CONSPIRACY THEORY -- a movie review by Justin K. Siegel
Scenario: Alice Sutton (Julia Roberts) walks into the office of one Henry Finsch, a man who she needs to get in contact with due to the fact that his life may be in danger.
"He'll be with you in a moment," his secretary says.
Then I, Justin K. Siegel, viewer, turn to my viewing companion and whisper, "it's the guy with the nose."
She tells me to shut up and watch the movie.
It _is_ the guy with the nose.
Predictability is often frowned upon by movie critics and civilians who like to think they're movie critics, but in a lot of cases, CONSPIRACY THEORY being one of them, predictability can can be a welcome thing.
Mel Gibson plays Jerry Fletcher, a freaked-out cab-sriver who publishes a quarterly newsletter entitled "Conspiracy Thery." In it, he includes newspaper clippings and his beliefs on everything from flouride in drinking water ("It turns you into a robot unable of creativity or free thought") to the cinema of Oliver Stone ("do you think he'd still be alive, knowing what he knows, if he weren't working for them?"). It is safe to say that Jerry _is_ a wild and crazy guy.
He is also stalking Alice Sutton, a lawyer whose father was murdered about six months ago. Jerry, I don't think, is in love with her per se, but the conspiracy surrounding her father's death. She should hate him, but something draws her to him. It could have something to do with the fact that he looks like Mel Gibson.
When Mel prints something in his newsletter that has a slight ring of truth to it, the aforementioned "guy with the nose" (Patrick Stewart, from "ST:TNG") kidnaps him, drugs him and almost gets him murdered. He is called the guy with the nose because Jerry, in the process of defending himself, bites this guy's nose off.
Now, I would be lying if I said I fully comprehended the gist of this film, but I understood enough to know I liked it. My viewing companion, in fact, believes that Mel Gibson should be nominated for Best Actor for his performance. I tended to disagree, as Peter Fonda's heartbreaking turn in ULEE'S GOLD is still too fresh in my mind, but who knows what I'll think come next Febuary when the nominations are handed out? Not me.
I do know one thing, though: I'm tired...
B- (report card) 7 (out of 10) *** (****)
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