Potentially good movie saved by excellent acting.

Rating: 7/10 (13 March 2011)

There's a saying: keep it simple. That applies to movies too, especially Hollywood movies. This movie violates that principle, hence the movie stalls. The theme is great. How much free-will do people have? Are the directions of our lives shaped by forces beyond our control? These are deep questions and when Hollywood attempts to answer them, the results could be messy. It's challenging enough to put together a coherent story but when nebulous elements that not fully explained are added to a story, then one of the worst things that can confront the audience occurs: trying to figure out what the movie is about. Matt Damon is as usual excellent as are the rest of the cast, especially John Slattery and Terence Stamp, and their performances save this movie from crossing the line into clunker land, but even their presence cannot undo the damage caused by the story itself. Keep the story simple; entertain the audience.