Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum's generically titled 'Careful What You Wish For' is a painfully average erotic thriller that's light on eroticism and even lighter on thrills. The movie wallows in the genre's tropes without escalating them beyond the familiar. The lack of originality and effort ultimately sinks the picture, but not before the reveal of an absurd twist ending that feels more ridiculous than shocking. Both Nick Jonas and Isabel Lucas are decent but the adulterous relationship that's at the heart of the film is never very credible, let alone sizzling, due to there's not much chemistry between them.
Careful What You Wish For
2015
Action / Drama / Thriller
Careful What You Wish For
2015
Action / Drama / Thriller
Plot summary
A guy gets more than he bargained for after entering into an affair with the wife of an investment banker. Soon, a suspicious death and substantial life insurance policy embroil him in a scandal.
Uploaded by: OTTO
April 12, 2015 at 09:54 PM
Director
Top cast
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An average erotic thriller that's light on eroticism and even lighter on thrills
Average Action Picture
"Careful What You Wish For" is a fairly well-crafted thriller in the tradition of such neo-noir classics as "Body Heat." Unfortunately, the film was slow-moving, and there was not much chemistry between the two lead performers.
Both Nick Jonas and Isabel Lucas were good in their roles of Doug and Lena. But the adulterous relationship that was at the heart of the film was never very credible, let alone sizzling. The Kathleen Turner-William Hurt relationship in "Body Heat" is a good barometer for the best in this style of filmmaking.
The best part of this film was the ending sequence that focused on a complicated scam pulled off by the femme fatale character Lena. Paul Sorvino is good as the local cop who recognizes the innocence of Doug.
But major loose ends abounded in the film, including the climactic scene in the Pines Motel. How did Doug know to go to that site for the incriminating evidence against Lena? How could Lena and her friend possibly escape from the authorities? And also, did Doug ever get to Columbia University, where had been accepted as a student? The viewer needed a better wrap-up in this average action pic.
Same old same old – a tired retread
Writer Chris Frisina needs a breath of fresh air. This tired old story has few saving graces and Elizabeth Allen's direction make the story plod even more slowly. Nick Jonas needs to discuss his movie choices more closely with his agent: films this sad won't make a dent in his career if he intends to be taken seriously as an actor.
Briefly (the is so little story line hat a few words will suffice), Doug Martin (Nick Jonas – best when he take his shirt off) is living at the lake, bored, virginal, girl shy when an out of town couple decides to rent the house next door. The wife Lena is an anorexic appearing seductress (Isabel Lucas) married to an older wealthy investment banker Elliot (Dermot Mulroney) who abuses Lena under Doug's watchful eye. Lena seduces Doug, Doug is controlled by his hormones on this first sexual adventure and under cover the two carry on a sordid affair. Elliot is away most of the time but on one visit home he ends up dead and the manner in which the incident happened and is covered and investigated by sheriff Jack (Lee Sorvino) and insurance investigator Angie (Kandyse McClure) results in a very predictable worn out ending.
This is one of those films that did poorly at the box office – understandably – and is something to wait to watch until it is free on late night television re-runs to act as a somnolent.