Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

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 !

moviemagic03 I have admired every role Patrick Stewart has accepted since first seeing him behind the wheel of the Enterprise. Until now. I somewhat find myself at a loss of words over this film. Suspenseful? Mystery? Humor? Well written? I must have seen a different Safe House starring Patrick Stewart than others have seen. I found myself cringing at so many lines of dialog in this film, my neck had a cramp the following morning. Mr. Stewart is a very talented actor so he must have had reasons other than the script to do this film. The failed attempts at pulling in shadows of other films fails miserably. The character development gets left behind somewhere. I felt like I suffered from Alzheimer's as I tried to remember the reasoning behind some of the characters actions in his film. This film seemed to drag on for an eternity. The forced attempt at romance between the Patrick Stewart character (Mace) and that of Kimberly Williams (Andi) was quite possibly the most painful movie watching experience of my life. If I ever suffer from Alzheimer's, I pray that the memory of seeing this film will be one of the first things to go. I enjoyed seeing Patrick Stewart outside of the Enterprise and Xmen roles but I cannot suggest this film to anyone other than as an example to film making students of what not to do in a movie.

sddavis63 Every time I see Patrick Stewart I become more and more impressed by this actor's versatility. From Shakespeare to SciFi, from drama to suspense to historical epic, Stewart does it all, and does it very well. With "Safe House," Stewart demonstrates a wide range of talent, including - what I enjoyed most - a flair for subtle comedy, unexpected in a movie billed as a suspense flick.I have to admit first off that if you're looking for a hair-raising, edge of your seat thriller, look elsewhere. I spent a lot more of my time sitting back chuckling than I did on the edge of my seat - and I mean that positively. This was a very funny movie in many ways, laced with some tense moments. Stewart plays Mace Sowell, a man suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease, who tries to convince his daughter Michelle (played by Joy Kilpatrick) that the life she thought he had lived had been a lie, and that he had really been a military intelligence officer whose life was now in danger because of the things he knew. She, of course, assumes that her father is delusional because of the Alzheimer's, and hires a caregiver (Andi Travers, played by Kimberley Williams in a pretty decent performance) who Sowell distrusts from the start, but finally begins to warm up to. There's the outline of a pretty suspenseful movie there, except for one basic fault: I had this thing figured out within about 10-15 minutes of the opening! It's very predictable. However, I must confess that the decision to have Sowell suffering from Alzheimer's throws a wild card into this, and there were a few times when, with the twists and turns that happen, and with Sowell's obvious confusion, I began to doubt what I had assumed would happen. So it definitely managed to hold my interest. Stewart, in addition to some wonderfully funny scenes, also showed his dramatic flair as he portrays Sowell struggling with his emotions as he confronts the disease beginning to ravage his mind.Most of the other performances in the movie are solid but unspectacular. I frankly found the character of Stuart (played by Craig Shoemaker) to be nothing less than irritating. Why he had to play almost every scene at least partly impersonating a famous actor was beyond me, and I really just wanted him to go away after a while. Hector Elizondo as Dr. Simon, Sowell's psychiatrist, was underused and offered little.Basically, though, this is a pretty good movie. I'd rate it as a 7/10.

kismit Stewart is either ex-secret service assassin or Don Quixote tilting with espionage windmill. In the first case he makes no reasonable excuse why he could not convince his family of his true occupation and in the second case the considerable humour potential was totally ignored. The villains are barely visible and the character connections lack interest. The Alzheimers backdrop gives the film what little dramatic punch there is and of course Stewart is a presence. I can't help but feel the screenplay was banged off in a weekend.