The point is made at the opening of the film that, thanks to everybody and his sister having CCTV everywhere - from public bus and train services to private business establishments, especially retail stores - it's possible to track a "target" from point A to point B very easily.
And that is how a few of everybody and half their sisters are able to keep an eye on Adam, mild-mannered IT teacher at a private school for boys. Thought it is hard to believe, as stated at the opening, that all of the shots actually *were* drawn from CCTV cameras. Anyway, that's the theory.
Anyway, Adam spends the night with someone who ends up dead because he had a secret that involved somebody in the Royal Family. The establishment (i.e. the government of the day, as distinct from the Royal Family - who have no control over such things) did not care about the secret as long as it was secret but the establishment does care about someone's not-so-veiled threats to make the secret public.
But the documentation is not found on the person on someone after his demise because Adam apparently picked up someone's phone by mistake, not realising he already had his own phone stuffed away wherever he had it stuffed. It's when he goes to give the phone back to someone that he almost gets stuffed himself.
So Adam goes to old girlfriend who's a journalist, and she gets in on the act as someone *else* - actually "elses"; it takes a while for Adam to realise that more than one bunch of someone elses are after him - starts making things difficult for Adam.
The climactic scene is very climactic and presents a twist ending that was not expected. In the end, everything ends up normal and safe for Adam, and no harm done - except for one of his best friends getting killed in the process.
Hopefully, I have not given too much of the plot away. In terms of technicalities, the direction is fine, the story is good, and the acting ranges from very good to not bad. The script could be more tightly written, and the plot could be organised *much* better than it is.
Another reviewer has complained about plot holes. I didn't notice any actual holes but because the plot is not as well organised as it could be it is very easy for parts of the plot to hide, and some of them might by hiding in holes (hence the term, "hidey-hole," I suppose).
I think what another reviewer called "sub-plots" is actually meant to be background information about the characters. There's really just the one plot. The film is meant to be a more or less simple melodrama, so it's important that one do not dig too deeply for meaning or motivation, or you'll end up passing it.
Otherwise, we need to actually see Amy's reason for getting involved; and there needs to be a better reason for the biker getting killed (or that bit needs to be scrapped - e.g. put him in hospital with an accident). But mostly the plot needs better organisation and the writing needs to be tightened up, to make it more suspenseful and less confusing.
Worth seeing as a matinée or other cheap show, though it's probably not making the rounds of theatres any more. Worth having the DVD if you can get it free or cheap, so you've got something to watch on a rainy weekend afternoon when you're tired of perennial repeats of Tarzan and Shirley Temple.
It could be a lot better than it is, and perhaps someone will re-make it as a better film someday soon. But it's not nearly as bad as some of the other reviewers have said.
And that is how a few of everybody and half their sisters are able to keep an eye on Adam, mild-mannered IT teacher at a private school for boys. Thought it is hard to believe, as stated at the opening, that all of the shots actually *were* drawn from CCTV cameras. Anyway, that's the theory.
Anyway, Adam spends the night with someone who ends up dead because he had a secret that involved somebody in the Royal Family. The establishment (i.e. the government of the day, as distinct from the Royal Family - who have no control over such things) did not care about the secret as long as it was secret but the establishment does care about someone's not-so-veiled threats to make the secret public.
But the documentation is not found on the person on someone after his demise because Adam apparently picked up someone's phone by mistake, not realising he already had his own phone stuffed away wherever he had it stuffed. It's when he goes to give the phone back to someone that he almost gets stuffed himself.
So Adam goes to old girlfriend who's a journalist, and she gets in on the act as someone *else* - actually "elses"; it takes a while for Adam to realise that more than one bunch of someone elses are after him - starts making things difficult for Adam.
The climactic scene is very climactic and presents a twist ending that was not expected. In the end, everything ends up normal and safe for Adam, and no harm done - except for one of his best friends getting killed in the process.
Hopefully, I have not given too much of the plot away. In terms of technicalities, the direction is fine, the story is good, and the acting ranges from very good to not bad. The script could be more tightly written, and the plot could be organised *much* better than it is.
Another reviewer has complained about plot holes. I didn't notice any actual holes but because the plot is not as well organised as it could be it is very easy for parts of the plot to hide, and some of them might by hiding in holes (hence the term, "hidey-hole," I suppose).
I think what another reviewer called "sub-plots" is actually meant to be background information about the characters. There's really just the one plot. The film is meant to be a more or less simple melodrama, so it's important that one do not dig too deeply for meaning or motivation, or you'll end up passing it.
Otherwise, we need to actually see Amy's reason for getting involved; and there needs to be a better reason for the biker getting killed (or that bit needs to be scrapped - e.g. put him in hospital with an accident). But mostly the plot needs better organisation and the writing needs to be tightened up, to make it more suspenseful and less confusing.
Worth seeing as a matinée or other cheap show, though it's probably not making the rounds of theatres any more. Worth having the DVD if you can get it free or cheap, so you've got something to watch on a rainy weekend afternoon when you're tired of perennial repeats of Tarzan and Shirley Temple.
It could be a lot better than it is, and perhaps someone will re-make it as a better film someday soon. But it's not nearly as bad as some of the other reviewers have said.