Movie Title: Columbus Circle
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller,
Writer: George Gallo and Kevin Pollak
Starring: Selma Blair, Giovanni Ribisi, Amy Smart, Jason Lee, Kevin Pollak, Beau Bridges, Jason Antoon, Robert Guillaume, Samm Levine
Review: Abigail Clayton (Selma Blair) has been hiding out in her apartment for nearly two decades and is shaken when the outside world wants in after her neighbor has been killed. With a detective (Giovanni Ribisi), new neighbors (Amy Smart and Jason Lee), and a quirky concierge (Kevin Pollak) poking around Abigail finds her sheltered existence threatened and things start to unravel in the most terrifying of ways.
Columbus Circle is a clever little thriller that would have worked better for me if I just wouldn't have seen so many thrillers beforehand. The setup is rather intriguing, and you definitely get a sense of claustrophobia as the film progresses. but I think the movie mistakenly offers too much information about what's really going on much to early which takes away most of the tension.
The all-star cast is tremendous. Selma Blair, Giovanni Ribisi, Amy Smart, Jason Lee, Kevin Pollak, Beau Bridges, and the late-great Robert Guillaume all seem to be having a great time making a Hitchcock-inspired mystery that's two big focuses are character and story. It's just a shame that the story was so predictable and the characters weren't too transparent. Well, it was for me. Again, watched a ton of thrillers, mysteries, and crime dramas.
I did enjoy my time with this one. I was entertained and did want to see how things would turn out for the various players in this crafty story filled with deception, betrayal, and murder. If you like mysteries then I suggest investigating the chilling goings-on at Columbus Circle.
Fun Fact: This was Robert Guillaume's last film before his retirement in 2014.