Paycheck (2003)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: Though Dick's short story has an intriguing premise, Woo reduces it to a lot of meaningless chases, shoot-outs, and explosions.
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Cast
as Michael Jennings
as Rethrick
as Rachel
as Shorty
as Wolfe
as Agent Dodge
as Agent Klein
as Attorney General Brown
as Rita Dunne
as Maya-Rachel
as Stevens
as Agent Furman
as Agent Mitchell
as Jude
as Jane
as Sara Rethrick
as Street Kid
as Guard
as Dekker
as Balloon Boy
as Scientist
as Scientist
as Plain Clothes Federal Agent
as Lottery Host
as Lottery Official
as Allcom Helicopter Pilot
as FBI Helicopter Pilot
as Betsy, Salesgirl
as Holographic Woman
as Suit
as Suit
as Suit
as Member of String Quartet
as Member of String Quartet
as Member of String Quartet
as Member of String Quartet
as Husband
as Wife
as Young Mother
as Janitor
as Wolfe Goon
as Wolfe Goon
as Wolfe Goon
as Wolfe Goon
as Nursery Customer
as Nursery Customer
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Critic Reviews for Paycheck
All Critics (156) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (114) | DVD (22)
There's a sense of treading water about this movie.
Without ever quite becoming boring, Paycheck seems to narrow into a routine pattern, and a plot that at first had nuance and the hint of a broader meaning degenerates into chases and standard action.
You may not buy everything about this movie, but you'll likely leave it with a smile.
If a movie is going to flout, or at least bend, the laws of the universe, it at least ought to obey its own internal rules.
[Woo] still has pretty much of a tin ear for American performances, so he lets Affleck doze through the starring role. The film feels as if it has no center.
Though the premise is provocative enough, the execution feels like a host of other violent action-drenched movies.
Audience Reviews for Paycheck
Another classic Philip K. Dick story is brought to the big screen only this time its been 'Woo'd'. To be very very honest this is pretty much a poor mans 'Minority Report' with a bad cast, accept for the big chinned Eckhart, why this short story has not been given the same care as 'MR' I don't know. The film plays out with Affleck (yes -_-) as a 'reverse engineer' who...actually I still have no idea really what he is suppose to do in his role, all I know is it involves having his memory wiped after he's done each job but this time he has been used and set up by the evil Eckhart. Cue allot of running around, guns blazing everywhere, your typical Woo car/motorbike chase with standard silly slow motion stunts and of course your typical standard Woo point blank face off...or Mexican standoff. The concept for the film is pretty neat, not totally original in today's film world but it has promise, unfortunately like 'M.I.2' Woo was totally the wrong director for such a decent sci-fi story. The whole thing looks bad, especially during the finale which looks like its been filmed on a set from the 60's Batman TV show, plus the acting is poor and hammy from almost everyone. Its all too predictable and quite simply its been done allot better with other films.
Super Reviewer
Not a fan of Ben Affleck or Uma Thurman at all but what I saw was ok. I like the twists and turns as I tried to figure out what had happened to him. At times it felt rather slow and lethargic which ruined the atmosphere. Not something I'd watch again but a good watch for anyone interested in Philip K. Dick and time travel stories.
Super Reviewer
'Paycheck' is a film that simply does not know what it is and simply doesn't care. I say that because despite a promising premise, the audience has no idea what is going on through this cluttered mess of a film, and we just don't care at all for the protagonist, played well but unmotivated by an aging Affleck. I guess if you are into these weird, retroactive and hip films, then go ahead. If you are apart of a mainstream audience, rent Dogma, Affleck's better film.
Super Reviewer
Paycheck Quotes
| Michael Jennings: | If you show someone the future, they have no future |
| Michael Jennings: | If you show someone the future, they have no future. |
| Michael Jennings: | You take away the mystery, you take away hope |
| Michael Jennings: | You take away the mystery, you take away hope. |
| Rita Dunne: | My name is McBeth, bitch! And I'ma gonna fuck you! |
| Michael Jennings: | If you only look where you can't go, you might just miss the riches below. |