Derailed
Although you may not realize it, in many films, though not all, there is an unspoken pact between you, the viewer, and the film. The pact is thus: as an audience member you will suspend belief for any events that may occur. Belief may be suspend in terms of the laws of probability (Crash, for one), practicality (any superhero movie is a good example) or physics (take your pick from the Action genre). In return, the film will provide you with an invested interest, whether it is the plot, characters, or what have you. As an audience member, by eagerly anticipating events of the film as they unfold, you will not focus on the impossibility of what has just occurred. If the film keeps up it's end of the bargain, it will have you invested enough for you to do your job. It's a mutual, necessary relationship.
It is much like a string held taut by two sides. On one end we have the viewer, the other end we have the film. If either side slackens (the viewer loses interest, is taken out of the moment of the film; the film doesn't do it's job in entertaining) the tension is lost and thus the relationship between a movie-goer and the film.
It can also be thought of as mutually assured destruction. Either side gives way, and the film is perceived as an outrageously stupid piece of work, and you will have wasted two hours or so of your life. Nothing will have been gained.
In "Derailed," for the first 40 minutes or so, the "string" held taut. Charles Schine (Clive Owen) seemed like a nice enough bloke. Watching this married man manage his way into an affair with a sultry and seductive Jennifer Aniston was fun to watch. But when things go bad, and Owen and Aniston's characters find themselves blackmailed for the incident, the movie goes bad as well. As Schine blunders one step after another, and puts himself into increasingly deeper turmoil, I was only able to suspend disbelief so long. At some point, perhaps when for the third time in a row Schine gives in to the blackmailer's incredibly preposterous demands, my belief was suspended so high I lost all oxygen to breathe. I could feel myself getting stupider as I watched this schlub of a man give into demand after demand after demand. I no longer cared for this imbecile. About an hour or so in the movie, with another hour to go, the "string" between me and the movie was pathetically limp.
It's a shame. For being completely ridiculous, the film had solid direction and performances. Vincent Cassell, as the blackmailer, is 100 percent a bad guy and 110 percent incredible to watch. He's not very deep; motivation is nonexistent, he's just an evil guy. But he's SO incredibly evil, it's deliciously fun. Unlike that complete dork Clive Owen.
It seems the only point of this film being made is for the "twist." Yes, there is a twist. No, it isn't worth the price of admission. "Derailed" is a film worth watching for Cassell doing his thing, and the RZA in an unexpectedly key role as Owen's friend from work. RZA is a highly regarded rapper for those unaware. In "Derailed," he alternates between caricature and emotional centerpiece of the film. If this film's plot was any less ridiculous, the RZA's comical performance would be incredibly out of place. This is supposed to be a serious film about how you should never cheat on your wife with Jennifer Aniston, isn't it? But due to incredible shortcomings in logic plot-wise, hearing RZA's quips and jabs will have you perk up and maybe even enjoy yourself in the ridiculous proceedings.