Fantastic Fest Reviews: Eagle Eye And Just Another Love Story

Ole Bornedal's Just Another Love Story is what I imagine While You Were Sleeping would've be like if Guillermo del Toro had remade the Sandra Bullock romantic comedy as a dark dramatic thriller. Anders W. Berthelsen stars as Jonas, a forensics photographer who is involved in a traffic accident that sends a young woman into a coma, but leaves Jonas and his family unscratched. Jonas decides to visit her in the hospital, and is somehow mistaken for the Woman's boyfriend Sebastian. Her family doesn't allow him to explain, and somehow Jonas finds himself going along with the charade.

Julia awakens from her coma, blind and with amnesia. Jonas eventually tries to free himself of the situation, but when he attempts to explain, her father just believes he's trying to coward out of the difficult situation. He offers Jonas money to stay around until she gets better.  But a series of deeply twisted turns sends this film into an intense thriller. I have no doubt this Danish gem will be gobbled up by Hollywood, and released as a American remake, which won't be half as good. Catch the original if you can. 8/10

D.J. Caruso's Eagle Eye is based on an concept by Steven Spileberg, of man vs. technology. Which makes me wonder why Spielberg didn't develop and direct the project himself, especially considering his trademark series of films which pits man versus sharks, dinosaurs, vehicles...etc. I have no doubt that a great movie could have been made with the core concept, but the completed film is full of plot holes and characters who only seem to be on screen to serve a quota.

I can't really get into my problems with the film without discussing the film's climax and the reveal of the villain, both of which are shrouded in mystery until late into the story. But truth be told, when you learn who or what is behind the other side of the cellphone, and the reasons why Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan's characters were "activated", it doesn't exactly make sense. The film entertains and thrills, but is unsatisfying overall, especially when assessed after the fact. 6.5/10