He Was a Quiet Man (2007)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Frank A. Cappello

Writer (WGA):

Frank A. Cappello (written by)

Release Date:

7 December 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

He seemed like such a nice guy.. He pretty much kept to himself...

Plot:

An office worker inadvertently becomes a hero after he saves a woman's life.

Plot Keywords:

Office | Fish | Bullet | Office Worker | Company

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Michael DeLuise	...	Detective Sorenson
Christian Slater	...	Bob Maconel
Jamison Jones	...	Scott Harper
Cristina Lawson	...	Nancy Felt (as Anzu Lawson)
John Gulager	...	Goldie / Maurice Gregory
Elisha Cuthbert	...	Venessa Parks
K.C. Ramsey	...	Jackson
Sascha Knopf	...	Paula Metzler
David Wells	...	Ralf Coleman
Frankie Thorn	...	Jessica Light (as Frankie Lou Thorn)
Randolph Mantooth	...	Dr. Willis
Sewell Whitney	...	Derrick Miles
Lisa Arianna	...	ADD Assistant
Livia Treviño	...	Shelby's Secretary (as Levia Trevino)
William H. Macy	...	Gene Shelby

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Argentina:13 | Italy:T | Greece:K-13 | Australia:MA | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Quiet Man Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Bob goes to lunch, he carries his briefcase by the handle, then sets it down flat on the top of the wall. When he opens the case, the items inside are perfectly arranged.

Quotes:

Bob Maconel: I... am not... a spoon.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pulse 3 (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

You And I

He mostly kept to himself.

What goes through the mind of the office drone that snaps and shoots up the place? What drives a person like that? Come on, we've all seen the reports "He Was a Quiet Man, he mostly kept to himself..." Going Postal is a commonplace term that is known by anyone, and certainly a feeling that can be understood from anybody that has ever had a thankless office job.

The world has changed, everything is shades of grey and certain people, who go through a lonely life without being understood, and while constantly being kicked around have a tendency to fade into the background.

Unless they make themselves known in some way.

Any which way you slice it, that's what this movie is about. The Quiet Loner, put upon by the inequities of the office bully, forever ignored by the bosses, the pretty girl, you name it.

Until, that special event. The one that changes everything.

What if... instead of shooting up the office, somebody else beats him to the punch, and he becomes a hero by accident instead? While not perfect, He Was a Quiet Man provides some powerful performances, including a knockout by Christian Slater who truly becomes the role. Even Elisha Cuthbert, who is generally speaking, not exactly an acting heavyweight in my book, does a fine job.

The soundtrack leaves a little to be desired, and some of the cgi is a bit fake looking, but on the whole this is a character study that is well worth watching that, while leaving an ambiguous and somewhat dystopian ending is well worth checking out.

Cappello's film is a little unnerving, but very compelling and worth a look.