As you probably read previously, Marcus Ovnell, the writer/director of the outstanding Swedish dramatic thriller The Break-In, explained that his favourite film of all-time was the 1990’s classic Shawshank Redemption. Though he said that this was his clear favourite, he also highlighted a lesser known movie as one that I (and others) should watch – the 1999 thriller Arlington Road.
Ovnell was kind enough to fly into Canada from Sweden to host the North American theatrical premiere of his film, The Break-In, at the historic Port Theatre in Cornwall, Ontario on Friday, February 12th, 2016. I’d like to thank him for making it a very special evening. Look for a more in depth discussion of the event coming up this Friday.
What was it that attracted Marcus Ovnell to this particular flick? The answer is the ending, which he claims is a real stand-out.
Director Mark Pellington throws us immediately into the fray as our protagonist, history professor Michael Faraday (Jeff Bridges), notices a young boy covered in blood stumbling down his street. He grabs the child and rushes him to the hospital, saving the boy’s life – creating an immediate connection between himself and the child’s family, Oliver and Cheryl Lang (Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack).
The families become fast friends, including Faraday’s much younger girlfriend, Brooke (Hope Davis). Faraday’s late wife, who was an FBI agent, was killed in a raid that went horribly wrong, which has led the professor to become obsessed with what his wife did – investigating terrorist cells (and leading him to become quite the conspiracy theorist).
It is not long before he turns his obsession to his neighbours, as there are some curious threads that do not make sense to the man. He begins to investigate Oliver Lang’s past, including name changes and crimes that he has committed. He is also suspicious of the architect’s blueprints, which do not seem to be for a mall – his supposed next project.
Is the man spiralling out of control or is he actually onto something? The finale provides us with a rather dark, clever, manipulative and unexpected ending that is unlike most Hollywood fare.
There are many things that came to mind as I watched this film. As it progressed, director Mark Pellington created an almost nightmarish landscape that is somewhat reminiscent of Brian De Palma works such as Blow Out and Dressed to Kill. The colours, disorienting angles and pacing help create this powerful sense. The clever, yet also rather incredulous ending may remind some of David Fincher’s The Game. Most people either loved or loathed that ending, so this one will most likely have a similar effect.
The acting in the film is solid. Bridges is strong as the man trying to piece together the conspiracy he sees happening across the street in front of him. Robbins is tough to read as the seemingly kind and friendly man. Cusack is equally as engaging, as she plays an open and perky housewife. Each actor is able to make a character that is two sided – is our lead simply losing it, or is he a shrewd observer? Robbins and Cusack are equally as difficult to analyse – are they the kind suburban neighbours from across the street, or are they hiding something much more sinister?
In the end, Arlington Road is a lesser known film that is worth watching for anyone who is interested in a less typical Hollywood attraction. It does a good job of keeping us guessing and has an explosive ending that is unlike other thriller flicks. So, you might want to take this road less travelled.