Ambitious, and skillfully acted, but I didn't buy the contrived ending

Rating: 8/10 (2 September 2013)

This was alternately engaging and disappointing. I was very engrossed with everything that was going on. It was suspenseful right from the outset, but it turns into clichÃ©s. I'm wondering if they were forced to change the ending or something, because the ending feels extremely artificial. I get why they did it, but it just didn't seem to fit. Was it the right choice? Sadly, yeah; I think audiences would have walked away deflated after such an ambitious film, but that doesn't mean I liked it. I actually liked this movie for the most part. Jake Gyllenhall was absolutely tremendous, and I was on his side the whole way. It's a terrific performance. Michelle Monaghan is a naturally gorgeous woman and provided great support as the love interest. I enjoyed her a lot. Vera Farmiga is one of the best actresses to come around in a long time. I loved her show as the helping hand. This movie does make you think quite a bit, so be prepared to put your brain to use. You'll be thinking about it for a little while after
Final Thoughts: I think this is a movie that deserves multiple viewings. It's suspenseful, engaging, but I didn't buy into the finale. Maybe it's time to give this movie another watch. I enjoyed it for the most part, so I'd be more than willing to watch it again.
8/10