“Perfect Stranger” can easily be added to the ranks of the worst films of the year. Despite its promising cast, nothing positive can really be said about the film except that it will most likely draw adequate revenue based on the fact that it features three mega stars – Giovanni Ribisi, Halle Berry and Bruce Willis.
In the movie, Rowena (Berry) is a newspaper reporter with a passion for uncovering the bad deeds of corrupt and powerful men. She is aided by a sidekick-like tech guy named Miles (Ribisi), who has a disturbing obsession with her that she is oblivious to, despite obvious signals.
When a childhood friend is murdered, she suspects Harrison Hill (Willis), owner of one of the top advertising agencies in the country and her lover. Rowina enters Hill’s advertising agency under an alias in order to obtain hard evidence.
From there ensues a series of ridiculous attempts at suspense where Rowena tries to gather information without being caught in the act. Even the plot points seem forced, as if they are only present to advance the story rather than arise organically.
Every character seems to be embodying a certain stereotype. Rowena is the oppressed female journalist that uses a male alias in order to be more widely accepted. She is a champion of justice and the people’s right to know, but it seems as though she has these convictions only because that is what is expected of a successful journalist.
Berry is not believable in this role and seems to be playing her characters stereotype rather than giving a truthful performance as Rowena.
Hill is the typical rich executive that cheats on his wife with every attractive female intern, who works for his company. It is all very predictably bland and frankly boring.
The acting throughout the movie is filled with intense emotion that often doesn’t fit the situation. Berry and Ribisi have a couple of scenes where they engage in heated arguments that are so overacted that audiences are constantly aware that they are watching a movie. The characters just aren’t grounded in reality.
The end contains the most bizarre and unbelievable twist. Audiences never see it coming because it is utterly ridiculous. Movies like “The Sixth Sense” have mastered the art of the plausible grand twist ending that no one saw coming and “Perfect Stranger” misses the concept completely.
In a good twist ending audience members should be surprised yet able to back track through the movie and connect the events leading to the twist. With this film the twist is revealed simultaneously with information making the twist plausible. It is as if the filmmakers decided at the last minute how to end the movie then wrote in events to make it make sense.
“Perfect Stranger” couldn’t be farther from perfection. Before wasting precious moments thinking about going to see this movie, don’t. It is one of those experiences that will leave audiences wondering where the last two hours of their life have just gone, and wanting them back.
