'Self/less' Rips Off a Classic, But That's Not Its Worst Crime (Review)

Self/less is the latest film from director Tarsem Singh, known for his visually striking films The Cell, The Fall and Immortals. The film, written by David and Alex Pastor, stars Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez (End of Watch), Matthew Goode (A Single Man), Victor Garber, Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) and Sir Ben Kinglsey.

Damien (Kingsley) is a billionaire business tycoon with a strained relationship with his daughter Claire (Dockery). Suffering from a terminal illness, he finds out about an organization which will transfer his consciouness into a lab-grown young body for $250 million. After meeting with the head of the company Albright (Goode), Damian wakes up in his new body (Reynolds) and a new identity: Edward. But after experiencing some flashes of what he thinks are memories, Damian starts to investigate and discovers that the secret company that grows bodies for dying rich guys is not as benevolent as he thought.

Now, Self/less has got to be inspired by the 1966 John Frankenheimer movie Seconds starring Rock Hudson. In that movie, the old man gets a new body because he's just bored with his life. Even as someone who rants about everything that's wrong with Hollywood, I don't mind a rip-off. I just want to see a good movie. Self/less unfortunately is not a good movie. The idea is decent but the script takes too many dumb and expected turns. This movie had the potential to go really dark but its PG-13 rating forces it to be easily digestible.

This movie is Tarsem Singh's most grounded effort. There are some fantastical shots but for the most part Singh is reining himself in. The climax has some cool moments but they are too little too late. I'm not sure if Tarsem Singh is "auditioning" for more studio films but I can imagine that he wants to show he can do this kind of FX network-ready thriller. Overall, Singh keeps his dignity intact. The movie has decent pacing and the film is watchable, even if it's not memorable. If there's one thing I can praise without qualification, it's the editing. Robert Duffy's cuts are quick and snappy, giving the film a sweet rhythm. The cinematography (Brendan Galvin) and the score (Antonio Pinto) serve the movie well but I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

Much like his ex-wife Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds is a character actor with movie star looks. He needs a different, weird character to really shine and rather fails at being Bland Action Movie Leading Man guy. Reynolds is so dull in this movie; if the movie had some humor or trippy sci-fi twists, it would be a great role for him. Reynolds is a fine actor but he's often used wrong in Hollywood. For more evidence, see Green Lantern (at your own risk).

Ben Kingsley doesn't get to do much in the early scenes and looks bored. I don't really know why they had to cast him in the role, besides putting his name on the poster. Natalie Martinez is excellent in her role, though I shouldn't reveal much of her role. It's great to see Victor Garber in this, and he's a major highlight. Matthew Goode also displays some charming sliminess as Albright. Dockery gets stuck playing "angry daughter" but she's fine.

Self/less is a restrained effort from hallucinogenic director Tarsem Singh but the film actually needs more of his eye for the bizarre. The lackluster script, coupled with a dull lead performance from Ryan Reynolds, make this one to see on cable or Redbox. It's a decent watch, but not memorable. In a busy (and quite exciting) summer movie season, casual moviegoers would do well to skip this one. Having said that, I wonder if Self/less would have been better suited for a February release date, with fewer competing movies and a less discerning audience. I guess, we'll never know.

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