Source Code
It's actually been a couple of weeks since I saw Source Code. I think it was something like April 18th or so... I suppose this write up will be interesting...
So what do I remember thinking about the movie? Generally, I guess, that it was pretty good. Decent. It was engaging and engrossing and all that jazz- definitely entertaining and even a bit of a thinker. But I guess its on that last part where I felt that the film kind of fell a part a bit- the more I thought about it, the less impressed I was and the more confusing and/or unbelievable I found it. I know, I know, its a sci-fi movie, and almost by definition it needs to push at the restraint of reality... a lot. And I know I always harp on about the willful suspension of disbelief most viewers need to engage in in order for movies to be enjoyable, but damn it, Duncan Jones crafts a movie that at first glance seems- with a little help from scientific evolution... and not terribly far-reaching scientific evolution at that- as though it could happen.
I don't want to reveal too many details here though. Some of the twists and turns and slow-building realizations are what made this movie fun to dive into. And, then again, those same twists and turns are what also hold it back in my mind. I will say this much though: the movie revolves around the quest of Jake Gyllenhaal's (Army officer? Marine officer, I can't remember) Colter Stevens being injected into the last 8 minutes of some working schlub's life so that he can discover the identity of the person who planted the bomb on the Chicago commuter train that killed said schlub, said schlub's woman friend, and a bundle of other schlubs. Can't find the bomber in the first effort? No worries, Colter, you're going back in... again and again and again until you get the job done.
Yes, I know, I said it could happen. And nothing about the paragraph above indicates any sense of reality or possibility as we know it now or in any sense of the immediate future. It's not that Colter manages to invade the last 8 minutes of someone's life that seemed somewhat realistic, it's how he does it that, for awhile at least, seemed plausible. Again, don't want to it into it here... but trust me, at least in the state of mind I was in at the time- under the influence of hefty allergy medication- it seemed plausible.. until you looked at the next level. Wish I could say more but you'll have to just keep your eyes peeled for it, if you decide to check the movie out. And really you have nothing to lose in doing so- it wasn't boring by any stretch. Quite entertaining actually. Just wish I hadn't bought into it so much when drugged then questioned it so much after coming back to my senses. It probably was best viewed strictly in the realm of science fiction- but then again- the world of Star Wars or the Jetsons never makes an appearance; you're meant to think that everything that happens in the film can happen right now. So maybe it does set it self up for disappointment...
I guess disappoint, though, is just too strong a word. Or rather too strong a word to describe the entire movie. It definitely had a lot going for it: taut thrills, a genuine sense of urgency that drove the movie, good action, good performances (Gyllenhaal, and Vera Farmiga- particularly. Much, much less so with Jeffrey Wright's turn as some sort of socially awkward scientist. Seemed he took acting lessons from a cartoon...), and even some exploration of such thought provoking topics as: death and reality vs. alternate reality. All good stuff. But darn it. The plot seems to fall apart when considering the basic premise of how Colter goes after the bomber. Would love to know if anyone else saw it that way. Wish I could delve into it more now, but to even try to describe it would give away too much of the film... well, I think anyway. And I don't want David Bowie (Duncan Jones' father) swooping in and snagging my nieces or nephews the next time I babysit (which would be... the first time I babysat...solo anyway).
So, I suppose the movie would best be described as a lot of hit, but one nagging miss. Not that I think it's too much Duncan Jones' fault. If anything the film's timeliness and believability- both in the better part of the plot and most of the performances- make the one essential, but unbelievable part of the movie seem like an even bigger problem. The rest of the movie is almost too good for the too complex part. And that's not all bad. I'm not ready to give up on Jones at all. I've heard great, great things about his first feature, Moon, and I'm really looking forward to seeing it as well as whatever else he comes up with in the near future. Every director has some "almost" films in their repertoire. Perhaps this Jones' ... and if this is the worst he does, he'll go down as one HELL of a director when it's all said and done.
Grade: B
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