Noah Wyle is a *criminally* underrated actor. He carried entire post-Clooney seasons of ER on his back, and dropping him into Sci-Fi/fantasy projects like Falling Skies or the goofy Librarians show instantly elevated them the way Patrick Stewart elevated Star Trek or numerous masterclass actors like Maggie Smith or Gary Oldman elevated Harry Potter. Since nearly half the movie relies on closeups of his character lying on his back on a hospital gurney, the filmmakers needed a heavy hitter, and Noah delivers the gamut of believable reactions and emotions as we watch his character grappling with the aftermath of his shooting in real time.
The supporting cast is very good, notably Sharon Leal as his semi-estranged wife and veteran character actor Xander Berkeley as the distracted ER doctor who can't get his name right. The film is strongest in its tense first half, as we watch Wyle's character in the hospital alongside his freaked-out accidental shooter fleeing and then fruitlessly seeking adult guidance on split screens.
This film definitely suffered from a terrible title (surely someone could have come up with something more creative?) and a rushed resolution. I would probably have given it an eight or a nine if it had left well enough alone and ended at its "false" ending (where it cut to black), without any subsequent credits footage that drove the entire denouement off the cliff of implausibility. That's all I'll say to avoid spoilers. Fans of Wyle will definitely appreciate him here.
The supporting cast is very good, notably Sharon Leal as his semi-estranged wife and veteran character actor Xander Berkeley as the distracted ER doctor who can't get his name right. The film is strongest in its tense first half, as we watch Wyle's character in the hospital alongside his freaked-out accidental shooter fleeing and then fruitlessly seeking adult guidance on split screens.
This film definitely suffered from a terrible title (surely someone could have come up with something more creative?) and a rushed resolution. I would probably have given it an eight or a nine if it had left well enough alone and ended at its "false" ending (where it cut to black), without any subsequent credits footage that drove the entire denouement off the cliff of implausibility. That's all I'll say to avoid spoilers. Fans of Wyle will definitely appreciate him here.
