Written for Examiner
Despite a stellar cast, Director Robert Luketic’s new flick, “Paranoia,” is a must miss. It is hard to believe that a thriller starring Liam Hemsworth, Harrison Ford,Gary Oldman and Amber Heard could be so, well, un-thrilling.
The first problem is the whole movie is one big cliché. Young idealistic Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) sets out to establish his career. He works in an entry-level job as a programmer in a huge tech company. His father (Richard Dreyfuss) is a sick man who Adam takes care of. Aw, that would be touching if it weren’t so obvious a ploy to tug at our hearts. Too bad everything in the film is contrived and predictable.
Adam gets fired after behaving like an idiot. In fact he gets his whole team fired. Then, just like what would happen in real life (not!), big and powerful CEO Nicholas Wyatt (Gary Oldman) decides Adam is just the right guy to hire.
Wyatt gives Adam the task of spying on the competition, Jock Goddard (Harrison Ford), who is the head of a phenomenally successful rival tech firm. The catch? It’s an ethical dilemma, Jock Goddard was Adam’s previous mentor.
Anyway, Adam goes to work for Goddard and meets Emma (Amber Heard), his beautiful and feisty one-night stand. The highlight of the film is how pretty the two of them are. Ah, youthful beauty shines in every scene that Liam has his shirt off.
The film is full of stiff dialogue, overacting, preposterous plot points, and has zero thrills. Be afraid, be very afraid of boredom and stay away from this flick.
“Paranoia” opens in New York City this week on Friday, August 16, 2013. Drama suspense thriller. Rated PG-13. 106 minutes.
Despite a stellar cast, Director Robert Luketic’s new flick, “Paranoia,” is a must miss. It is hard to believe that a thriller starring Liam Hemsworth, Harrison Ford,Gary Oldman and Amber Heard could be so, well, un-thrilling.
The first problem is the whole movie is one big cliché. Young idealistic Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) sets out to establish his career. He works in an entry-level job as a programmer in a huge tech company. His father (Richard Dreyfuss) is a sick man who Adam takes care of. Aw, that would be touching if it weren’t so obvious a ploy to tug at our hearts. Too bad everything in the film is contrived and predictable.
Adam gets fired after behaving like an idiot. In fact he gets his whole team fired. Then, just like what would happen in real life (not!), big and powerful CEO Nicholas Wyatt (Gary Oldman) decides Adam is just the right guy to hire.
Wyatt gives Adam the task of spying on the competition, Jock Goddard (Harrison Ford), who is the head of a phenomenally successful rival tech firm. The catch? It’s an ethical dilemma, Jock Goddard was Adam’s previous mentor.
Anyway, Adam goes to work for Goddard and meets Emma (Amber Heard), his beautiful and feisty one-night stand. The highlight of the film is how pretty the two of them are. Ah, youthful beauty shines in every scene that Liam has his shirt off.
The film is full of stiff dialogue, overacting, preposterous plot points, and has zero thrills. Be afraid, be very afraid of boredom and stay away from this flick.
“Paranoia” opens in New York City this week on Friday, August 16, 2013. Drama suspense thriller. Rated PG-13. 106 minutes.