Rating: 
Summary: sometimes they really are after you
Review: Great movie! Mel Gibson plays the part of Jerry Fletcher, a paranoid taxi driver that sees conspiracy theories all over the place. Julie Roberts plays Alice Sutton whose father had been killed by an unknown assailant, who she is still trying to find. She is a working official in the D.A.s office (I think) and Jerry is infatuated with her. He once saved her and ever since then he has kinda stalked her. As I said before, he sees conspiracy theories all over the place and one day he brings one to Julia asking her to get the information he has found to the President, and of course, it goes in one ear and out the other with the attitude of "oh sure". He sends his little newsletter to a few people who have subscribed to it and then enter Dr. Jonas and his goons. He gets kidnapped, then, hurt, escapes to find Alice, ends up in the hospital, escapes that with Julia's help and then it really gets interesting! With everything that has gone on during the last few years, it makes for a more believable movie than ever. The acting was great and of course it wouldn't be complete without the touch of romance included. Very enjoyable!
Rating:
Summary: Conspiracy Theory - An extremely well made film!
Review: I would definitely have to say that "Conspiracy Theory" is one of my favorite films of all times. The overall premise, pacing and the performances given by the actors lends heavily to this opinion. The one intriguing yet very strange thing about this movie is seeing Patrick Stewart playing the bad guy. After years and years of parts in which he is generally one of the good guys and then of course, his role as Captain Jean Luc Picard on Star Trek The Next Generation solidified his status as the "ultimate" good guy, it's very difficult to see him on the wrong side of the script. As usual though, his performance is as top notch as it is in any project he immerses himself. Mel Gibson's performance as Jerry Fletcher in this film is quite a show. Just imagine his demeanor as Riggs from the "Lethal Weapon" movies and "crazy" it up a few notches and you have Mel Gibson as Jerry Fletcher, an Oscar caliber performance unrewarded. What can one say about Julia Roberts; she does her thing in this film and it works very well. That's the one strange thing about Julia Roberts, in most of her films, you don't see a very drastic difference in her performances, she pretty much does the same thing film for "most" of her films and they keep on being box office hits. As testament to the quality of this film, one only needs to look at the name of the director which is Richard Donner. For many years now, Richard Donner has directed some of the most successful television shows and films ever produced such as; "Gilligan's Island," "The Rifleman," "Superman" the movie in 1978 and all four of the "Lethal Weapon" movies, hence Mel Gibson's casting in the lead role of "Conspiracy Theory." Needless to say, if you see his name as the director of a new film, it will definitely be worth your time to watch. The Premise: Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson) is an extremely neurotic cab driver in New York City. Very early in the film, you'll see that he appears to be obsessed with a lawyer by the name of Alice Sutton (Julia Roberts). As the title of the movie suggests, Jerry sees conspiracies every where and despite telling everybody about it to include Alice, nobody seems to believe him and he doesn't even appear to believe himself until Dr. Jonas and his crew steps in and abducts him... What follows from there is clearly one of Mel Gibson's best films that I've found to be quite enjoyable over several different viewings as this film is quite well worth multiple viewings. I highly recommend this film to any and all who are interested in films from this genre of action/adventure and mystery. {ssintrepid} Special Features: This is the only downside to this DVD version, a serious lack of special features. -Production Notes
-Theatrical Trailer
Rating:
Summary: Patrick Stewart - evil?
Review: I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this movie. When it hit theaters I wasn't interested in seeing it and only saw it recently. Being a huge Star Trek: The Next Generation fan, it was a cheap thrill to know that Patrick Stewart would be in this film... and he proves what an incredible actor he is. His character (Jonas) is so evil, you want him to just die, already! Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson) is a cab driver in New York City. He is a nutty but harmless (or is he?) conspiracy theory junkie. He has all sorts of theories about crop circles, crime, government control, you name it. He is sure that people are out to kill him, so he always sets up an elaborate escape plan and sets booby traps everywhere in his slum apartment. Jerry is unexplicably obsessed with Alice Sutton (Julia Roberts), who is an attorney with the Department of Justice. He continues to stalk her and tries continuously to contact her to espouse his latest theories. Alice feels sorry for Jerry and thinks of him as a sometimes annoying, but caring, sweet, lonely man who is a little touched in the head. Jerry has a self-published newsletter he sends out to a whopping 5 subscribers. As a number of them start mysteriously dying one by one, Alice suddenly starts to believe there is more to Jerry than just being a nutty cab driver. Those who couldn't stomach "The Marathon Man" may have trouble seeing similar torture scenes at the hands of Jonas, but they are brief in comparison. The film is a total thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. The plot was so well thought-out, that while you're watching in suspense, you don't find yourself saying, "that's ridiculous!"
