Review of A Perfect Getaway (2009) by Tyler C — 21 Jun 2010

Play a little game. Count the red herrings. This film loads up with them then slowly digests them. The premise tells us that something bad will happen and a lot of characters are introduced in the first 20 minutes to keep you guessing.

The question of the day is "how well do you really know people?" and you are constantly reminded of it. Half way in you get a sense that the main characters might be the killers, and that's part of the problem.

It comes way too late. The main characters end up talking to each other for the sake of the audience, not the story, to keep us confused. I have to say that's a pretty lazy and manipulative trick and I felt cheated because of it.

Then there's the flashback sequence that clears everything up for us, since the writer thinks we're all stupid and don't get it. I know something's wrong and I understand the twist. There's no need to try and build up sympathy for the "new" victims who have been portrayed as the killers for more than three-quarters of the film.

Explaining it isn't necessary. But they do explain it and it grinds the film to a halt.