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Conspiracy Theory (1997) More at IMDbPro »

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136 comments in total

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36 out of 52 people found the following comment useful :-
Great, 31 July 2003
Author: FloTheDoorWoman from US

This movie could be classified into different genres - suspense, romance & thriller. Not many films can say that, or if they can, many do not succeed. Conspiracy Theory, however, did.

The first time I saw this, I was on the edge of my seat. It was very suspensful. I won't go into details if you haven't seen it, but it's really one of the best suspense films I've seen.

This wasn't a completely romantic film, no. In fact, I wish it would've touched on the romance more than it did. Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts had great chemistry. Although nothing really happened between them, the audience could clearly see Jerry's (Mel Gibson)love for Alice (Julia Roberts.)

Now, the plot. Jerry Fletcher has many wild conspiracy theories - including one that NASA is trying to kill the President with earthquakes. He's a cabbie & tells lots of people his ideas. But the one person he seems to tell the most to and thinks can help him is Alice Sutton, an attorney. He saved her months before the movie takes place when she was mugged. He seems to get on her nerves, but she puts up with him. He goes to her office all the time. He's obviously in love with her, but she doesn't feel the same way. Well, somehow "they" (CIA, FBI, you know "they") find out about Jerry's crazy conspiracies & they go after him. He and Alice are in danger.

The acting in this movie was terrific. This may be Mel's best. His portrayal of a crazy cabbie was so good and believable. It's not really like any other role he has played. He did it so well & the audience sympathized with him completely. Julia was good too. Her role wasn't really difficult to play, but she made it believably nevertheless. Patrick Stewart also stars in this. He made a great bad guy.

Overall, this movie was great. It was very suspensful & the acting was outstanding.

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32 out of 46 people found the following comment useful :-
Monk Or Oliver Stone?, 5 March 2006

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

Now that the TV series "Monk" has become so popular, maybe a few more people will check this film out. Mel Gibson's character isn't exactly like Monk - more like a super hyperactive and politically paranoid "Monk." He fits right in with Oliver Stone and the rest of the "conspiracy" freaks. Stone, in fact, would like this film since it gives credence to these paranoid fantasies and gives several cheap shots to conservatives along the way.

Political propaganda-aside, this is a fun movie to watch and the most fun might be Gibson's house, which is too incredible to describe here. Mel is fascinating to watch and really makes this movie what it is with his outrageous character "Jerry Fletcher." Julia Roberts gives a solid performance while looking about as good as she ever looked. Patrick Stewart is very effective as the bad guy. He reminded me of Laurence Olivier's Nazi villain in "Marathon Man."

An involving story that holds your attention for the full 2-plus hours and looks nice on DVD.

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19 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
A Surprisingly Good Film, 23 July 2000
Author: astrid-3

Let me say immediately that I would recommend this film to almost anyone but the most literal-minded. This film will be different things to different people. It can be a macho thriller, a subtle romance, an ironic look at ourselves, or a combination of all these things. The great thing about this movie is not so much the plot, but the individual situations and scenes. What is meant to be portrayed as paranoid behaviour by Mel Gibson's character, Jerry Fletcher, becomes quite funny when the viewer recognizes his or her own self doing similar things, but in a context that is supposedly "normal." Jerry's having a padlock on his refrigerator and a combination lock on his coffee will bring a smile to the lips of anyone who has to deal with numerous computer "logons" and passwords to gain access to even the most mundane things in our computer-dominated workplaces. Likewise, the writers and director are spot on when they show poor paranoid Jerry going to separate mailboxes to post his various letters, while many of us here in the on-line world will routinely use pseudonyms, proxies, remailers, etc for the very same reason that Jerry takes his seemingly abnormal precautions, i.e., to avoid potentially prying eyes. So, who's paranoid? I thought this was very insightful. As for overt humour, perhaps my guard was down, but I laughed until tears came to my eyes when Jerry tossed off joke about a man who had only three minutes to live. Mel Gibson's delivery of the punch line was perfect. As for pathos and those human moments, scenes in which Jerry would gladly die for just a brushing kiss from his worshipped Julia Roberts might bring back memories of anyone's naive, tender years and momentarily make your heart ache. And a scene in which Jerry is unable to explain why he compulsively buys copies of the same book over and over again is very poignant, indeed. Mel Gibson put a lot of energy into what was obviously a demanding role and, as usual, Julia Roberts lights up the screen in every scene she's in. The film might be a fantasy, but it's the sort of fantasy many of us can appreciate.

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21 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Slider!!, 13 January 2007

Author: Benjamin Wolfe from USA

This is a steady paced well made, twister of a drama, with sharply laced comedy around the perimeter. I was told by a woman that I worked with when this came out before I saw it, she said, "You're like Jerry Fletcher. That guy Mel Gibson plays in that new movie, Conspiracy Theory."

I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, but I went and saw the movie. I don't think totally so, but maybe some small similarities could be possible...I guess. So I was talking to someone when I drove professionally and realized there was no one in the back...so what!

The casting was beautiful, all the players were superb! The plot was right on, the twists, that would occur, here and there kept you guessing and hopeful. The action was brisk and well set, propelling and then slowing to a place of horror for a little while, then back 'on' again moving fast! No matter what the opinion of the average movie-watcher-Joe, Gibson always has a different feel. It doesn't seem like he is a movie star, more rather a real solid guy, it seems that he is who he is portraying. There is a certain style that he has that seems like he could be related, or someone that you would like to hang-out with and enjoy a beer. Julia Roberts shines in this. She cares, she is real and it comes through from the time they meet on to the departure and before the next meeting. Hey, there's a thought, Mel and Julia could take another 'pairing' of roles together.

