Butterfly on a Wheel

Plot synopsis:
Chicago residents Neil Randall (Gerard Butler) and his wife, Abby Randall (Maria Bello) have the perfect life and a perfect marriage. With their beautiful young daughter, Sophie, they are living the American dream... until today. When Sophie is suddenly kidnapped, they have no choice but to comply with the abductor's demands. The kidnapper, Tom Ryan (Pierce Brosnan), an apparent sociopath, takes over their lives with the brutal efficiency of someone who has nothing to lose.
In the blink of an eye, Neil and Abby's safe and secure existence is turned upside down. Over the next twenty-four hours they are at the mercy of a man who wants only one thing: that they do his bidding. It soon becomes clear that Ryan's demands are all the more terrifying because he doesn't want their money. What he wants is Neil and Abby's life, the life they have built over 10 years, to be systematically dismantled and destroyed, piece by piece.
With time running out on their little girl, Neil and Abby realize their nightmare is just about to begin. They will have to submit to Ryan's challenges over the next 24-hour period. Tom asks them, how far will they go to save their child? He requires them to withdraw more than $100,000 from their bank, which Tom burns and throws along with their wallets into a river. Then he requires them to get $300 from nowhere in a part of the town where they don't have any friends. Abby pawns her bracelet and Neil his watch to get the $300. He then requires Abby to deliver a document to Neil's office within 20 min, and Tom show Neil a copy of document that contains details of Neil's hacking into customer accounts, which if leaked will ruin Neil. Neil watches Abby deliver the document from a distance. Neil and Abby try to rescue Sophie from a hotel, only to get caught by Tom, who makes Abby take off her dress and put on an enticing, short dress in front of both of them.
Tom has one last test for Neil to save Sophie: he requires Neil to enter a house and kill the occupant - a coworker named Judy who Neil has been having an affair with. Neil is greeted warmly by Judy, and is desperately confused as he sees a picture of Tom on the mantel and learns that he and Judy are married. Tom enters the house and tells Neil to shoot Judy or he will kill their daughter Sophie. Neil pulls the trigger but the gun isn't loaded. Ryan reveals he knows about their affair and tells Neil his daughter is safe at home.
As they return home, Neil lies to Abby and tells her that his boss was having an affair with Judy and Tom mistook Neil for that person, which is why Tom had tormented them the whole day. When they return home, Sophie is asleep and apparently has been there the whole time. Abby reveals to Neil that their daughter had never been kidnapped, and Tom had concocted the entire day to let Neil experience for one day the pain he has undergone. Neil says that Abby has ruined his career by delivering the document to his office, but she tells him it was blank. Abby has paid Neil back for 24 hours a portion of the pain she has experienced since learning of his affair.

Tags: revenge

Review:
On top of that: this movie's great twist ending beautifully blurs the line between good and evil.Pierce Brosnan has already proved to be much more than 007 and continues to do so here.
And Gerard Butler has fought side by side with Lara Croft and 300 of the bravest Greeks, but now this Scottish actor takes a break from this senseless violence and plays a more fragile role.In short: "Butterfly on a wheel" is an intelligent cat-and-mouse-game that steadily becomes a first-rate thriller..
Such is the case with Butterfly on a Wheel (released in North America under the title Shattered).The title Butterfly on a Wheel, taken from the Alexander Pope's 1734 poem "Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot", refers to someone putting massive effort into achieving something considered minor or unimportant, and is cryptically referred to at various points in the story and pretty much sums up the entire plot of this movie.Gerard Butler plays Neil Randall, a Chicago advertising executive and rising star at his firm.
That is until everything comes to a grinding halt when, on an outing with his wife (Maria Bello) they find themselves hijacked by Tom Ryan (Pierce Brosnan), a mysterious stranger who tells them his associate has their daughter captive and unless they wish to see her alive again, they must complete a series of arduous and cryptic challenges.From there unfolds a cat and mouse game with Ryan's motives becoming ever more difficult to decipher as the movie progresses.
