Foolproof (2003)

(In theaters, October 2003) It’s amazing to see what a competent screenwriter will do with a few good actors and next to no budget, and so Foolproof‘s cheap price tag doesn’t have much of an impact on its effectiveness. The setup is mildly ridiculous (three friends with a knack for making up “foolproof” theoretical plans to rob real places are blackmailed into executing a real caper), but the execution works well despite a few obvious setups. Ryan Reynolds is suitably smart and funny as the protagonist and Kristin Booth makes herself attractive through pure attitude, with a consequent effect on the motion picture as a whole. We’ve seen a lot of caper thrillers in the last few years, but Foolproof manages to stay with the rest of the pack. (It helps that it’s so distinctly Canadian, complete with the good money, car plates and Tim Hortons coffee) I have a few problems with some scenes that try to be either too dramatic or too misdirecting (Rob’s Evil Goatee!), but the overall package… holds up quite well.