Paranoia

Paranoia

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 8/16/13

Reviewed 8/19/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary

2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

A movie with Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Richard Dreyfuss has to be magnificent, right? Well...there are a few exceptions. This could be one. Liam Hemsworth is certainly nice to look at so when his acting falls short, at least we can look at him.

Adam Cassidy (Hemsworth) is a struggling developer in a giant telecommunications industry. Living with and taking care of his ailing father Francis Cassidy (Dreyfuss) and his mounting bills, gives him great cause to work hard and make money. But at what cost? It won't take long to find out. Adam has the ideas to make products better, but no one has heard them until he has an opportunity to present an innovation in front of the dismissive owner Nicholas Wyatt (Oldman). After Cassidy and his team gets quickly fired (for a bad idea, I guess) they pack up their belongings and move on...sort of. The next day there is a quick turnaround for Adam. He's presented with an opportunity from Wyatt to work for competitor Jack Goddard (Ford), who happens to be trying to buy out Goddard with a hostile takeover.

It gets complicated for Adam, but what it doesn't get is paranoid. I didn't really see where the title applied to the plot at all. Paranoia is mis-named. A more appropriate title would be The Follower or Bad Choices Never Pay Off - haha. Along the way Adam practically forces a relationship with a coworker and former one-nighter, the striking and equally young executive Amber (Emma Jennings). She overplays hard-to-get for only so long.

The corporate spying, the back and forth, and the who and what is watching gets a little muddled so don't wait for clarity. You just have to roll with it. This storyline was fairly predictable with a little twist at the end that adds to the drama, which is needed. You could go see Paranoia if you have exhausted all other options. It will probably be fine. But be warned...don't expect a quality film out of this lineup; it's just passible entertainment.

QUIET Rating system: 2 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJj

Entertainment:  JJj

Time:  JJj