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Domestic Disturbance

Domestic Disturbance

List Price: $14.99
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Star-Struck Mystery Thriller!
Review: This is only a passable action thriller that works along the genre and succeeds more on the basis of star power than on any kind of logical or believable plot. John Travolta has so much screen charisma he can make even this somewhat disjointed script work as he threads his way through the mixed motives and misleading signals coming from his ex-wife, his pre-adolescent son, and his son's new step father, who the son claims he saw commit murder. Add into this mix the economic struggle and romantic troubles Travolta has diverting him (since he is a boat builder with more heart than business sense and a girl friend who has a lot of insecurity issues to deal with), and away we go into a muddled and mediocre plot line that only a star like Travolta can rescue us from.

And rescue us he does, if only belatedly, for no one turns forceful and violent with more verve and purpose than a switched on Travolta, and he has moments of true movie magic and he starts to deliver on being the kind of worst nightmare he has promised the step father he could become if provoked. Of course, it takes a world class jerk to not recognize the trouble to come, and Vince Vaughn steps up to deliver the kind of raw, believable performance that makes the viewer yearn for the eventual come-uppance. Steve Buscemi is also appropriately devilish in his role as the ex-con friend of the step father. There are some twists and turns to the plot that are not especially convincing, but here the story is hardly the thing to watch. Instead, focus on Travolta and his portrayal of an otherwise gentle and compassionate man suddenly, finally giving in to his pent-up anger and growing rage.

Older viewers may be reminded of what I would call the 'Billy Jack' syndrome, that is, a portrayal of a man all too capable and comfortable with violence who is desperately trying to keep himself on a short leash both for his own sanity's sake and for the benefit of others, until that fateful moment that someone triggers his anger and cuts the leash, and his will to resist just snaps. As with Billy Jack it happens again and again, but here it happens only meaningfully later in the film, when Travolta's character finally snaps. When it does finally happen the screen goes electric, and the last twenty minutes or so are great to experience. Travolta needs to do more of these kinds of thrillers, although hopefully he will have better material to work with in future projects. Heck, I still hope to see him do more movies like the incredible 'Phenomenon' of a few years back. Enjoy!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Disturbing Enough!
Review: Domestic Disturbance is a well done thriller, Period. I liked John Travolta's charactor, I liked Vince Vaughn's charactor equally. Both have the ability to be "realistic". This movie does have a "predicable" plot ,but so was Fatal Attraction. I loved this movie because of how your emotions are glued to the screen as example for how you feel about the son and his troubles, and how you want the Dad(Travolta) to save the day and how your angry/scared of the step dad (Vaughn). It has the elements to be a great movie!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Some good scary parts in a very standard plot
Review: I'm really tempted to trash this and say to just see the trailer, as it basically tells you the whole plot. I'm really sick of Hollywood doing this. "What Lies Beneath"'s trailer also did this even worse, and you can practically write the review from the preview.

But I'll give the movie a shot on it's own, and it squeaks by with *** (barely). It tells the story of a broken up family, where John Travolta lives separately from his ex-wife and teenage son. The ex-wife gets married to Vince Vaughn, who, while seemingly trying to put together a good life, has a past he can't quite escape. When the son witnesses some very nasty behavior from Vaughn, he seemingly has nobody that believes him, at least for awhile.

What I liked most about it was the genuinely scary situation the young son is put in throughout the movie. The first is where he sees the first act of very nasty behavior. Put yourself in the situation, which involves a furnace, and you feel for the kid. As scary is the fact that he has to live with Vaughn when Vaughn finds out that the kid knows about him. To be helpless in a situation where your life is in real danger is the best part of the movie.

