Foolproof

Starring:Ryan Reynolds, Kristin Booth, Joris Jarsky, Sean Sullivan (XIV), Tara Slone, Soo Garay, William House, Wai Choy, James Allodi, Mif, Duff MacDonald, David Suchet, David Hewlett, Laura Catalano, Philip Craig, Allen Zarnett, Ho Chow, Leford Lawes
Director: William Phillips (VIII)
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Committing Crime For Dummies
Well Worth Your Time
"We're on a heist with Gilligan"
Entertaining movie, cleaver, funny
Foolproof

Foolproof
Starring: Ryan Reynolds , Kristin Booth , Joris Jarsky , Sean Sullivan (XIV) , and Tara Slone
Director: William Phillips (VIII)
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Finder's Fee
Buying the Cow (Ws Sub)
School of Life
Boltneck
Coming Soon

ASIN: B000127ZC8
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Customer Reviews:

Committing Crime For Dummies.......2007-04-11

You can tell what kind of role Ryan Reynold's is playing by getting a look at his facial hair. Stubble? Beard? Goatee? Why, then he's probably a ruff-n-buff take-no-guff rumbler, perhaps a cop or mercenary do-gooder. Clean shaven with a smarmy grin? Why, then he's probably a fast-talkin' slick-n-sassy womanizer who is struggling with personal demons in spite of his uber-confident exterior.

"Foolproof" is unique, not just because it was the most expensive and most widely released Canadian film for its time, but also because it showcases Reynolds as an enjoyable mix of both of his time-tested cinema personas. He isn't wholly one or the other. In this case, he is Kevin, an insurance claims investigator who, along with his friends Sam (Kristin Booth) and Rob (Joris Jarsky), spend their spare time figuring out "foolproof" plans for daring robberies and bold heists.

They don't ever actually plan to DO any of said robberies/heists; these are just brain exercises, you see, ways to expand the mind and flex one's mental muscles. (And here my idea of stretching the brain is doing crossword puzzles on the john.) Unfortunately, the paperwork on their latest project -- a flawless and meticulously crafted diamond caper -- is stolen and used, with all clues pointing back to them. The culprit, a mobster named Leo, recognizes their skill and coerces them into planning and pulling off one last "foolproof" stunt for him.

It's a caper movie on several levels, since Leo is not only taking advantage of but is also manipulating Kevin and his crew, splintering long-honored trusts, watering doubt where it was sown long ago. Kevin, Sam, and Rob do a good job of getting us to believe they have the brainpower to come up with plans where every base is covered, but Leo introduces a human element that makes "foolproof" seem like a contradiction in terms. People aren't as easy to figure out as locks and security alarm systems.

Reynolds pulls off the balance between his frat boy mugging and tough guy frustration quite well, and he's working alongside some other players that, while maybe not mainstream faces, are just as up for the task. The script and the story don't need much help though; this is a story that sort of tells itself, although the twists at the end -- while plausible and delightful -- might come across as a little ludicrous. Still, when you've got three twenty-somethings with desk jobs whose idea of a fun day off is planning high-profile crimes in elaborate detail, well, words like "ludicrous" don't really play into the equation. It's a fun little film, snarky and slick, fast-paced without snags, and equal measures of smart and silly. It may not be as perfectly executed as Kevin and Co.'s criminal plans, but it is just as rewarding.

Well Worth Your Time.......2006-09-28

If you turned an intelligent writer loose on "The Perfect Score" or "Catch That Kid" to gave these traditional heist pictures some "Enemy of the State" flavor and misdirection (and some good dialogue), you would end up with something like "Foolproof".

There is the super secure vault to be cracked by a team of young male and female nonprofessionals. These folks (just slightly older than those in the other two films) have been playing at being robbers; planning and rehearsing elaborate burglary schemes but stopping short of actually putting their plans into action. But a local hood discovers one of their plans and executes it, then threatens to frame them for the crime unless they assist him in pulling off a $20 Million heist.

This is an $8 Million Canadian production, pretty big money for their film industry and almost all of it makes it onto the screen. It actually has a better look than the $80 Million "Enemy of the State" although they cheat a bit and under light almost every scene. The caper itself is pretty ordinary and obviously overused but the misdirection is very convincing, ironically it works best on those most familiar with the conventions of the genre who trap themselves by focusing in on what they think are plot holes.