With a plot peppered with enough red herrings to keep you guessing (I thought for sure I had it all figured out early on, only to be thrown for a loop), Butterfly on a Wheel/Shattered is paced to perfection, strongly acted by all three principals, and delivers a smart, almost too clever story.What's more, it will leave you thinking about it long after viewing, and even motivating you to go over scenes again to try and find flaws, which may be there, but are very cleverly hidden.While the media blitz that tends to foreshadow most movie releases undoubtedly benefits the film studios, in this case I can honestly say that knowing zero about this film going in actually worked in its favor, and has me marking it as one not to be missed..
A grungy looking Brosnan makes the villain a very unappetizing psychotic and we're never quite sure about Butler either, an ad agency man who gradually loses his swaggering overconfident manner.Without giving away more of the plot (except to say that there is a mildly interesting twist toward the end followed by a double twist), the whole thing plays more like a made-for-TV movie than an actual film because none of the characters are more than one-dimensional despite the good acting.
It has been a while since i have seen a movie that i can't guess it's finally after the first 20-30 minutes....no more comments , just watch that movie.I can't think at other comments that would not spoil the story but the damn guidelines are asking for minimum 10 lines....so.The story is original, i can't remember to have seen this subject in a movie before, and the performance is almost perfect, the characters seem to be able to hide the motives behind their actions until the very last moment...contributing at the tension of the movie.
A normal married couple's life (Gerard Butler and Maria Bello) is thrown into turmoil when their daughter is kidnapped and the kidnapper (Pierce Brosnan) put's them through a series of brutal challenges and horrible experience, threatening to kill their daughter if they don't pass every challenge.This is a gripping thrill ride that constantly makes you think what YOU would do in this situation and question why it's happening.
The suspense just turns to irritation However this film is well worth watching if you want a no-nonce thriller that requires little thinking on your part and don't mind that half the movie takes place in a car due to the small budget..
Basically, the kind of overly simplistic, TV movie of the week story you'd expect from basic network TV or from the formula Hollywood films that also end up making little or no stop at theaters.Besides being boring and predictable, it lacks any significant meaning.
Every action, every event, and every scene has been seen a hundred thousand times before."Butterfly on a Wheel" is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition in the race to be the most predictable, god-awful piece of crap in the history of storytelling.Words cannot express how utterly tired I am of these painful trips into the recycle bin of motion pictures.Awful movie in every way.
It soon becomes clear that Tom's demands are all the more horrifying because he doesn't wish their money that is burnt.This exciting picture is packed with suspense, thrills, mystery,tension and extraordinary plot twists.Tense and stirring film with a moving race against time.
i've just lost 30 min of my life trying to watch this piece of garbage and i wish i would have done something else, i have no idea why the rating is so high because its nothing else but a confusing movie with a awful plot and bad directing i mean my god even a dog can see all the mistakes..
About 20 minutes into this flick, I nervously thought to myself, "Man, I sure hope this isn't gonna turn into an over-the-top manipulative piece of bad film-making." Because it became clear at that point it could go either way, and being a fan of Pierce Brosnan, I was hoping it would rise above my fears.But it didn't.
Unfortunately, Gerard Butler and Maria Bello are pretty much stuck on the edge of hysteria throughout, bickering like children, and the plot (such as it is) has so little suspense that attention quickly turns from the victimized couple toward the many holes in the script (which are not covered up by the twist finish, scenes such as the ludicrous trip to the Chicago police station wherein a detective turns a man away because he thinks he's drunk).
I saw it last night in a theater here in Korea.There is a reason it did not see wide release in the United States.Without giving anything away, think of every stupid movie that relies on the conceit that a plot twist in the last 5 minutes ought to save it, and then add another plot twist.When Koran's get up and leave a movie, that is another sign that it is bad.Allow me to calibrate a scale of plot twists from 1 to 10: If the plot twist in Hide and Seek is a 3, the one in The Illusionist is a 7, Fight Club is a 9, and Next is a 2, Butterfly on a Wheel is hovering around -50.Goodnight..
The script is diabolical the acting is worse than a soap opera and the plot is no better than a dodgy episode of 'tales of the unexpected'Right from the off the tone is set with Gerard Butlers utterly ridiculous American accent I mean come on I know your a Scot but you're an actor for goodness sake, surely any actor who wishes to play American characters in an American set movie must do better than this.And Brosnan...
