Thursday, August 15, 2013

PARANOIA....A SLEEPER


Great sets, innovative technology and brilliant acting make Paranoia a summer treat.  For Jock Goddard played by Harrison Ford, duplicity is simply a hat trick.  He plays the good guy with sincerity and aplomb while his bald head gives him added stature.  Nicolas Wyatt (Gary Oldman) is another badass corporate CEO and keeps the suspense building.  While for looks, Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) as the how –could-I -have -been -so -stupid innocent is more than boy candy.  He gets to work his acting chops while surrounded by this great cast.  Lest we not forget Emma Jennings (Amber Heard) who has some killer lines in the opening scene.  She jumps onto the Beautyrest with Adam then throws him out in the AM without telling him her name.  “I’m not into Bridge and Tunnel guys, “she says as she closes the door on Adam’s beautiful buttocks.  And Paranoia was written by guys--Jason Hall and Barry Levy.
Richard Dreyfuss (Frank Cassidy) as Adam’s father takes his moments and makes the most of every line. He gets a firm giggle out of the audience when he comes close to groping his nurse’s derriere.  May not sound funny, buy Dreyfuss makes it funny.  Comedy is his gift.
Robert Lukedic has directed a thriller about technology with the cell phone the star of this kind of big brother fear of being watched by everyone.  With GPS in the newer cell phones, tracking as well as recording from a cell phone is a reality.  The most outstanding scene is when all the protagonists come together in a gangland style meeting and Goddard says, “All cell phones on the table and remove the batteries.”  Cell phones have replaced guns.  
Paranoia is a techno thriller about two companies, Wyatt and Goddard, who spy on each other for the most innovative servers, processors and inventions.  The CEO’s of these companies will steal each other’s technology and murder at the click of a mouse.
Adam Cassidy is strapped with hospital fees for his ailing father, Frank.  Hoping to get a top paying job, he meets with Nicolas Wyatt who is the head of Wyatt Industries.  Wyatt needs to get a transformer for his latest line of cell phones and has hired a team of young techies to make a presentation.  A newbie to the screen, Lucas Till plays Kevin, a sort of techno wizard and adds a fresh face and more talent to this ensemble.
Adam becomes a pawn for Wyatt Industries and agrees to spy on Goddard’s inventions by becoming an employee of Goddard.  It is refreshing to see good old fashioned running as a thrilling chase scene and even more refreshing to witness the end of this crackerjack thriller with a hot built in love story to boot.   The look of this film is as slick as the acting and you will not regret your wise choice in seeing Paranoia.   



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