Arlington Road (1999)

Once again, a film that I thought was good the first time around seems obvious and stale the second.

Maybe it's because when I saw this back in 1999 it seemed so impossible, which made the story seem inspired: "Terrorists in our own neighborhoods? Whoa...the world's getting scary." I remember that Gary and I discussed this for a good hour afterward, our entire dinner conversation centered around how deep the plotters' plans went.

Now that trusting America's been blindsided, however, the film seems pretty tame. It's just a standard jumpy thriller now with some pretty crazy lapses in judgment by the lead and some "no-way" coincidences. Oh well.

C