I always thought of Brosnan as a respectable actor but not anymore.And nobody should be surprised by the ending.Sometimes you just want to pick up a movie for the evening and you don't expect to much.But after watching this I am actually angry I wasted my time on this.How could anyone greenlight this?.
"Butterfly on a Wheel" (or "Shattered") is unfortunately not one of these movies.Without revealing much of the plot, the movie revolves around Neil and Abby Randall (played by Gerard Butler and Maria Bello), a Chicago couple living a perfect marriage with their daughter in a nice house.
This is one of those movies that you simply can't talk about too much before you see it, as the whole experience is better if you don't try and guess it in anyway and just let the film take you through the emotions.I saw this on the recommendation of friend and didn't expect to like it since I haven't really enjoyed watching Pierce Brosnan after his excellent James Bond films, but i was absolutely wrong - his performance is really very good (as are both other performances) and also his accent is a bit shaky in places, but other than that it was very good.I don't normally write these, but I was so amazed by the film, the twists and turns and the performances that I felt compelled to let everyone know so that you too will be convinced to see this film.9 out of 10.Brilliant..
Butterfly left me very cold and possibly shivering.What I got was just a smart thriller, that is really distasteful.Yes there are plot holes, but the performances and filming are good.But these are minor issues when the overall film makes you want to come out and run for a shower.I felt violated after watching this: it may be smart but it ain't good movie making.
I personally, liked both and this movie satisfied my Thriller needs..Abby (Bello) and Neil (Butler) Randall are a happily married couple with a young daughter, Sophie.
Meanwhile, Abby is going out with a friend for the evening and gets a babysitter for Sophie since she and Neil will be gone (him on the trip and she with a friend) - they leave together in the family car.Everything is fine until out of no where Tom (Brosnan) pops up from the backseat of the car where he had been hiding with a gun and immediately makes it known that Abby and Neil better do what he says and what he wants or else Sophie is dead - implying that the sitter that arrived to care for her is in on the scheme with Tom.From here on out it's a mind game with Tom making Abby and Neil do countless different things including doing to the bank, withdrawing all their savings and then once Tom gets the money, he sets it all on fire making the audience and the two main characters question his motive even more than before.
In addition, the time and form of the turnings aren't as twisting as they should/could be.In summary: I think in this movie a good working story was wasted by an unfinished constellation of characters and the missing insight into them.However, my rating says it: You can enjoy watching this, and if you don't, you won't miss it.(Sorry for bad English, long ago..).
I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that the acting was top notch...the surprises were ever present...and the ending really threw me for a loop.Pierce Brosnan, Maria Bello and the rest of the cast did fine jobs...I never wanted to look away for a moment for fear of missing something important to the plot.I highly recommend this one!!.
Didn't see that coming.Butler is (nice to look at) and does a decent job as a happy family man placed in a desperate situation, when a calculating sociopath (played brilliantly by Pierce Brosnan) kidnaps his young daughter and toys with his wife.
So well done director Mike Barker (I'll be watching for more of your work) and to what is, basically, a cast of three.It was interesting to see Pierce Brosnan as the 'bad guy' rather than the hero and, when you watch the film, I'm sure you'll agree, he was quite loathsome with his cool, calculating manner.I won't include spoilers here but leave you to see if you can work out the reason for everything.
Radio Times online gave just two stars and only the skimpiest of plot lines as their review, when I saw it was going to be shown on BBC3.Having never heard of director Mike Barker (he's done a couple of episodes of Silent Witness; yes he's British) didn't inspire me but Pierce Brosnan surely must, right?Against-the-clock ransom movies don't really do it for me and when they're flashily directed, they're usually covering up a bad or non- existent plot.
Gerard Butler and Mario Bello play the requisite distraught couple whose young daughter is the pawn in this increasingly sinister cat-and-mouse game.It becomes obvious that the motive is far beyond mere money and whilst the motives get even more hazy, an unseen and (for once) believable outcome prevails.Laziness probably stopped me from turning it over at times when it was just loud and angry but, like a few reviewers here, I'm gently satisfied with the end result.