The group includes Ryan Reynolds, Kristin Booth, and Joris Jarsky; all Canadian and all unknown to me. Booth looked familiar, like either Tyler Layton or Lindy Booth-who played the airhead student secretary on "Relic Hunter". The latter was somewhat correct-Kristin is Lindy's older sister. In the case of "Foolproof" she was the reason for most of my enjoyment. Reynolds and Jarsky are competent and do all that is required of them but Booth's performance cements everything together. There is no interesting scene or sequence in which she does not have a central part. The DVD is probably the way to go as the deleted scenes actually contain funnier jokes than those that make it into the final cut. The rest of the cast is pretty much of the mediocre quality that you find in this type of film no matter the budget. It's not the sort of challenging film that attracts a really talented actor. Had "Foolproof" starred a big name or had an aggressive marketing campaign it could have caught on and made some money-its better than two thirds of heavily promoted films that do make it to the typical megaplex.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

"We're on a heist with Gilligan".......2006-09-05

Foolproof is a fun little heist film starring a cast of B-level actors. Ryan Reynolds is engaging enough as Kevin, the slick and guileful young mastermind. Together with the sexy and athletic Sam (Kristin Booth) and designated techie Rob (Joris Jarsky), they stage complicated heist scenarios. But they do these merely as challenging exercises. They don't actually go thru with them. That is, until they meet Leo "the Touch" Gillette (David Suchet), a gentlemanly thug who blackmails the gang into breaking in and robbing a high-tech security building's vault of its 20 million dollars in unregistered bonds.

Predictably, various tensions and conflicts arise within the group, and then a change of allegiance throws a spanner in the works. Also complicating matters is a persistent police detective (always cheesily trenchcoated) who's keeping a suspicious eye on Kevin. Will Kevin pull off a foolproof scheme that'll keep himself and his friends out of prison and also turn the tables on Gillette?

The twists and turns here are, of course, preresquisite in a heist movie. However, it was still fun watching the backstabbings and switcheroos, double switcheroos, and false jeopardies. Near the end of the film, my head was spinning a bit and I didn't know whose side some of these characters were actually on. Also fun to watch was the intricate execution of the caper, from step one all the way to its culmination, as the crew utilizes a combination of high and low tech methods and tools in carrying out their plan. Foolproof also contains a dose of low key humor, which is well integrated into the storyline.

Ryan Reynolds, compared to his other more wacky roles, is more subdued here as Kevin, and his charm and screen presence elevate this unpretentious caper flick. David Suchet, who is more well-known for portraying Hercule Poirot and for his lead villain role on Executive Decision, is pretty good as the baddie Leo "the Touch," snaky suave and utterly ruthless. I gotta admit I started crushing a bit on Kristin Booth's character, who is willful, brash, steeped into martial arts, and sexy as all get out. Even though she was a tad cross-eyed.

Running at a fast 94 minutes, this surprisingly entertaining movie is an overlooked Canadian gem. It's almost bare bones in its scenes, with no room for excess fluff. This "don't trust what you see" thriller is gripping and most definitely worth a look.

Entertaining movie, cleaver, funny.......2006-08-13

Turn off the brain, kick back and relax, and let this movie pull you through it. The focus of the story is on 3 college friends who started a hobby of studying a place to break into, and then making a "foolproof" plan to do it, but then never do. The scams are elaborate, thourough, and darn near perfect. They have done it 100's of times, but this last plan gets busted...by a professional thief.

The plot to break into a jewelry wholesale is stolen from the group of three, then used to actually do the robbery. Then the mobster who stole the plan uses it as blackmail to get them to plan out another, even more elaborate scheme to steel 40 million in bonds, with the threat to turn them in for the Jewels.

Ryan Reynolds does not streach in anyway in his acting, and plays the smart, whitty, full of one liners person that he always does. Kristin Booth and Joris Jarsky also make good fits for the other two college buddies, and balance each others characters ot well. This movie is just a fun little movie. If you like action, thrills, and small twists, this this is right up your ally.

Foolproof.......2006-08-05

It was clever and funny. The characters played their parts well and kept a little suspense going throughout the movie.

Average customer rating:

Committing Crime For Dummies
Well Worth Your Time
"We're on a heist with Gilligan"
Entertaining movie, cleaver, funny
Foolproof

Foolproof
Starring: Ryan Reynolds , Kristin Booth , Joris Jarsky , Sean Sullivan (XIV) , and Tara Slone
Director: William Phillips (VIII)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items: