Domestic Disturbance

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Singleton</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="549" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="545"><div> Crying wolf</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Frank Morrison: John Travolta</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Rick Barnes: Vince Vaughn</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Susan: Teri Polo</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Danny: Matthew O'Leary</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Ray: Steve Buscemi</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Detective Stevens: Ruben Santiago-Hudson</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Director: Harold Becker</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="304" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line</B>: A 12 year old boy witnesses a murder committed by his new stepfather and no one believes his story, not even his biological dad-at first. The boy must either make peace with his step dad or physically take him on face to face and win.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> Frank Morrison (John Travolta) is a custom sailboat builder in the sleepy town of Southport, Maryland. He's divorced from his wife Susan (Teri Polo) who has moved on with her life and is about to remarry. They have a son, Danny (Matthew O'Leary), who has problems stemming from the breakup. Danny has a track record of lying to everyone other than his father<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Symbol" >--</FONT> he cries wolf when there is no wolf.  </div> <bR> <div> After only two years in town, Rick Barnes (Vince Vaughn) is receiving an award from the Chamber of Commerce because of his civic contributions and success in a pharmaceutical company that makes blood pressure medication. He's also known for being a nice guy who happens to be financially very well off. Rick is the guy that Susan is engaged to. When Danny starts to act out again with his lying because of the wedding plans, Susan talks Frank into taking Rick and her intended out for a sail and some male bonding. Frank is a nice guy who reluctantly goes along with it for the sake of Danny. Later-and only because of Danny-Frank attends the wedding so that Danny will go and not disappoint his mother. </div> <bR> <div> Just as Rick is about to say, "I do," he makes eye contact with an uninvited guest. Frank observes this distraction and Rick's clear displeasure at seeing the guy. At the reception Frank discovers this is someone from Rick's past, Ray Coleman (Steve Buscemi). So, we essentially know who will kill whom, which Danny will witness.           However, when Danny tries to convince people that he saw Rick kill someone, even Frank is reluctant to believe such a story.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It</B>: <I>Domestic Disturbance</I> has the feel of <I><B>Double Jeopardy</B></I> and <I><B>What Lies Beneath</B></I> with it's slick settings, good acting, and fast pace.  It's also fairly predictable which is OK for a film clearly meant for easy adult entertainment. </div> <bR> <div> I was somewhat surprised at how good an actor John Travolta is after seeing him in a number of films over the past five or so years. He's usually coasting or doing something that is somewhat of a caricature, but in this one he's his own man who has deep feelings about caring for his son. Travolta is an actor who has hits and bombs and this one will likely be a hit along the lines of <I><B>Swordfish.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Vince Vaughn does consistently good work (<I><B>The Cell</B></I> and <I><B>Made</B></I>) and that continues. He's the bad guy here who you just love to hate. Teri Polo is very effective as a woman who cares for both her ex-husband and her new husband, with her son being the # 1 man in her life. Matthew O'Leary is the perfect compliment to his mother and step father in how he creates a number of moments that will make you jump or in the case of the promotional screening I attended, one woman scream with intense fright. </div> <bR> <div> Ruben-Santiago Hudson is an effective stock detective who does a few things right but not enough to catch the killer. The film does not have quite the edge of <I><B>Along Came A Spider, </B></I>but it comes close. You can make an educated guess on how things will end so the story is really more about what happens on the way there. The ending is creative in the showdown scene and just before the credits roll, things are wrapped up so neatly that for those of you who like films which leave you with a happy ending and no doubt about the outcome, you'll love it. This is a real crowd pleaser.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="591" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> PG-13 (violence, brief sexuality and language)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> George O. Singleton © 2001</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>George@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Mini Filmography </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> John Travolta: <I><B>Swordfish</B></I></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="286"><div> Vince Vaughn: <I><B>Made</B></I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> Teri Polo: <I><B>Meet the Parents</B></I></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="286"><div> Matthew O'Leary: Frailty</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Steve Buscemi: <I><B>Ghost World</B></I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Ruben Santiago-Hudson: <I><B>Shaft</B></I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> Harold Becker: City Hall</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="286"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="286" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>