Review of Self/less (2015) by Patrick L — 19 Aug 2015

"This movie is help/less, hope/less and original/less".

Movie Review: Self/Less.

Date Viewed: July 13 2015.

Directed By Tarsem Singh (The Cell, Immortals and Mirror Mirror).

Written By David Pastor and Alex Pastor.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Ben Kingsley, Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Victor Garber, Natalie Martinez and Derek Luke.

What is happening to Ryan Reynolds? Is finding a good movie hopeless for you now? Despite the fact that he's healthy and in good shape, I don't think he will reach his Bradley Cooper moment any time soon. "Self/Less" in an original/less sci-fi movie that could've been labeled as a remake of "Seconds", the 1966 cult classic which starred Rock Hudson and was directed by John Frankenheimer. I haven't seen that movie but it looks far more superior compared to the life/less "Self/Less".

It was directed by Tarsem Singh, the Indian-American director who is known for making music videos and artistic fantasy movies like "The Cell", "Mirror Mirror" and the dreadfully boring "Immortals".

This sci-fi thriller stars Ben Kingsley as Damian Hayes, a Trump-esque billionaire who is dying of cancer. In order to save his life, Damian undergoes a radical medical procedure (known as "shedding") that transfers his unconsciousness into the body of Ryan Reynolds. What a fantastic deal! The mad scientist behind the procedure is Albright (Matthew Goode), he explains to Damian that he will have to change his identity, relocate to New Orleans and must never contact anyone from his past. So long Ben Kingsley and hello Ryan Reynolds, who is living the good life again but in a different body.

Damian now owns a luxury townhouse, he can drive a fancy sports car and he can also hit it off young women but if he doesn't take his giant red pills on a daily basis, his new body will have some side effects. He begins to have seizures and flashbacks to the other person's life. This leads Damian to seek out information on the other person's life and it turns out the young fella had a wife and a young daughter. Once Damian finds the widowed mother, Madeline (Natalie Martinez), "Self/Less" turns into another chase picture as they go on the run. Why? Because Albright's army of bad guys want them dead. We also find out that Reynolds' young character used to be in the army which probably explains that he has Bourne-level fighting skills.

"Self/Less" is not only a rip-off of hundreds of better movies, it's just as bland as a vanilla smoothie. The screenplay by brothers Alex and David Pastor barely has an original bone in it's help/less body. I don't know why Ryan Reynolds choose to do this dull body-switching thriller, he already made a body-switch movie four years ago and it was called "The Change-Up".

Ben Kingsley who only appears in the first 10 minutes of the movie is completely wasted here as the business tycoon. Also cashing in for a nice paycheck are Michelle Dockery (of "Downton Abbey") as Damian's estranged daughter, Victor Garber as Damian's best friend and business partner and Derek Luke as Damian's new best friend who also happens to be working for the evil scientist.

Reynolds you are a likable actor but "Self/Less" is a generic sci-fi thriller that throws away an interesting idea for shootouts and car chases.