Out of Time (2003 film)

Out of Time is a 2003 American mystery thriller film directed by Carl Franklin and starring Denzel Washington. The two had previously worked together for the 1995 film Devil in a Blue Dress.[2]

Out of Time
Theatrical release poster
Directed byCarl Franklin
Written byDavid Collard
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyTheo van de Sande
Edited byCarole Kravetz
Music byGraeme Revell
Production
companies
Distributed byMGM Distribution Co.
Release date
  • October 3, 2003 (2003-10-03)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$50 million[1]
Box office$55.5 million[1]

Plot

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Matt Lee Whitlock is the respected chief of police in the small Florida Keys town of Banyan Key. Recently separated, Matt is currently seeing local resident Ann Merai-Harrison, an old flame from high school whose husband Chris, a former professional quarterback seemingly oblivious to the relationship, abuses her. While taking Ann to the doctor, Matt finds out she has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Matt is also going through a divorce from his wife, homicide detective Alex, and is friends with medical examiner Chae.

Ann intends to reward Matt's loyalty by making him the sole beneficiary of her $1,000,000 life insurance policy. Matt suggests that she should travel to Switzerland to undergo a newly developed, groundbreaking treatment, but Ann is unable to afford it. Desperate to help, Matt takes $485,000 out of evidence from a drug bust and gives it to Ann so she can make the trip. When the money goes up in flames in a suspicious house fire that kills Ann and Chris, Matt is horrified to find their charred remains. Upon investigation, Matt discovers that the doctor that diagnosed Ann was an imposter, Ann didn't have cancer, and he has been set up.

When DEA agents call the next day to get the evidence money in order to bust a drug kingpin, Matt responds erratically. He finds out the money is now with the imposter and that Alex is about to bust him. He rushes to the hotel and, after a brief struggle, accidentally kills the imposter, takes the money and flees. Although Matt is seen by the police, he is thought to have come to protect Alex.

Later that evening, Alex finds that Matt is Ann's sole beneficiary and also that he has been in a relationship with her. At the same time, Matt receives a distress call from Ann, who is still alive, and unofficially goes to save her. Chris and Matt fight, during which Ann shoots and kills Chris. Ann then reveals that she had planned the recent events for money and fortune, and shoots Matt in the leg.

Just as Ann is about to kill Matt, Alex kills her; Alex traced Matt using a GPS tracker and asks whether he planned to elope with the money, but Matt reveals that he has not brought the money with him. When the irritated DEA agents come to arrest Matt, he says that his man was sent to Miami. Chae appears with the money, explaining that bad information led him to the wrong address. The DEA agents leave with the money and Matt has no charges brought against him.

Later, when Matt is on medical leave, Chae visits him with news that Matt is the recipient of Ann's insurance policy. But Alex says that "as his wife," she knows that Matt has to reject it, meaning that she has decided to drop the divorce and move back in with Matt. Overjoyed, Matt seemingly forgets about the money, though Chae is amusingly adamant that Matt must take it.

Cast

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Awards

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2004 Black Reel Awards

2004 Image Awards

Reception

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On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a score of 64% based on 150 reviews, with an average rating of 6.30 out of 10. The critical consensus states the film is a "fun and stylish thriller if you can get past the contrivances."[3] On Metacritic it has a score of 63% based on reviews from 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[4]

Video game

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WAP and Java mobile phone games based upon this movie were released in the UK in association with O2 and Momentum Pictures by Kalador Entertainment Inc.[5]

Home media

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Out of Time was released on VHS and DVD on January 6, 2004, in widescreen-only for DVD & full screen for VHS.[6]

Remake

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The film was remade in India as Zeher and released in 2005.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Out of Time". Box Office Mojo.
  2. ^ Franklin, Carl (September 29, 1995), Devil in a Blue Dress (Crime, Drama, Mystery), Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, TriStar Pictures, Clinica Estetico, Mundy Lane Entertainment, retrieved July 2, 2023
  3. ^ "Out of Time". Rotten Tomatoes.
  4. ^ "Out of Time". Metacritic.
  5. ^ "Playing Out of Time on O2".
  6. ^ "Out of Time (2003) - Financial Information". The Numbers.
  7. ^ "Deepak Tijori claims Mohit Suri stole his idea for Zeher but didn't give credit: 'He has never come in front of me'". Hindustan Times. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
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