Safe House
Safe House
| 01 July 1998 (USA)
Safe House Trailers

A psychological thriller; Mace Sowell, an ex-intelligence operative and whose past government activities catches up with him, faces his own mortality, in the shape of the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Holding the electronic key to secret information which implicates a Presidential front-runner, Mace struggles for his life while battling the debilitating effects of the disease.

Reviews
AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks
SteinMo What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.
ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.
Plustown A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
blanche-2 "Safe House" from 1998 stars Patrick Stewart, Kimberly Williams, and Hector Elizondo.Stewart plays Mace Sowell, a former operative for the DIA (not CIA as he's quick to point out) - the Defense Intelligence Agency. Now retired, he lives as if he is about to be killed any second. In his bed is a dummy version of him, while he sleeps in another area; he has a room full of computer monitors which track what's happening on his property, monitors conversations, and he seems to always be signing into something top secret. When he goes out in the car with his daughter Michelle (Joy Kilpatrick), he is heavily disguised and lying on the floor in the back seat. His doctor (Elizondo) prescribes medication for him that he won't take. He periodically schedules "drills" which includes such things as attacks on his home where a masked man (actually his friend Marc) uses his maid as a human shield.It's clear to Michelle that her father needs round the clock care, as he's in the early stages of Alzheimer's. In order to allow him to stay at home, she hires a social worker, Andi Travers (Williams) to stay with him. Over time, the two form a bond. He tells her that he has enough evidence against his old boss at the DIA, Thomas Michelmore, who is running for President, to ruin his career. Michelmore has already had several people eliminated who knew too much, and Mace believes he is next.Mace has this evidence on a server that will email it to every news outlet in the world unless it's reset with a new password every 24 hours. So the question becomes - okay, he probably is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, but is he just paranoid or is someone really out to get him? Is any of this true? It's clear his daughter, her husband, and Mace's doctor don't believe him. Will Andi?Really fantastic film that keeps you absorbed and involved until the very end with lots of surprise action and humor, all leading up to a fantastic finale. Patrick Stewart is wonderful as a man who realizes he's going over the edge and fights every second to stave off dementia. Kimberly Williams as his patient and level-headed caretaker does an excellent job throughout, as does James Harlow (Marc) who is constantly coming up with new impressions of actors, everyone from Jim Nabors to Jimmy Stewart.Highly recommended.
Tanya_Louise ***** WARNING - SPOILERS *****They say that everything there is to know about us is held on computers somewhere , and that knowledge is power. It's also the ultimate life insurance.Patrick Stewart (Star Trek TNG) plays Mace Sowell , a recluse and ex CIA operative , who is convinced someone is out to get him. His hi-tech home is his castle , and his sophisticated computer is his key and protector. Mace plays war games in and around his luxury home in order to keep his whits sharp , which is something his mind and memory are rapidly becoming the opposite of due to altziemers.It takes a very talented , flexible and dedicated actor to play such a challenging , yet intriguingly absorbing role. This is done to perfection by Patrick Stewart , who ensures that your eyes will rarely leave the screen for fear of missing something. One thing it definitely isn't is a constant action movie , with dozens of SAS dropping through the ceiling at every opportunity. Though we are treated to some enjoyable and unexpected action scenes which gives the movie some zest. And Mace's mental condition is seen from a slightly humorous angle but at the same time without being insensitive , rather than delving into the dry , serious side of it.If you're looking for a 'fatal attraction' style thriller with an original and unusual twist , then you should enjoy this movie. It's worth it just for the one liner right at the end !
boris82 How could Safehouse attain an imdb rating of over 7? That's beyond me. I'll tell ya what else is beyond: the plot of this movie. It was simply incomprehensible. Unfunny, trite sitcom antics, espionage and pathos involving Alzheimer's Disease add up to a boring and unintentionally funny movie experience. To call this a B-Movie would be an insult to the alphabet.Patrick Stewart stars as Mace Sowell. I like Patrick Stewart. He has a natural charisma and he's a Shakespearean actor for god sakes. How could he lower himself to star in this pathetic picture? The awful dialogue and clumsy romantic scenes with Kimberly Williams made me not only cringe but also chuckle uncontrollably. Sample Dialouge between Kimberly Williams (Andi Travers) and Stewart (Mace Sowell) :ANDI: Mace? That's an unusual name. What does it mean? Mace.MACE: It's short for IN YOUR FACE!Huh? What the hell is goin' on? Dont' ask me. Even more pathetic is a dinner scene between them, the one where Mace loudly sucks cream out of a twinkie. Other scenes include Mace showing Andi his sound-detector alarm system by telling her "if you so much as break wind it will go off." Oh, and I can't forget the awful comedy stylings of Craig Shoemaker. He plays Mace's assistant. He also (pathetically) impersonates several celebrities and doesn't get a measly laugh out of that. And he's a comedian! All and all, this movie deserves a 3. But I gave it a one because it's present rating is a 7.1.
Joshua Bozeman This is a great film that premeired as a Showtime original picture in 1999, I believe. The plot is awesome, and it will leave you guessing the entire time, it's very entertaining to watch, even tho you are watching a poor man drift further and further into Alzheimer's disease. The setting of the film is in a very lavish, very expensive house in which a very rich man (Patrick Stewart) lives. After being diagnosed with the disease, his daughter decides he needs someone at the house to take care of him and whatever else needs taken care of. He is a proud man, and he's very stubborn in that he doesn't think he needs anyone to live with him. He is grouchy and rude to begin with, but he begins to warm up to the hired help (the bride in the movie 'Father of the Bride'--Kimberly Williams, I think?)...anyhow...it's been a while since I've seen the movie, but I remember he was involved in very top secret stuff during his career, and he is paranoid that someone is out to kill him. You see him thru out the movie practicing with a gun in and outside of his house (he won't leave the yard, he's so paranoid.) There is that element to the film, but there is also a much lighter note on top of everything. It's a comedy, a 'buddy' movie, and an adventure all in one. It is beautifully shot, unlike some of the originals you'll see on Showtime, and it was a nice change from most of the films they have done in the past. Stewart does a superb job, and he keeps you entertained thru the entire film. On the subject of plot changes and surprises...be prepared, it is very good in this way at the end.