“It’s the new me!”
After watching Grown Ups earlier this evening, which cleansed my palette the way I was hoping it would, I’m back to wanting to watch something more serious again. Source Code isn’t something I’d normally pick but it stars an actor I love and it’s only 90 minutes so I’m along for the ride tonight.
Man, I had a blast (no pun intended) with this movie. I can’t believe I haven’t heard more about it. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t exactly the most innovative idea and the execution of it I’m sure borrows bits and pieces from other stories in text and on screen but that doesn’t mean that this iteration isn’t well done. I don’t think Source Code pulls at the heartstrings the way it’s trying to but that’s no problem when in an almost Nolan way it makes you think about things almost too surreal to be possible. I’m not saying this is on par with a Chris Nolan story but the bedrock is there for good stuff. For example, every time Stevens was on the train I kept imagining the loss of these people who seem so alive. What felt like hundreds of people, more and more as he pressed on into the train, doing everyday things without knowing the fate that was minutes away from them. Or even the idea of Stevens' actual condition, how broken his body is but how useful his brain is. I’ll never forget seeing him in his life support unit for the first time, the shock and the sadness that hit me looking at this section of a man fighting for life. I suppose that’s a great analogy for what he was tasked with doing. The concept of the source code itself was interesting enough but I do wish there was maybe twenty more minutes of movie just for the suspense of finding the bomber to build. I know it’s actually not the most relevant part of the movie, but it was interesting to see him navigate the eight minutes once he got more comfortable and familiar with it. The ending is fine but in my ideal version of this movie, it ends the way it does on the train. That’s alright, I’ll give that a pass. I really liked Source Code. Like I said, I’m under no illusion that this is the one and only movie with this idea. That just doesn’t matter though, does it? It’s well done and I liked the characters, that’s what matters.
It makes me happy to know that this movie was rewarded at the box office. It fully deserves it. Duncan Jones got my attention, even though I see he hasn’t necessarily done a ton since. I’m going to repeat something I’ve said already but Source Code is a well made movie, and I think that should be met with success from the audience. Aside from the obvious of Jake Gyllenhaal and a startling young and different looking Jeffrey Wright, I wasn’t familiar with anyone in Source Code from an acting perspective. I did absolutely know Russell Peters though and I laughed at loud the first time I saw him on the train. He definitely looked like a comedian trying to be an actor but I still liked him in the movie. Funny enough, other than Gyllenhaal my favorite performance in the movie came from Vera Farmiga. Even though her role was small it was a really important role to get right, and she nailed it. The special effects were the worst part of the movie by far, and when I say that I’m basically only talking about the explosions. They couldn’t have looked cheesier. That’s a big issue where a core repeating event is an explosion. It’s the only glaring problem with the entire movie in my opinion. You could say the dialogue isn’t the best thing ever and I’d agree with you but it’s perfectly serviceable. The score, which I find to be generic as hell in these kinds of action movies the overwhelming majority of the time, was unique and reminded me of something from a 50’s action film. It has a more old school tone to it that I liked a bunch.
Overall, Source Code is a super solid 90 minute action movie. I loved my short time with it and I would be down to watch it again soon if I could get the 4k for a good price. Cool to add another Gyllenhaal performance too.
Also, Stevens just shaking his head disapprovingly as he heard he died was funny as shit.
