Review of Columbus Circle (2012) by Keating T — 06 Mar 2012

It's been a long time since I've seen a thriller that gets you tangled and twisted into the plot, and intelligently ties up all the loose ends at the conclusion. There is a mystery behind every main character, and the layers are neatly unraveled once the story develops. Columbus Circle is named after the posh apartment in New York City in which this movie takes place. The story centers around Abigail who keeps to herself and never leaves the apartment complex. It must have been a while since I've seen Blair. She still looks good, but she's far from the girl we all remember as Cecile from Cruel Intentions. It's hard to believe that Blair is almost 40. The bluish, dark, cold, eclectic look and feel of the complex creates the perfect atmosphere for a chilling thriller such as this one. Abigail's peaceful life is interrupted when suspicious a couple played by Amy Smart and Jason Lee move into the apartment where a woman was just murdered. I haven't seen Smart in anything in a while, but she does well in this thriller. I've always seen her in comedic role, so this serious movie does her great justice. Giovanni Ribisi was your typical by the book, level-headed detective. Judging by his dialogue and appearance, it looked like his character was supposed to be older than Ribisi himself. However, his acting potential wasn't exercised enough in this one. I would rather see him in more colorful roles like in Contraband. Jason Lee was okay, but wasn't amazing. Kevin Pollack and Beau Bridges were great in their scenes. Bridges' warm and comforting presence as Abigail's doctor and confidant was the perfect contrast to balance the coldness of the movie as explained before.

I wish there were more thrillers like Columbus Circle that keep you on the edge without overwhelming the audience about the characters' back story or unnecessary scenes that slow down the movie. Not much blood and violence was needed to paint the movie in a dark, sadistic light. The plot was linear from start to finish. The dynamics of the relationship between Abigail and Lillian was well developed in the beginning. As soon as I thought the movie would focus on their friendship ala Lifetime, the plot takes an unpredictable turn that unfolds into a well written story. There will always be those critics who analyze everything and claim they saw what was coming a mile away, but sometimes you must suspend your speculation and enjoy trying to figure everything out in a mystery/thriller. Don't get me wrong, the story is far from original and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put the pieces together. But over analyzing movies like this ruins the big "Oh" moments and enjoyable moments when everything comes to light towards the end.