Derailed

[Mattk]

Derailed is a quasi-crime-thriller film about a bloke, Schine (Owen) who meets an enigmatic woman (Jennifer Aniston) on a train. One day, they start a one-night-stand, but are interrupted by a French bloke called LaRoche (Cassel). LaRoche proceeds to extort money from Schine, who starts to go mad. Then there's a twist...

Basically, a very good plot, although with a morally deficient ending. The acting is superb from Owen and Cassel, and Aniston does well to convey her character. The casting of Melissa George as the clueless Mrs Schine is somewhat strange. Granted, she is a good actress breaking out of the soap opera mould (was in Home and Away), but she is 12 years younger than Owen, and a mere 15 years older than the actress who plays their diabetic daughter in the film (who's actually quite good). In all, a solid film; I'd recommend it.

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD!

Schine discovers that LaRoche and Jennifer Aniston, as well as a gangster played by Xzibit, are running a scam. The unwitting men are seduced by Aniston, and LaRoche interrupts them, bashes the man, and pretends to rape Aniston. In the end, Schine exposes them all, a sudden bloodbath erupts, Aniston and Xzibit die. Later, Schine winds up teaching prisoners because he embezzled money to pay LaRoche. LaRoche of course, is in prison, but Schine goes and kills the bloke anyhow, and life supposedly returns to normal.