6/19/2009

Passengers (2008)

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“Isn’t it common for people who are going through this to be disoriented, to be unsure of what he saw, even delusional?”


Therapist Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) is asked to work with the handful of survivors of a commercial airplane crash. She feels strongly that “accurate reconstruction of the events is essential to the healing process.”

Upon visiting the hospital right after the survivors were brought in, she finds Eric Clark (Patrick Wilson) sitting naked on the gurney in a rather euphoric state. Later, in a group therapy session, sans Erik, she talks with descriptive Dean (Ryan Robbins), the cynical, fatalistic and bitter Shannon (Clea DuVall), the stunned Janice (Chelah Horsdale), and the suspicious Norman (Don Thompson), and finds that their accounts of the events vary.

In further contact with Eric outside the group, she discovers that he knows things about her, like how she takes her coffee and that she has a sister, that he otherwise would have no way of knowing. Claire begins exploring the link between post traumatic shock and extrasensory perception.

Norman soon tells Claire that he feels he is being followed by someone from the airline who wants to silence the survivors in an effort to cover-up what really happened to cause the crash. Survivors begin disappearing. Mr. Arkin (David Morse), an airline employee, visits Claire and she becomes certain that a cover-up is in the works.

Others in the cast include Dianne Wiest as Claire’s sweet but nosy neighbor; Andre Braugher as Claire’s advisor Perry; and Andrew Wheeler as the mysterious man.

A most uncommon transcendent thriller. Worth a second viewing to pick up the red herrings.

Directed by Rodrigo Garcia.

Run time: 1 hour, 34 minutes

Rated PG-13

My personal rating: B+

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