Derailed [2005]

Right from the start of this movie you could feel that it’s based on a novel, a great novel. This is the difference between rushed milking commercial blunders and successful adaptations like this one where nobody is insulting your intelligence. A story of an ordinary man, a man that might as well be any one of us, and his decisions that we all could make, of course, not knowing the consequences. Everything feels real, from the sets to conversations and this puts you on the same track as the movie, before you both derail into a dark world of crime and violence. Another plus for the movie and a final blow is an amazing cast. Three leads (Owen, Aniston, Cassel) supported by a barrage of an experienced and colorful characters (RZA, Xzibit, Giancarlo Esposito) should be enough to make you watch this amazing and suspenseful thriller.

One of the worst things that a parent can experience is the death of a child, and the only thing that comes close is a slow and prolonged dying of your child (come to think of it, the latter one might be worse). Charles and Deanna Schine and their diabetic daughter Amy are one seemingly happy family. Amy has type one diabetes, the worst kind, but luckily her parents are making enough money to cover the expenses, and even save up for a new drug that is supposed to help her. But, this does not mean that this is easy, working hard and being constantly under pressure Charles is worn out by this. He travels by train every day to and from work, hoping that he is going to be able to afford the cost of the treatment. One day he accidentally meets Lucinda Harris, a good looking businesswomen neglected by her husband, on a train. Sparks fly, and two lovebirds soon find themselves in a cheap hotel, however, instead of an affair something horrible is about to happen to them…

Director: Mikael Håfström

Cast: Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel, Melissa George, RZA, Xzibit, Giancarlo Esposito

Fun Facts: When Laroche (Cassel) goes over to Schine’s house, he tells Schine’s daughter in French: “Je m’appelle Laroche, comme une petite roche qui va bientôt baiser ton père par derrière”. Translation: “My name is Laroche, like a little rock who will soon screw your father from behind.” Then, he tells her that in English, it means: “My name is Laroche, it means a rock. Like the little rocks rolling down a river”.

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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398017/