller material. They're short, taut and filled with loads of double-crossing characters.

My particular favorite is "Othello," which has been filmed dozens of times to varying degrees of success. The makers of O (R) ****, however, got it right.

Instead of some far-off land many moons ago, director Tim Blake Nelson and writer Brad Kaaya have updated the story to modern high school, where basketball star Odin James (Mekhi Phifer) is in love with the popular Desi (Julia Stiles), while the jealous Hugo (Josh Hartnett) plots and schemes to get the attention he craves.

If you're familiar with "Othello," you know the plan. Hugo wants Odin to believe that Desi is having an affair with another student, using Odin's own insecurities as the bait. Of course, this leads to horrible consequences for all involved.

Everything works here. The acting is superb across the board, with Phifer nailing Odin and Hartnett (whom I've never liked before) playing the oily Hugo to perfection. The writing is believable, and the direction is sure-handed.

It's a shame this movie sat on a shelf for nearly two years because the studio (Miramax) got scared, equating the film's climax with Columbine and other school tragedies, when in fact it has nothing to do with that at all.

This is a bold, powerful take on Shakespeare and a cautionary tale about our society that deserves to be seen by everyone.

Many people, myself included, would show up to watch Robert DeNiro read the phone book, so it came as no surprise that his heist thriller THE SCORE (R) ***, was one of last year's box-office winners.

It's always exciting to watch good criminals in action, and this movie provides nearly all the goods for the viewer to pull off a score of their own. The attention to detail paid here is just as impressive as the acting.

DeNiro stars as Nick, a top-notch thief but an otherwise decent guy, who is ready to end his life of crime to become a full-time club owner and stay involved in his relationship with Diane (Angela Bassett).

But his mentor (Marlon Brando, mushmouthed and weird as usual) presents one final job that is worth millions. The catch? Working with brash newcomer Jack (Edward Norton), who has the inside scoop on the robbery site.

The robbery, which takes up the film's final 45 minutes, is just about as tense as anything I've seen in recent years. It's so complex that you wonder whether it's even worth it, but DeNiro and Norton do a good job of selling the material and the desire of their characters.

Elliott Smith is a sportswriter for The Olympian by night and The Video Guy even later at night. Readers may send comments or suggestions to esmith@ olympia.gannett.com.

Star guide

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The Olympian Copyright 2002

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