Source Code (2011)
“You’re acting really strange this morning”
*originally published in 2012 and now coupled with my Youtube video recorded late last summer*
“I don’t know who Sean is. And I don’t know who you are”
Similar in many ways to Duncan Jones’ debt film Moon, and subtly so as well, Source Code begins amid crystal clear cinematography and really sharp swooping shots of a large city dominated by tall skyscrapers and office complexes. The slow moving overhead shots of the city are also brilliantly captured, and both of these themes continue throughout the opening titles and the entire film, of crystal clear, sharp cinematography, and great credit must therefore be paid immediately to Director of Photography Don Burgess. From these swooping aerial shots we dissolve into a train, and our lead character.
“Sean Fentress” (Jake Gyllenhaal) Manages to juggle this twisting narrative on board a train with a twist of dark humour lightly sprinkled with a dose of sarcasm.
A great portrayal topped by a heart breaking telephone call home.
Meanwhile, and back on the train, Sean Fentress is also sleeping with his head resting against a train window and struggling to fully wake he is finally jolted awake by the train’s blaring horn. Startled, disorientated and unable to fully focus on his surroundings, “Christina” (Michelle Monaghan) greets him with a compliment “I took your advice!” but Sean remains in a daze and unable to fully appreciate the gesture or again, his surroundings. He is jolted by every action within the compartment as if on high alert, the opening of a can of drink, the spilling of coffee on his shoe and a commuter complaining of the train’s impending late arrival. His eyes now darting everywhere around the train compartment seemingly taking in every detail, every passenger, every interaction, yet still unable to fully focus on Christina or pay her any attention whatsoever as she complains “You’re acting really strange this morning”.
“I don’t know who you are. My name is Captain Colter Stevens. I fly helicopters for the US Army in Afghanistan”. Christina laughs incredulously at her friend and constant travelling companion, but Sean leaves her and struggles in a daze along the train compartment, stumbling and unsteady on his feet. As the train reaches a station, Sean watches every passenger disembarking, but in a daze and a confusion as though trying to remember why he’s doing this and for what purpose. Still confused he returns to Christina and following a brief overhead shot (one of many beautiful shots throughout the film) of the train travelling towards the city now named as Chicago, Sean is disturbed by the obscure reflections he briefly glimpses in the train windows. Disorientated he rushes to the nearest toilet to calm himself and following some deep breaths he looks into the toilet mirror to see a completely different reflection to himself!
Checking his drivers license, he is definitely Sean!
Or is he?
Leaving the toilet he is immediately greeted by a worried Christina, however Sean is adamant he doesn’t know who she is or indeed who Sean is. Before this can be explored any further a huge explosion rips apart the travelling train in a violent fireball. This opening scene lasts seven minutes and I hope this brief narrative has whetted your appetite for this incredible film! Any further exposition on my part would simply spoil a fantastic plot and brilliant story from Ben Ripley.
Supported by an excellent Michelle Monaghan as “Christina”, who plays her role brilliantly with an ever present smile and playful tone, there are two further crucial supporting roles that whilst I can’t fully appreciate for fear of providing spoilers, I can acknowledge briefly for their brilliant portrayals. Jeffrey Wright (The Ides of March, Quantum of Solace and brilliant in Syriana) plays “Dr Rutledge” with a ruthless efficiency but the star performance and portrayal of the entire film rests with Vera Farmiga as “Colleen Goodwin”. Excellent in the recent Denzel Washington film Safe House, Vera Farmiga brings the compassion and empathy needed to the film in absolute spades.
There are many stand out scenes in this fantastic film, (the above slow motion impending fireball crash being one of them), interspersed as they are with terrific performances and numerous zoom mixed fades from the Director and superb editing from Paul Hirsch. A darkly funny film in places but a thriller at heart which challenges the audience to piece the puzzle together as we go. A looping story that may put off an audience seeking a more straight forward narrative, but please don’t be put off by the challenge as when you go with the premise it truly pays off spectacularly.
A story of love, compassion and of closure, it also raises the interesting question of what would you do to change your life or existence if you had the chance? If you had the foresight to be able to determine an outcome, would you try to change it or go with the pre-determined one?
Inspired by recent films such as The Matrix and definitely the recent Rian Johnson directed Looper, this is a second triumph in a row for another inspirational, young British Director.
“Source Code” can also be found within my 7 volumes of “Essential Film Reviews Collection” on Amazon with each and every volume free to read should you have a Kindle “Unlimited” package. All 9 of my self-published books can also be read for free on Kindle (but go on, treat yourself to a paperback or hardback version!) and should you watch my short Youtube video linked in the middle of this article you’ll also find links to my Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee and other ways of supporting my work as an independent writer.
"The Essential Film Reviews Collection VOL.1" - link to Amazon
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.