Recently watched this movie a week ago and am surprised to have never heard of it. It's a hidden gem of visual story telling and social commentary that is still relevant today.It tells the simple story of a middle aged man Bill (Michael Douglas) who just wants to return home to his ex-wife to celebrate their young daughter's birthday. Tired of waiting in a traffic jam that doesn't seem to be moving anytime soon he decides to walk across the city to reach his destination, encountering a number of individuals that push him to vent his frustrations of a changed society. During this rampage, a police officer (Robert Duvall) who is on his last day before retirement becomes increasingly intrigued in pursuing this bizarre case regarding many seemingly connected public disturbances.Throughout the movie we mostly follow Michael Douglas' character as he goes on his rampage while on his way to his daughter's birthday. Although his plight is relatable, it becomes clear that the man is the sympathetic villain who needs to be stopped. It's revealed that he always was an unhinged man on the brink of snapping as we peel back the layers of this character, but you can't help feel sorry for him no matter how mentally unstable he actually is. He is a man lost in this new era who feels betrayed by society as it somehow has regarded him obsolete and longs for the old days of his time. This is the entire reason he goes on this entire rampage of events, as he points out the things he doesn't agree with. It's not commentary for no reason, it's an entire part of his character and the story. He wants to belong, but everyone especially his family has pushed him out leaving him totally alone. I noticed in the phone call scene with his wife (before the thugs try gunning him down), that a saddened look on his face appears after his ex-wife tells him their daughter is doing totally fine without him. It all totally connects to the entire theme of alienation. It's tragic how his character turns out, but it was the only way he was heading toward throughout the film. He chose to "kill himself" so his daughter could get the insurance on his death. His daughter being the biggest light in this dark time, it was just so sad seeing how happy and shocked he was to see how much she had grown.Robert Duvall's character goes through a small change as he starts the story totally defeated and accepting of the changed world, deciding to retire away despite loving his job as a cop. But throughout the story, he slowly defends himself and fights to prove his worth in this new world despite almost everyone at the police force treating him like shit. Which shows a stark contrast in the two main characters and how they deal with their similar problem of feeling obsolete in current society.I feel like people need to prepare for this time in our lives, when we are no longer needed in society and just focus on the smaller more important things which is our time with family and friends etc.Overall it was enjoyable and entertaining. A great story with a tragic ending, thought provoking themes and an all around fantastic diverse cast as it focuses on different ethnic, social and economical issues within society. via /r/movies http://bit.ly/2WTFLGi
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