Paycheck

Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is the worlds greatest reverse engineer. Top corporations hire him to improve the design of their competitor's products in order to out-do the market. In order to keep his work secret, his memories of the project are erased to provide maximum deniability. His technician and physical therapist Shorty (Paul Giamatti) is his only real friend, those he meets during his projects disappear with that erasure. That is until his friend Jimmy (Aaron Eckhart) hires him for a new project, one that will make much money and will be longer than any of his other projects. While working for Jimmy, he meets Dr. Rachel Porter (Uma Thurman) and falls in love with her. However, due to the memory wipe, he doesn't remember her or what he's done for Jimmy's company. He does, however, have an envelope full of common, everyday items that he's exchanged for his compensation for the project and he is clueless to what they'll be needed for. Pursued by Jimmy's relentless security chief (Colm Feore) and two FBI Agents (Michael C. Hall and Joe Morton), Michael must stay alive long enough to figure out the clues.

In his usual hybrid-speed, hyper-stylized, adrenaline-packed ride, director John Woo presents a science fiction world in which memories can be erased and extracted without serious side effects. The package is seamless with the present world and the present world's rules. Yet it's high-concept enough to keep our interest. And filled with a message that inspires, even if it's only routine.

The players are all quality: Eckhart, Feore, Hall, Morton, Giamatti, Thurman and Affleck give solid performances with characters that are as routine as the message. But it's their chemistry that makes it good. Thurman and Affleck's chemistry is warm, witty and emotional. Feore and Eckhart give chilling performances with a Machiavellian flair, but with equally reasonable motivations to provide a credible adversary to Affleck's Jennings. Hall and Morton provide the quintessential incompetent law enforcement contingent, with balancing humor and wit. And Giamatti's quirkiness rounds out cast to balance the talent and blend the atmosphere that surrounds our characters.

A change from his other works, Woo's Paycheck lacks his usual staple of a hero who is stricken by an over abundance of tears. This one is realistic in emotion, fueled by the puzzle instead. The everyman feel is also a welcome respite to hyper-emotion and overplayed action. The concept blends together with the plot, picture and setting quite well and I'm very comfortable with the package, in fact it doesn't get old or tiresome. This one's good, no doubt about it.

***

In: Paul Giamatti

Out: Uma Thurman

Coming Soon: Pulp Fiction