'Perfect Stranger' less than perfect
By Taryn Lentes, Staff Writer
April 28, 2007 | 11:12 a.m.
The problem with most psychological thrillers is that they rely more on clichés then creativity. How can such ridiculous plot twists not have audiences on the edge of their seats? Because they’ve seen it all before.
“Perfect Stranger” is just one film in a long line of Hollywood movies that falls into this trap. It can be hard to detect because the movie may have a very exciting pace at first, but the viewer slowly begins to realize that the “plot twists” being employed are really just re-worked standbys from thrillers of the past. Add shallow, unsympathetic characters, shameless product placement and, at times, awkward dialogue, and you have a less-than-perfect viewing experience.
“Perfect Stranger” centers around Rowena Price (Halle Barry), an investigative reporter who is sure she could get the big scoop if only “the man” would let her. Much of the movie banks on the fact that Rowena is supposed to be a spunky heroine, but someone should inform the people behind this film that there is a major difference between a great character and a character the audience is repeatedly told is great. Ro, as she is affectionately referred to by her fellow characters, is about to publish a story exposing a conservative senator’s gay fling with an intern. Sound familiar? The story is squashed, however, by the powers that be, giving Ro an excuse not only to quit her job, but to give a long, indignant speech about journalistic integrity. Of course, the impact is somewhat lessened when the viewer remembers she is giving this speech in a bar, she’s trashed and she’s just spent the last five minutes flirting with one of her co-workers -- none of which illustrate her professionalism. This is the type of contradiction that is annoyingly common in “Perfect Stranger.” To make matters worse, Ro’s journalistic techniques seem limited to writing under a man’s name and putting on slinky dresses to entice potential sources. So, according to “Perfect Stranger,” a woman has to use a man’s name to be taken seriously, but show a little (or a lot of) of cleavage to really get things done.
Once Ro has that out of the way, she promptly runs into a childhood friend while boarding the subway. Her friend hands her a folder of sexual e-mails she exchanged with famous ad executive Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis), shortly before winding up murdered. What’s a recently-out-of-work journalist to do? Set up her own undercover sting operation on Hill, of course.
With the help of her tech-savvy sidekick, Miles (Giovanni Ribisi), Ro gets a job at Hill’s company as “Katherine,” the temp. A few hundred ridiculous plot twists later and the story seems nicely wrapped up. However, the savvy audience member isn’t fooled. After all, there are still ten minutes left in the movie and surely all those flashbacks to Ro’s childhood weren’t for nothing. So the “surprise” ending isn’t exactly a surprise. The viewer may not know exactly what is coming, but the formulaic ending is entirely predictable and leaves a lot to be desired.
"Perfect Stranger" counts on its big stars to carry the predictable pattern of the movie’s plot. Sadly, both Berry and Willis fall flat, and the only likeable character is Ribisi’s stalkerish turn as Berry’s friend. At most, this movie could be an entertaining one-time experience, if the viewer is looking for thrills that attempt to seem deeper and more complex than they actually are. Once the ending is finally revealed, few will find reason to get to know the “Perfect Stranger” ever again.
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Speakeasy rating: C-
Running time: 1 hr. 49 mins.
Rating: for sexual content, nudity, some disturbing violent images and language
Genre: Thriller/Drama