The Contract Movie Review

Cast & Crew

Director : Bruce Beresford

Producer : Randall Emmett, George Furla, Avi Lerner, Danny Lernerucer, Andreas Schmid, Les Weldon,

Screenwriter : Stephen Katz, John Darrouzet,

Starring : John Cusack, Morgan Freeman, Alice Krige,

How'd a reasonably-big ($25 million) budget picture starring John Cusack and Morgan Freeman and directed by twice-Oscar-nominated Bruce Beresford go absolutely nowhere? I'd never even heard of The Contract until the DVD showed up at my house. I wager you're the same... and few will even see it on home video, either.

The story begins with decent promise as Freeman is revealed to be a stellar hitman, only his cover is finally blown and the many enemies he's made over the years come after him. He escapes an elaborate assassination and runs into the wilderness, only to be apprehended (because he's in handcuffs) by a camping father (John Cusack) and his son. While the trio attempts to get back to civilization to turn Freeman in, they're pursued by the bad guys and the good guys, and they still have to deal with harsh terrain surrounding them. Beresford's setup starts strong but soon peters out and gets repetitive as Cusack faces down one impossible situation after another, but never with much finesse. It's just running around on a mountain, often in the dark: The final showdown takes place completely and absurdly without lighting and pretty much seals the movie's doom.

Safe to skip. Even Cusack fans will find his charms in short supply here.

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Comments View All Comments (3)

31st March 2008 06:00

haryati     (2)

absolutely owesome movie!! here in malaysia, its kind of hard to get that movie.. ive been looking places for that CD (finally got it at black market!!). For JC's movie collector like me, it's so worth it!!

22nd December 2007 10:00

Wilcox     (1)

Skip it is the best way to avoid it, but then you would be missing out on some very fine performances, first from that wonderful Gentleman and one of screen acting's most dignified and elegant actors Morgan Freeman, and then some sterling hard work from John Cusack, as he fights gallantly to bring something of the performance that is needed to compliment Mr Freeman and to disguise the unbelievably rotton work of the diretor of this failed action movie. The first scene is as tight as a drum, in spite of looking more like the setup for a good TV commercial, than the introductory scene of a major action movie, but it soon falls appart, as it becomes apparent that bad casting in the smaller roles (most of whom are good actors who appear to have been abandoned by both the director and the script)and shoddy set ups. Mr Freeman's character is allowed to become increadable, thanks to shoddy attention to his major action, soon after being arrested by John Cusack's character, who's task by the way was always going to be dificult to sustain, since his only option in adversity, was to kill a man who, at this early stage, he knew nothing about, in an act of cold blooded murder.It is worth watching to see these two fine actors give it a go, but it is a shoddy movie, very badly directed.

10th December 2007 04:00

JTGirl     (2)

I'm surprised at your comments. The Contract is one of my favorite new films. I work in a long established neighboorhood movie rental store & The Contract is one of my top recommendations. Maybe it deserves another look. Happy Holidays!

The Contract Rating

" Weak "

Rating: R, 2006

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