This was a truly wild ride with a very different ending. Worth Gibson fan's or Roberts fan's time.

This is a must see if you enjoy a solid story with racy action and a wonderful plot that moves along and then slightly twists toward the end. Recommended excellent (*****)

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10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
What an underrated movie!, 20 October 1999
Author: Klectron from Vlaardingen, Netherlands

Mel Gibson gives a great performance here, as well as Julia Roberts! The story is really good, and the movie has some great plot twists. The only thing I disliked was the fact that Patrick Stewart didn't have a bigger role...

The movie also has quite some funny moments and lots of action. This definately is one of Richard Donner's best films to date, due especially to the outstanding performance of Mel Gibson! If you haven't seen it yet and if you're looking for an intelligent, well-acted movie, this is the one!

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
A cross between Bourne and Firestarter, 24 December 2007

Author: Dr Jacques COULARDEAU from Olliergues, France

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The theme is very common in American literature, and it is one of the favorite themes of authors like Stephen King. The state, and particularly the CIA and the FBI are the centers and the brains of a big conspiracy that is supposed to manipulate the democratic state into obedient compliance to security necessities as evaluated by the afore-said agencies and bureaus themselves. It always have to do with some kind of medical research in order to produce the perfect soldier and Bourne is one name in that line that has made the political paranoia of the American public more than famous and obvious, a paranoia that is seen as an entertainment, a paranoia that is often self inflicted as an entertainment without seeing that this process makes you paranoid anyway, but not on a regular everyday basis, only in an emergency situation. What the promoters of this emergency paranoia do not see is that it freezes the victims or the patients or the subjects into absolute fear and inaction when they should have all their consciousness at their disposal. They become unreliable and let themselves drown in mass reactions. The film is well done because it pretends there are two authorities in New York City that can defend normal citizens against these operations that are always connected with a crazy doctor and tied up to some past period, if possible before Reagan, as if the military-economic complex did not exist any more. The two saviors are the local police, NYPD in that case, and the department of justice. We can sleep peacefully. We are protected and the vision of the twin towers on the skyline of New York at the beginning of the film are there to prove how protected we are. It is entertaining though because it mixes the various necessary and unavoidable elements in an interesting way. The very secret agent, the victim of the medical treatment, does not remember what he did and where he comes from. He is at large at the beginning of the film and he will have to cause a lot of disruption to finally cause the manhunt to start against him. Then the film has a sentimental dimension in the fact that the killing robot failed his last mission by falling in love with the daughter of his target. And it is this love that will save him because he will understand she has to be protected and he will do it on his own, though she will cooperate, at least for a while, with the man-hunters before she realizes she is being used as a decoy and that she has been told lies. So a film that can dispel your solitude or boredom for one evening at home.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Great, A splendid cross of 12 MONKEYS and PAYBACK, 16 November 2001

Author: Philip from Misouri of the USA

If you liked PAYBACK and 12 MONKEYS, you will love this film.

I have one thing to say about this film... Mel GIbson. He plays a paranoid, noble, apparent stalker, who has intelligence and wit,

but lacks ability to express himself fully. Can't say more because it might ruin the movie. CONSPIRACY THEORY IS A MUST SEE. It ranks in my top 25 category

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Mel Gibson wonderful, chemistry with Julia Roberts tops, 27 December 2000

Author: eb999 from Mesa, AZ

The thing that stands out for me in this movie is the wonderful (and underrated) performance given by Mel Gibson. His part calls for an uneasy balance between a paranoid psychotic and romantic leading man and he treds that fine line beautifully. Despite all his craziness, he is totally likeable and his relationship with the Julia Roberts character is wonderfully complex and believable. Julia Roberts also gives an excellent performance and the chemistry between the two leads is perfect.

All in all, I loved this film and didn't understand why it was so underrated by the critics.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Romance, Suspense, Conspiracies, Good Acting, Superb Directed!, 6 January 1999

Author: Maverick-43 from São Paulo, Brazil

The first time I saw this movie, there was some emotional moments. Gibson's acting is the best on the world. He plays a cab driver (Jerry Fletcher) in love with Julia Roberts(Alice Sutton), he has theories about conspiracies. He puts his theories on a newsletter called "Conspiracy Theory", they're never right, so no one gives a damn about it. But now, one of his theories is right, but he doesn't know which one and the only person he trusts is the person he loves.

In terms of romance, Consp. Theory was better then Titanic. How? Let's see: In Titanic, DiCaprio meets Winslet, three days later, she strips for him and they have sex in the back seat of the car. Is that love? Or teenage sex? In Conspiracy Theory, he met Alice for six months, he's in love with her, but he's shy, he doesn't just meet her and sleep with her. And what's more romantic? The guy dies and she stays alive and stays sad for the rest of her life (Titanic)? Or they both live and live happy ever after (Conspiracy Theory)? I'll give a 9 out of 10.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Difficult to get into ... but worth the wait in the end., 4 July 1999

Author: Meredith-7 from Melbourne, Australia

I found this film really hard to focus on, there was Mel Gibson playing a paranoid crazy guy, being dragged off by government/non-government 'spooks' and having some sort of weird obsession with Julia Roberts. But as the film unfolded, and the storyline, a complex one, began to unravel it all started to make some kind of sense. My favorite part has to be the self destruction of his apartment, that was quite imaginative. Before I saw this i was expecting something along the lines of Lethal Weapon, being the same star, and same director. But it was so completely different from what I thought it would be and it actually ended up being a better film as a consequence. Mel Gibson played a completely different character than what we usually see, which worked to his benefit and Julia Roberts proved with this film, that she still had star power. Definitely worth a look.

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