'Derailed' is shiny escapism

"Derailed" is all too apt a title.

But before the movie goes off track, it cooks up a nasty little suspense thriller about wandering spouses.

The Weinstein Company 'Derailed' C+ The verdict: Not as sharp as you might want, but still a serviceable shot of shiny escapism. Director: Mikael Hafstrom Starring: Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Melissa George, Vincent Cassel, Robert 'The RZA' Diggs Run time: 110 minutes Release date: Nov. 11, 2005 Rating: R for strong disturbing violence, language and some sexuality. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Derailed'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

At first more "Falling in Love" (a 1984 tale of adultery starring Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro) than "Fatal Attraction," the movie takes an unnerving twist that has nothing to do with boiling bunnies.

Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is a Chicago ad man whose home life is getting a little rocky. "You never kiss goodbye in the morning anymore," says his sweet diabetic daughter as he and his wife, Deanna (Melissa George), head out the door. Work's not much better. His biggest account has just dropped him.

So imagine what a small miracle it is when, having forgotten to go by the ATM before boarding his commuter train, he's rescued from the humiliation of not having the nine bucks for a ticket by sexy, flirty Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston), who also works downtown.

Confidential details traded on the train lead to long lunches which lead to a much-sweated-over, should-we/shouldn't-we after-hours tryst. But things don't work out as they planned and, instead of a sweet honey in the city, Charles is saddled with Philippe Laroche (Vincent Cassel), a murder-minded blackmailer who tauntingly hits him up for $100,000 to keep his assignation secret. Lucinda freaks and begs Charles not to tell the police. If they'd ever watched any movies, they'd know that's not a good idea.

The leads have a good chemistry, but they seem miscast — our friend Rachel in black stockings and stiletto heels!!! And Owen was almost the next James Bond, for goodness sake. It's hard to buy him as milquetoast in over his head, no matter how hard — and effectively — he sells it. Aniston can play sexy "bad" girls, as she proved in "The Good Girl." But her "Friends" baggage, not to mention her Brad baggage, is perhaps still too recent. You find yourself admiring how nicely she does naughty, instead of focusing on the performance itself.

Rappers RZA and Xzibit have featured roles. They're not bad, but neither has the onscreen presence or promise of Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000). At least, not here.

So Cassel, a superstar in Europe and the debonair thief in "Ocean's Twelve," walks off with the movie as a deadly bit of Eurotrash who thinks messing with people's lives is a lark. And an income. His "friendly" visit to an unknowing Deanna in the Schines' shiny suburban home is as clever a bit of show-off acting as you'll see this year.