Playing God (1997): Dir: Andy Wilson / Cast: David Duchovny, Timothy Hutton, Angelina Jolie, Peter Stormare, John Hawkes: Intriguing action film about life rendered to the hands of another. David Duchovny stars as a surgeon who loses his license after practicing on a patient while on dope. After a shootout at a bar, he assists a wounded individual using a bottle. This impresses a criminal, played by Timothy Hutton who wishes to employ his services. Duchovny is hired to patch up associates who suddenly end up dying. Great setup grows repetitious but the climax is powerful. Andy Wilson directs with insight with an excellent performance from Duchovny. He is seen as a total wipe out whose life spirals downward after losing his license. Now his skill finds new ground that leaves him asking questions and eventually facing right and wrong. Hutton steals the film as a gangster who employs Duchovny's services to dire orders until the two have a great showdown that presents a strong conclusion. Angelina Jolie as Hutton's girlfriend will obviously become romantically linked to Duchovny and become nothing more than a prop. Other roles are flat and serve mainly as fillers or faceless thug criminal drug dealing idiots. The message regards the value of human life and the idea that nobody can play God but we often destroy what God creates. Score: 7 / 10
Review of Playing God
