Movie Breakdown: Self/Less

The Impression:

Ben Kingsley’s consciousness gets put in Ryan Reynold’s body.  Weird things happen.

The Reality:

There’s a good movie to be had somewhere in Self/Less – it follows a dying real estate mogul who doesn’t quite get what he’s hoping for after he has his mind transferred into a younger body – but Self/Less itself is not a good movie.  This is largely because director Tarsem Singh (yes, that’s the guy who made The Cell) practically reads the next plot point aloud right before it happens, and – as I’m sure you can imagine – an action thriller isn’t at all done any favors from such telegraphed silliness.  Then there’s also the way the film’s leads – largely Ryan Reynolds and somewhat Matthew Goode – don’t at all seem to care about their characters, so the combined amount of depth between the two of them is equal to that of a kiddie pool for ants.  Thanks, fellas!

Honestly, I could continue on with a variety of things that the film doesn’t even try to do well, but there’s just no point.  Self/Less is a boring, uncreative flick that doesn’t have an ounce of inspired decision-making anywhere in it.  Eventually it’ll be on TNT every week and you can halfheartedly watch it while wondering if The Matrix is on another channel.

The Lesson:

Ryan Reynolds needs a good movie ASAP.