I have just finished watching this movie and all I can say is wow This movie is really good and here are the reasons why: The movie follows a great storyline and has a great script to it, The directing is very well done, the acting in this movie is really good, The actors are very good such as Pierce Brosnan as Tom Ryan, Mario Bello as Abby Randall, Gerard Butler as Neil Randall.
I have to say that the best character in this movie is pierce brosnan's character because he just does it so great and I think he plays a very good Bad guy.
It was great to see Maria again, since seeing her look not so great (her character) in the COOLER a few years back...and Gerard big as life in 300....WELL MY WIFE AND I WERE IN FOR A GREAT RIDE...this movie had twists and turns and exciting moments and I must admit I usually guess the future in plots and their holes but this one surprised us....it may seem frustrating at times, but stick with it and you will see a FULL and fulfilling movie.
Shattered (Butterfly on a Wheel) was a bit different.Very few people, I think, will anticipate the twists that this movie ends with, yet for once, they are quite believable.
Tonight, i watched "Butterfly on a Wheel".Let me straighten this up-i haven't got neither high nor non or "low" hopes at all, i just thought it would be more of the same stuff, although the cast...And the cast is quite interesting, the least i can say.With a nice mix of two Brits and a girl from the States, the movie really worked out for me.The story (and it turned out to be a good one) circles around the life of a married couple with a little child.As the wife prepares herself for a girls night, her husband is going to meet his boss in his place in the countryside, out of town.The child is left with a nanny.After they leave, the couple soon understands, that their plans will change rapidly, when a kidnapper, claiming he has their daughter, forces them to do what he says, otherwise he'll kill their child.As they fulfill everything he says the puzzle reveals more and more towards why he is doing this to them and the couple soon realizes, that there are some disturbing truths, they don't know about each other.Now not only time is their enemy.How far will they go to save the life of their child?I must say, that Maria Bello and Gerard Butler are very likable and convincing in every single role of theirs.But for me Pierce Brosnan was the surprise.I have seen him as a scientist, as an agent, as an environmentalist if you want, but this time he won me.The chemistry between the three leads was strong, obvious, and throughout, until the end, the movie pushes you to the edge of your seat.In a few moments throughout, i kept thinking how familiar the movie's been to the first "Saw" movie from the franchise.The difference is in the level of the movie and the lack of cassettes, of course :).Here, the movie shows a mid-level victims, trying to save something they really love and care about, and at all costs.In "Saw", the victims, that are shown, are from the lowest possible level of the chain.You'll understand me, when you watch the movie.It had a few leaks though, and if you ask yourself how many people are ready and capable of doing such things, you'll find out, that there aren't almost any people left...
After all, the movie entertained me, and the most important-left some questions for the viewer.It was well directed, crafted and executed.It was thrilling and in the end disturbing.If you are a suspense/twist thrillers fan, you'll definitely enjoy it.I highly recommend it.My rate: 8/10.
frankly, couldn't find a better word to start with.Critics can always rate a movie by its plot, how bad or good one acted or any just damn thing real audience wouldn't give a damn about.
But good ratings always go to those films that make you feel "It could happen to me" or, "Hey, is that not how I may end up like?" Butterfly on a Wheel takes one of the very basic problems of a typically successful American office-goer (I am not American, neither married or going to some corporate office, mind you, so I am only using my projection skills here) and explores the possibility that everyone hopes will never happen.
Gerard Butler, Maria Bello, and Pierce Brosnan are all strong actors and one wonders why they opted to participate in this movie.
Oh, Pierce Brosnan, 007, is in this movie.If you are interested in wasting your time watching this flick, let me try to dissuade you from doing so (and in the end you can thank me later for saving your precious 2 hours).
Their basic story, though, is so spectacularly ill conceived that they just don't work on any level.Shattered is about Neil and Abby Randall (Gerard Butler and Maria Bello), a successful and seemingly happy couple who are taken prisoner one day by a stranger (Pierce Brosnan) who says he's kidnapped their daughter Sophie (Emma Karwandy).
This is the sort of film that makes you say stuff back to the screen like "On, come on!" and "You've got to be kidding me!"Gerard Butler, Maria Bello and Pierce Brosnan all give perfectly acceptable performances, though their characters are very shallowly drawn.