I was initially attracted to this movie (I usually stick to IMDb 7+) merely from a perverted desire to see Ms Aniston (Lucinda Harris) ravished - she's usually in "nice" roles. But even though I entered the film with a good idea of what was going to happen, and without high expectations - nice straight guy gets scammed by pretty lady into sex scandal, blackmail and potential ruin of his life follow - the execution and twists in the plot (along with good acting) kept me engrossed for its almost 2 hours.
SPOILERS AHEAD Of course it's way over-the-top. Most scammers (Vincent Cassell as LaRoche) would be content to get the initial $20 grand and sulk off into the dark. Not this one. He metamorphises from a street alley, balaclava wearing hoodlum to a suave apparently cultured "executive" who is prepared to visit his victim's house, personally intimidate and demolish him and win his family's confidence. It's this aspect of the the villain as much as anything which makes the film.
Some have criticised Clive Owen (Charles Shine) for a "lifeless" performance, but I found him convincing as an ordinary guy who lives a very straight life and is simply willing to pay up for his mistake in the hope that his harasser will go away. Only at the end, when he has been driven to his wit's end, does he show real aggression and finish off his tormentor.
The deviousness of the trap in which he is caught is well expounded when Charles exposes Lucinda and LaRoche taking down another victim. The "net" has been well fabricated and would indeed be hard to escape.
The ending satisfies justice, with one final twist.
Good drama/thriller, worth seeing. 8/10
SPOILERS AHEAD Of course it's way over-the-top. Most scammers (Vincent Cassell as LaRoche) would be content to get the initial $20 grand and sulk off into the dark. Not this one. He metamorphises from a street alley, balaclava wearing hoodlum to a suave apparently cultured "executive" who is prepared to visit his victim's house, personally intimidate and demolish him and win his family's confidence. It's this aspect of the the villain as much as anything which makes the film.
Some have criticised Clive Owen (Charles Shine) for a "lifeless" performance, but I found him convincing as an ordinary guy who lives a very straight life and is simply willing to pay up for his mistake in the hope that his harasser will go away. Only at the end, when he has been driven to his wit's end, does he show real aggression and finish off his tormentor.
The deviousness of the trap in which he is caught is well expounded when Charles exposes Lucinda and LaRoche taking down another victim. The "net" has been well fabricated and would indeed be hard to escape.
The ending satisfies justice, with one final twist.
Good drama/thriller, worth seeing. 8/10