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Out of Time (2003)

Rate: 4
Viewed: 3/04, 2/15

OutOf
2/15: Carl Franklin and Denzel Washington team up for another mystery thriller in Out of Time.

Although Denzel Washington is at his best as Chief of Police Matthias which is similar to what he took on in The Mighty Quinn, everybody else, except for John Billingsley who plays Chae, is underwhelming. It's Eva Mendes and Dean Cain who have no business being in the film.

Eva Mendes has nonexistent acting talent, shows zero credibility as a detective, fails to demonstrate any modicum of chemistry with Denzel Washington, and acts like a total stranger for a wife. In short, she's a Latin bimbo who's merely there for eye candy. Dean Cain, who sports the ugliest looking goatee I've seen, is at best a TV actor.

As for the story which focuses on complications that arise from the insurance fraud scheme, Matthias' handling of the case is 100% illegal which involves evidence tampering. That's why it's difficult to sympathize with him because he's the one who started the mess and is therefore guilty. Furthermore, it's hard to believe Matthias will get away with it by the time the prosecution's office has finished gathering the evidence and putting the theory together.

As soon as the main instigator of the insurance fraud is revealed, the film immediately loses credibility because Matthias is a good-looking guy and she's a good-looking woman; it makes no sense for her to go that far. On the other hand, no reasons are proffered as to what led to the imminent divorce between Matthias and his wife. Was he unfaithful to her? I'll never know.

Meanwhile, the Florida cinematography is nice and tasteful. It makes me want to visit or perhaps move to there. That should've been utilized more to give the film a much needed noir ambience just like what it did for Body Heat and Wild Things.

All in all, Denzel Washington may want to rethink about which film to spend time on and who to work with because his talent is too good to waste.