I also liked the acting of the three adult male leads (Travolta, Vaughn, and Steve Buscemi). But where it gets ordinary is what I call the "Unlawful Entry" syndrome. In that movie, and you can probably pick a dozen more, Kurt Russell approaches his problems with Ray Liotta by doing a bunch of emotional, dumb things that only hurt his cause. In this movie, Travolta, once on the side of his son, commits a daylight kidnapping of the son, which also involves an assault committed by him. He also shows up drunk at formal dinner attended by Vaughn's new family which also works against him.

Then you add that of course the police don't believe the boy, and stop short of conducting a forensics test that would have vindicated him. Then you add the "James Bond Syndrome", where the villian doesn't seem to think it's important to make sure the good guy is dead before leaving the attempted murder scene, you have a plot that becomes ordinary, when it could have been better. The final inevitable confrontation between Vaughn and Travolta is a well done physical fight, but again it ends with plain dumb luck.

Good to see once.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not Disturbing At All
Review: Domestic Disturbance was a superb movie. It was an edge of your seat sort of thing, and the actors/actresses did perfect performances. John Travolta was one of those actors. It was a story about a boy who witnesses his stepdad commit a murder, but no one will believe him except his father because he usually lies all the time. It is perfect! The plot was awesome, and I really think this movie deserved five stars. Anyone that likes good movies, should see this film. It was an exciting movie that everyone will love.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The acting saved it
Review: This movie seems too much like a movie of the week on tv but it is still good. Vince Vaughn does a great job but Travolta, while good, is just a blip in this movie...not enough screen time. The cops don't seem to be based in the real world at all. Good movie to rent but I would hate to pay ... in the theater just to see an 89 minute movie.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: this WAS HORRID
Review: yea the acting was pretty good, BUT i have to say that the Story was so [bad]...what are these writers THINKING...when they even publish these stories..i don't know who's lamer, the writers or the people actually putting these stories into movies.....i mean comm'on....MOST movies in the present have rehashed stories....i'm tired of all the similar boring stories..why can't people be more original...

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Make sure you know who you are dealing with....
Review: This is a good flick. Travolta finally plays the good guy. He even does a halfway decent job. He is much better as the villain though.

I didn't like the story too much. Being a family man, domestic violence does not sit well with me. Anyway, it's not bad. There are times that it becomes predicatable, but that is still ok. As expected, you root for the good guy. As with most suspense films, you are constantly telling the characters "to look over their shoulders, the bad guy is right behind you...."

Not a keeper, but worth viewing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: GOOD THRILLER!
Review: This is a good edge-of-your seat thriller. It's short-and-to-the-point story keeps you glued even though it is a tad-bit cliched! Travolta and Vaughn give their best performances in this film, which is sure to become a classic! Grade: A

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Awesome Movie
Review: this movie is awesome choice if you like thrillers this movie is very suspensful indeed. it is a out of your seat thriller

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: See it for Vaughn & Buscemi!
Review: If films have been a regular part of your life, you've probably seen this film before - on TV, in the theater, or in a cheap book. Viewing the trailer will give you an idea (okay, it'll give you the whole movie); however, I wouldn't discount this film entirely. Sure, we can put down the obvious: the plot is tired, the ending predictable, the silly lines. But other films like this don't have Steve Buscemi!

The only saving grace of this film is the acting. Despite John Travolta's cookie cutter role - the "harm my son and I'll kill you" lines, for example - he turns in a rather credible performance as a caring father. Given the one-dimensional characters, I think he managed to give the role some depth (as much as possible, anyway). Vince Vaughn is always on target; an inherent eeriness just emanates from this guy, and it's not only due to the customary I'm-going-to-glare-at-people-and-do-my-I'm-a-murderer-pose. Buscemi should have had more lines (he had the best one in the film).

But who edited this film? It lasted only 88 minutes, definitely not enough time to develop the story. The film starts off well enough, but then makes a hasty beeline to the ending. See it if you want a cheap thrill or two (and nothing more); see it if you want to watch a little bit of brilliance (Buscemi and Vaughn) in a very mediocre work. It's worth a rental, not a movie ticket.


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