Eye of the Beholder (2000)

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

She really does, but then she seems to think a LOT of what I watch is weird. It's the age difference.Farscape...weird. Fallen...weird. The Game...weird. Jackie Brown...weird. Fargo...weird. Fear and Loathing...Very Weird.Well Fear & Loathing was Very Weird...delightfully weird.But like I said, it's a generational gap. I'm sorta Gen-X. Still wear Doc Martins and even still wear Flannels. It's a sensibility thing.People my age come across Eye of the Beholder and we see Ewan McGregor's name on it, piques our interest.We turn it over and read the back and...hmmm, that sounds interesting.So we rent it, we buy it, either way we take it home and, well, we are pl4easently surprised. This is a movie that we have never seen before.It's slightly confusing, it's a clear cut analogy, and one that doesn't cater well to the generations that want, well, giant blockbuster explosions, remakes of films without the satire that would have lost them in the originals, and TV shows that mirror the other TV shows they've already seen just the night before...around 9.And then there's the Eye of the Beholder crowd. "It seems interesting." we say when we pick up the box...and then, later, "oh, I have to read into this a little, OK." That last part is where a lot of people get turned off. "Oh, I have to read into it? There on subtext? What the heck is subtext? Is that like a subtitle? I don't like movies with subtitles I probably won't like movies with subtext either." And then they get confused and get bored.You have to do a little bit of thinking on this one to enjoy it, use that lump that's three-feet above your bum. Flex that muscle that really counts...and when you do the pay off is there.If you don't well, you might still enjoy it because she's right, it is sort of weird.But if you don't want to think, and if you don't enjoy weird, this movie may not be for you...pass it up and go see the remake of Robocop sans the satire that made it great, that might be more your speed.

"Eye of the Beholder" (1999) details British Consulate investigator – i.e. spy – codenamed Eye (Ewan McGregor) and his increasing obsession with a Joanna Eris (Ashley Judd), a joyless psychotic who hates certain men because, apparently, her daddy abandoned her as a little girl at Christmas. Eye's obsession helps him forget the ghosts of his past – his wife and daughter who abandoned him (or vice versa). So he quits his job to follow Joanna around the country as she murders wealthy men; that is, until she finds a man who CAN'T see who she really is, literally. The chase leads to Alaska where… Jason Priestley has a small role as a jerk in the desert whereas Geneviève Bujold plays the counselor at the orphanage where Joanna grew-up. It's nice to see the latter. For insights into the story pay close attention to the relationship of Joanna and the doctor, which I don't interpret as Sapphic, but as quasi-mother/daughter. Interpreting it as Sapphic is possible, but it's an extreme position with not enough support to back it up. People love to loathe this movie and it's obvious why: The two protagonists are psychotics and it's hard for the average person to relate to them. Another negative is some unbelievable elements, like: Wouldn't someone notice Eye camping out in the bell tower of a city church? How would he have the field know-how to get away with doing the things he does when the opening act reveals him as essentially a computer nerd who rarely goes outside? Would two Federal detectives really bring the counselor of the orphanage all the way to friggin' Alaska to determine if a waitress is Joanna? If you can handle these script flaws, however, "Eye of the Beholder" is a stylishly-made thriller with haunting aspects and a superb soundtrack/score. Even though it's hard to relate to or even like the protagonists the chase around the country maintains your interest in an entrancing manner. The movie's worth catching just for these reasons, not to mention Ashley Judd was one of the most beautiful women to walk the planet at the time (and still is) and she appears in some pretty skimpy outfits, uber-sullen though she may be in the role. Ashley's thoroughly convincing and proves her talent beyond question. I think there's something deeper going on with the story as well: Eye goes through the same voyeuristic process in his life inside the movie that we just so happen to be watching, as voyeurs. Note how much of what Eye sees is through a camera lens and into people's private lives.The film was based on the novel by Marc Behm wherein Eye was much older and Joanna, roughly the age his daughter would've been. This was changed for the movie where it appears Eye is romantically fascinated with Joanna, despite her murdering spree, and he feels the need to watch over her and save her, which he failed to do as a father with his daughter. In any case, Stephen Elliott wrote the screenplay and directed the film, but was beset at every turn by the studio "suits" who financed the picture. At one point during the stress of filming, Elliott had to check himself into a psychiatric hospital for succor! This is relayed in Lizzy Gardiner's excellent documentary "Killing Priscilla" (2000). Thankfully, he was able to finish the picture. The fact that everyone hates it and it bombed at the box office probably sent him back to the institution.BOTTOM LINE: Yes, the plot's outlandish, the characters are whack-jobs and there are some eye-rolling plot holes, but the countrywide chase and stylish filmmaking are hypnotic, haunting and entertaining.The film runs 109 minutes and was shot in California, Quebec, New York City, Pittsburgh and D.C.GRADE: borderline B/B+

This was a pretty OK film. However, as a writer, I had a MAJOR problem with one scene:WARNING: Contains Spoilers:Ashley Judd plays a seductive, elusive and dangerous serial killer with a pathological distrust of men(whom she kills). Despite this, there was that important scene where her car breaks down in the desert and Jason Priestley's character stops by and gives her a ride to the mechanic, has a drink with her, and gives her a place to stay. OK, he looks like a complete douchebag and then he actually(but unsurprisingly) physically thrashes her after she refuses to do heroin with him. Despite being a dangerous woman, she allows some unstable junkie have his way with her. This seems COMPLETELY out of character for the character that she was playing.

what a different premise for a movie,, a tortured young woman going around the world killing random men for no particular reason. Fine acting performances turned in by Ashley Judd, Ewan Mcgregor, and Genieve Bujold. our main character the "eye" has to follow our assassin all the way around the world as she knocks off men one by one. the story goes much deeper, something happened to her when she was very little and now has scarred her for the rest of her life. our "hero" character eye seems to be transfixed with her and seems to me that he starts to empathize with her,, because of his own daughter. but maybe that's just me,, overall I thought that this was a thought provoking thriller, and it's always a treat to watch Ashley Judd.