SWITCHBACK

SWITCHBACK is a well-directed, detective movie. SWITCHBACK opens with the frightening kidnapping of a young boy from his bedroom and the fatal stabbing of his baby-sitter in her groin. The boy is the son of FBI agent Frank LaCross, played by Dennis Quaid. Months later in Texas, local incumbent Sheriff Buck Olmstead, played wonderfully by R. Lee Ermey, struggles with the media ramifications of a gruesome fatal motel stabbing which may cost him his reelection. To steal the election, a competing candidate for sheriff tries to pin the murder on a man who happened to steal the escape vehicle, but FBI agent Frank arrives on the scene and gives Buck enough information about the serial killer to convince Buck the small time car thief is not the killer.

Unexpectedly, Frank’s superior calls Buck to tell him that Frank has no jurisdiction to be involved in his case. The FBI superior orders Buck to hold Frank until the agency can pick him up. Frank confesses to Buck that the serial killer kidnapped his son so he is tracking the killer without permission. Buck takes pity on Frank and prevents the FBI from arresting Frank. Thus, Buck sacrifices the election to help Frank find the real killer and his son. The killer has passed Frank a riddle telling Frank how to get his son back. Frank must solve the riddle as he chases the killer.

Meanwhile, a drifter, named Bob Goodall, played by Danny Glover, picks up a hitchhiker, named Lane Dixon, played by Jared Leto. Lane refuses to ride with Bob because Bob’s car is papered with pornographic pictures. However, Bob rescues Lane from being beaten to death by a group of rednecks, and so Lane takes a chance on riding with Bob to Salt Lake City. They battle winter storms and car troubles on their trek towards Salt Lake City. In the process, Bob discovers that Lane was a doctor who quite during his internship.

From surveillance camera video, the Texas police determine that the serial killer must have been Lane. Numerous clues are offered up as to who the actual killer may be, leading the audience to believe that he could be either Bob, Lane or perhaps even someone else. Eventually, Frank discovers the identity of the killer in a fight to the death.

Jared Leto plays the confused but humble Lane with tenderness and convinces us about his concern for saving lives. Glover’s character is too sketchy and inconsistent to be a serial killer. Although his car is plastered with pornographic pictures and he is adept with a knife, Glover’s character seems to have no motivation to murder all these people, except that he wants to play a deadly game with Quaid. While Dennis Quaid tries hard, Frank LaCross is a monotone character who speaks only enough to gather what information he needs.

The script follows two separate stories for much too long before we know why they are related, and the characters aren’t fully explored. Why did Bob Goodall change from a good old boy to a crazy man? We’re told that he dares Frank with a riddle that will result in one of them getting killed, but we don’t know quite why he wants to taunt Frank.

Frank chase is somewhat tedious as it deals with police in-fighting, attempts by his own superior to stop him, a nonsensical riddle, and a convenient storm. We are also asked to join Lane on a all-too-obvious disastrous trip with Bob.

With all this belabored tension, the payoff doesn’t satisfy. There is no character development, epiphany or deeper understanding gleaned from this chase. It is a standard re-enactment of the ugliness of humanity gone awry in an interesting location, yet without hope restored, or a very real payoff gained from the setup. When the ultimate showdown occurs, we are just glad the story is over. Furthermore, although the movie makes some good moral points about truth and paternal love, its plot is driven by vigilantism which stands in opposition to godly justice. Even though the direction is excellent, it is too bad that the director didn’t have a better script.