What’s It About

A criminal plans to fake his death for insurance money while framing his wife’s lover. His wife plots to kill him for real and take it all. Both race to outmanoeuvre each other in a deadly battle of wits.

MOVIESinMO REVIEW

The film “Just Play Dead” opens to troubles, right from the introduction of Samuel L. Jackson with his character’s odd gray ponytail. The scene makes us think that the movie is going to be a serious one, but later we know that this film will not be one to take seriously. The opening scene of the movie shows Jack Wolfe (Jackson) poisoning one of his business colleagues, who just warned him that the feds are closing in on him. The scene does want to show us how cruel Jack is, but this type of scene is used in too many different movies already. Jack, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is a successful businessman who built his fortune through criminal businesses. He enjoys life in the Canary Islands with his wife Nora (Eva Green). Instead of going to jail, Jack wants to fake his own death and collect $30 million in insurance money. Seems like Nora ain’t all about loyalty and sharing things. She’s got two fellas juggling her life while she’s still wed, a detective who’s fallen head over heels for her and a surfer dude named Chad, whom she plays like a puppet. Instead of receiving half the amount of money from the insurance company, she wants it all, with her husband also gone. To make it come through, she turns a fake murder into a real one, making it look like Chad is behind it. Jack, however, is smarter than it looks. He finds out what his wife does behind his back and keeps himself ahead of her by developing a plan similar to the one planned by Nora. Even the premise of two devious partners trying to pull one over on each other should create a suspenseful tale; yet when Martin Campbell, who has made several truly great films before, like Casino Royale and GoldenEye, directs the movie, we’re left wondering where the excitement went. He uses way too many flashbacks and jumbled-up chronological events. By the time of the last act, viewers may be so exhausted by the constant scheming that they’d miss the plot twists. It seems that the screenplay was kept in the drawer for at least twenty years before anyone brought it to life; it is not surprising since it is based on a really old novel and its ancient beauty doesn’t really work anymore. The bigger disappointment is with what the film does to two performers who clearly deserve more. Jackson and Green are both capable of anchoring a movie like this, yet the script gives them almost nothing real to work with. Jackson plays Jack as smooth and unbothered, but the character never becomes threatening or complicated enough to leave a mark, and Jackson often seems to be coasting through the role rather than committing to it. Green fares no better. She has spent years perfecting dangerous, seductive characters, but her version of Nora reads as weary rather than menacing. The screenplay provides her with the alluring characterization of a femme fatale, but without real substance to back it up. Neither actress is given any significant depth in the story; they largely occupy and manipulate the screen, which is just part of what makes this movie feel like a big waste of time. The supporting characters face the same predicament. A police partner who sounds the alarm to the detective about Nora, a hitman who claims to know where every body is buried, and a former cop turned nun only get a brief moment on screen. None are fleshed out enough to make a mark, so their presence just adds noise to the film rather than significance. Dan Gordon’s screenplay makes things worse with its lack of respect for the audience. Characters state their intentions over and over in hopes that maybe it might help people comprehend what was already clear. The film makes everything so obvious that all the twists lose their surprise. A movie with many twists and turns can only be successful if it has a plot that is easy to follow, and although the movie does provide various explanations in an attempt to clarify the story, it still ends up being confusing. However, it has to be said that one aspect of the movie that stood out was the location. The Canary Islands have been filmed brilliantly, showcasing its great weather and appealing look. Nevertheless, due to the weak storyline and poorly developed characters, the good visual representation isn’t enough to save the plot, which is really poorly executed. The film undoubtedly had an interesting idea that could have been successfully developed into a great story  struggles with the husband who is unfaithful and his wife who is resentful, and whose lives are entangled with those of the people they manipulate. By the end of “Just Play Dead,” I was more upset than amused. Although the actors performed well, the movie didn’t provide them with an opportunity to display their talent and, therefore, watching them was boring. If you still need help deciding whether to watch this movie or not, just play dead.

OUR RATING – A RAZZIE-WINNING 3