Review of Safe House (2012) by Whereis R — 12 Jan 2013

A surprisingly taut thriller, Safe House does not break any new ground in terms of storytelling, but it hangs together so well it makes it easy to overlook that. fact. Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds make a great pairing as the two leads, Reynolds as a rookie CIA agent ever-tasked with the upkeep of government safe houses, and Washington as a rogue ex-agent who is high on the government's most wanted list for selling government intel for money.

When Tobin Frost (Washington) is brought into the safe house where Weston (Reynolds) is stationed and promptly escapes, Weston realizes he is the only one left to bring him in, and sees it as more than a responsibility, but as a chance to move up in the ranking.

Their performances are very strong, and the film's commitment to its measured pacing and serious tone keep it interesting throughout, with some thrilling action scenes to sweeten the pot. Unfortunately, it cannot commit to an ambiguous ending that would have been nearly perfect, and its tacked on final two minutes feel a bit too neat for a film that otherwise embraces its grittiness.