Recently on a call-in radio show the topic was ``Why aren't there any real movie stars anymore? Where are today's Clark Gables, John Waynes and Katharine Hepburns?'' griped the host, as some callers attempted to make cases for Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise and Jodie Foster.
Oddly, no one brought up Mel Gibson, but after ``Conspiracy Theory'' it's unlikely he'll be overlooked next time. If you've ever questioned Gibson's appeal, this serio-comic thriller offers 135 minutes of persuasive evidence as to why he's become one of the world's most reliable box-office draws. ``Conspiracy Theory'' is an unabashed Ode To Mel, written specifically for him by Bryan Helgeland and directed by Richard Donner, who previously led him through the ``Lethal Weapon'' trilogy and ``Maverick.''
Julia Roberts may share top billing, but this is not a duet: Roberts' character isn't even properly introduced until 20 minutes into the picture, and she doesn't fully figure into the action until the second hour.
Donner has always been able to bring out the full spectrum of Gibson, especially the actor's wackier tendencies and his penchant for calling up looks of little-boy innocence in the face of love. ``Conspiracy Theory'' leans heavily on both of these resources, as Gibson portrays spacey New York City cabbie Jerry Fletcher, who sees deception and disinformation everywhere.
Those silver threads in the new $100 bills? Jerry claims they're a tracking device. And the Grateful Dead is always on tour because ``they're British agents.''
``Conspiracy Theory'' spends a lot of time and energy establishing Jerry's lunacy; as was the case in ``Maverick,'' Gibson indulges his passion for ad-libbing and Donner is reluctant to cut away. As a result, the story often comes to a halt so that its star can do his thing.
Not that Helgeland's tale is any ground-breaker itself. Of course, nutty Jerry's homemade newsletter contains one far-fetched theory that proves to be true, prompting chases by alleged CIA psychiatrist Jonas (Patrick Stewart) and his henchmen.
Justice Department investigator Alice Sutton (Roberts), Jerry's secret love, is drawn into the whirlpool as mysterious pasts, hidden identities and old coverups are exposed.
For at least two-thirds of its length, the film is agreeably lighthearted nonsense, with a few genuinely odd details: Jerry's kitchen, for instance, is a paranoiac's dream. Improbabilities and unanswered questions abound, but they're really moot points.
What ``Conspiracy Theory'' is really about is Gibson's talent for charming an audience, and this faux-Hitchcock yarn allows him to play funny, frantic, edgy and infatuated. Though the story abruptly turns serious in the last half-hour, Gibson is continuously charismatic.
Roberts is allotted a few moments to beam her patented smile and even gets a couple of solid freak-out scenes near the end, but she's simply a "special guest star" in Mel's showcase.
Never a terrifically distinctive director, Donner does have a gift for making his stars look dazzling and surrounding them with well-choreographed chaos. He's also extraordinarily self-referential, as he sends Jerry and his pursuers into a revival theater that's presenting ``Ladyhawke,'' that 1985 sword-and-sorcery spectacular directed by, yes, Richard Donner.
James Sanford
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