Rating: 
Summary: In Theory
Review: Director Richard Donner and actor Mel Gibson have such a good time making movies together, that it spreads to the other cast and crew, which in turn makes the film better than it would be otherwise. Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson), a New York City cab driver, sees conspiracies and sinister plots all around him in even the most ordinary of places. He is sure that these people know that he is on to them and that his life is in danger. Soon, those way-out beliefs cause Jerry to stumble on a plot involving a Government funded program using mind control. Alice Sutton, (Julia Roberts) is a Justice Department Attorney, and is assigned to investigate these claims. She teams up with Jerry to expose the evil plans of Jonas (Patrick Stewart). The plot of Conspiracy Therory was concocted by Brian Helgeland (of LA Confidential and A Knight's Tale fame) and its holes are made non consequential, thanks to Gibson's kooky performance and his chemistry with Roberts. Gibson helps draw you in and care about Jerry, no matter what's going on with the plot. It's also nice to see Stewart get a little nasty and prove the he can work outside of space or period pieces. Donner's knack for infusing humor and action in his films shines here as well. While the film benefits from talent, both in front of and behind the camera, the DVD loses points, for some shabby extras.
Production notes and the film's theatrical trailer are all you get. An audio commentary, or perhaps a few deleted scenes would have helped make it a bit better...Viewers can choose to watch the film in either the fullscreen or widescreen formats. As long as you don't try to over think the plot, you will enjoy yourself, Conspiracy Theory is worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: Conspiracy Theory - ****1/2 Stars
Review: As a cab driver who is compelled to tell every passenger of his numerous conspiracy theories, from covert black helicopters to earthquake weapons in space to the real reason why the government puts fluoride in the water, Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson) seems on the surface to be just another frenetically eccentric element of New York's urban landscape. But there's a sense of urgency behind his obsession, and it seems to be tied into fragmented hallucinations that plague him. "It's on the tip of my brain," he often exclaims, heartbreakingly frustrated by his inability to recall that which is at the center of his paranoia.
His one (reluctant) confidante is Alice Sutton (Julia Roberts), an employee of the Justice Department who has some of her own ghosts to haunt her. Jerry constantly bursts into her office to inform her of the latest conspiracy he thinks he's uncovered through his rigorous analysis of newspaper stories, which he meticulously cross-references to reveal imagined connections. Alice listens out of compassion, but doesn't believe a word of his wild stories. But, when some of his theories prove to be true, not even Jerry's most farfetched speculation could prepare him for the magnitude and danger of the plot he's stumbled upon. After publishing his hypotheses in a typewritten newsletter he produces, he finds his life endangered by the people he's inadvertently exposed (albeit only to his five subscribers, all of whom are murdered within 24 hours).
Gibson is admirably up to the task of portraying the complexly layered character of Jerry, who is alternately tragic, hilarious, ingenious and heroic. Roberts is both strong and sympathetic as her character wrestles with conflicting emotions and instincts. As the malevolent Dr. Jonas, Patrick Stewart exudes pure cold evil. But several backstory elements could have been explained more clearly, and a more fully elucidated exposition of the truth would have increased the narrative's implications and thereby its tension. Still, even at two hours and 15 minutes, "Conspiracy Theory" is fast-paced and exciting, effectively mixing drama, comedy, ingenuity, suspense, revelation and a heartening sense of a triumph of humanity.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Fun Film
Review: My title pretty much says it all, but I will elaborate. Mel Gibson plays a crazy (in a quirky way) conspiracy theorist who happens to be right about one of his theories. This leads to a whole web of intrigue involving the death of Alice Sutton's (a Justice Department employee/object of Gibson's affection played by Roberts) father, brainwashed assassins, black helicopters, and more. The many "chase" scenes where Mel must run from the spooks are thrilling and fresh. They didn't just rely on the old cliche's you've seen millions of times. During the finale, when the mystery is finally revealed to you, and all the action reaches it's climax, you'll be falling off the edge of your seat, I DARE you not to! The final scene I think is one of the best in the movie I think, if not certainly the most emotional. Anyone who's been forced to give up someone they love for any reason will agree with me I'm sure.
Yeah this movie didn't win any awards, and frankly didn't deserve any, but it was FUN and it ENTERTAINED, and those are the first responsibilities of any movie and accomplishing that is worthy of praise. Go buy it, you won't regret it.
Rating: 
Summary: A romantic comedy for the 90's
Review: Forgive me, but I liked this movie. I was seduced, I guess, because objectively speaking this is just your usual phony thriller, with chase scenes beginning in the first reel and continuing throughout, with the little guy as hero, and a convoluted plot worthy of a wanna-be thriller writer retired from the CIA. Mel Gibson plays a New York City cabby addicted to conspiracy theories, but (of course) it turns out that "just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." And boy are they ever! I felt every second that this was a stretch for Gibson, yet I think he almost made it. I admire his ability and his supreme confidence that he can play anybody. (He didn't do a bad job as Hamlet.) But here I think he is just too handsome and balanced and just too, too normal looking to make us believe he is a paranoid stalker. I mean, how many women would be worried if Mel Gibson was stalking them? Still the plot, properly understood, allows for a normal man to end up in his situation since he was brainwashed and drugged. Julia Roberts as a justice department lawyer is beautiful beyond any telling of it, and she does have a face for the silver screen like no other. Hollywood, as Norma Desmond told us, is about faces, and director Richard Donner had the very good sense to put the camera tight, very tight, on Julia Roberts' face as often as possible and keep it there. She is especially good at projecting a wide range of emotions, including love, without saying a word, and I would say that is what has made her the great star that she is. Her face is so sexy that the five-second scene where she hops out of bed in her loose-fitting pajamas was pure eroticism. There are a number of clever bits in the movie, including our paranoid hero keeping his food locked in canisters in a locked refrigerator. I also liked the part where Roberts gains entrance by telling the hospital orderly that she is with the Treasury Department, and for ID hands him a hundred-dollar bill, allowing him to quip, "This IS from the Treasury Department." Good too was Gibson caught by a network hook-up to a price scanner at the book store compulsively buying a copy of Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye." (Shades of a future when, through the Web, our every purchase will be known to whoever cares.) With Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts as the stars, the subplot has got to be romantic, and it is. In this sense the movie is as silly as Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn ever got, and just as satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Tom Atoe
Review: Conspiarcy theory is one of those movies that makes you stop and wonder what if? I loved all the twists and turns throught the story line. The acting was superb, Mel Gibson really accuratly protrayed a crazy man. If you dont pay attention for 2 minutes you'll be lost for the rest of the movie. I didnt completely understand the moviw untill the second or third time I saw it. Once you really get what it is saying you'll love it. In short it was excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Conspiracy Theory - An extremely well made film!
Review: I would definitely have to say that "Conspiracy Theory" is one of my favorite films of all times. The overall premise, pacing and the performances given by the actors lends heavily to this opinion. The one intriguing yet very strange thing about this movie is seeing Patrick Stewart playing the bad guy. After years and years of parts in which he is generally one of the good guys and then of course, his role as Captain Jean Luc Picard on Star Trek The Next Generation solidified his status as the "ultimate" good guy, it's very difficult to see him on the wrong side of the script. As usual though, his performance is as top notch as it is in any project he immerses himself. Mel Gibson's performance as Jerry Fletcher in this film is quite a show. Just imagine his demeanor as Riggs from the "Lethal Weapon" movies and "crazy" it up a few notches and you have Mel Gibson as Jerry Fletcher, an Oscar caliber performance unrewarded. What can one say about Julia Roberts; she does her thing in this film and it works very well. That's the one strange thing about Julia Roberts, in most of her films, you don't see a very drastic difference in her performances, she pretty much does the same thing film for "most" of her films and they keep on being box office hits. As testament to the quality of this film, one only needs to look at the name of the director which is Richard Donner. For many years now, Richard Donner has directed some of the most successful television shows and films ever produced such as; "Gilligan's Island," "The Rifleman," "Superman" the movie in 1978 and all four of the "Lethal Weapon" movies, hence Mel Gibson's casting in the lead role of "Conspiracy Theory." Needless to say, if you see his name as the director of a new film, it will definitely be worth your time to watch. The Premise: Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson) is an extremely neurotic cab driver in New York City. Very early in the film, you'll see that he appears to be obsessed with a lawyer by the name of Alice Sutton (Julia Roberts). As the title of the movie suggests, Jerry sees conspiracies every where and despite telling everybody about it to include Alice, nobody seems to believe him and he doesn't even appear to believe himself until Dr. Jonas and his crew steps in and abducts him... What follows from there is clearly one of Mel Gibson's best films that I've found to be quite enjoyable over several different viewings as this film is quite well worth multiple viewings. I highly recommend this film to any and all who are interested in films from this genre of action/adventure and mystery. {ssintrepid} Special Features: This is the only downside to this DVD version, a serious lack of special features. -Production Notes
-Theatrical Trailer
Rating:
Summary: Deserves even more than five stars.
Review: This is one of the most under-appreciated movies ever made. It has everything - relentless suspense, surprising humor, and even a subplot that highlights an endearing - and chaste - love story (which in itself is a miracle these days). Mel Gibson's performance is amazing (he should have been nominated for an Oscar), and Julia Roberts is simply perfect. It's a film that gets better every time you watch it. It's a MUST for your movie library. If you don't believe me now, you will some day.
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