I don't get it, why cant people treat a movie like a movie. Its all about entertainment. This was a perfect entertainer movie. Don't nit pick, get too detail oriented and too realistic. 1) Great plot , great suspense, holds you on till the end 2) Love the ending! 3) The star cast is super, great work by Gerard, Maria and Pierce. Solid performance 4) Amazing direction, on the run through out the movie.The rush of emotions and fear was amazingly directed 5) The less you know about the movie the more you will enjoy I enjoyed the movie thoroughly.Must watch !

This movie contains NO gore, NO physical violence, almost no bad words. With a few seconds cut, this movie could be OK even for 40s-50s Hollywood standards. PG13 rating reads "some material may be inappropriate for children under 13". I agree, but R reads "under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian". "...for some language and violence." Kids watch much more violence in their schools than in this movie!Anyway, the movie is fine. The story is a universal one. Did you know that India made a remake in 2010? Cocktail IMDb reference tt1821373. And someone can write a plot of a similar story set in XVIII century Vienna, or in ancient Persia and so onActing and cinematography are pretty good. IMHO it's worth to see this movie. My wife asked to me what would have I done in male victim shoes. According to the way I am, when he is not believed in the police station I would have called 911 or I'd go to another officer: I can not stand not to be believed, especially when I tell the truth :)

Abby (Maria Bello) and Neil Randall (Gerard Butler) seems to be the perfect couple in Chicago with a lovely daughter. He's climbing the corporate ladder. Neil is going to spend the weekend with his boss. Abby is going to see her sister Diane. They hire Helen Schriver from the agency to babysit Sophie for the night. On the drive to Diane, mysterious Tom Ryan (Pierce Brosnan) comes out of the backseat with a gun and news that Helen has already kidnapped their child. He starts telling them what to do like withdrawing all their cash but he throws it all into the river. He tells them to do what they're told for 24 hours and they'll have their girl back.There is a lot of unnecessary breathlessness and yelling overacting. It's all intended to raise the tension, but it's too much of a movie thing. Gerard Butler is pushing too hard. His energy diffuses the tension rather than raise it. Quiet anger would be so much more effective. Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello are a little better. He does menace well and she's the loving wife. This has the potential for a good 3-person morality play, but director Mike Barker works overtime to pump up the artificial thrills. I was interested in the mystery of the true nature of the story, but I didn't particularly care about the people. The twist ending is fine but it needed a few more breadcrumbs laid out along the way. More hints about the ending would have made the ending more compelling.

This is good thriller. I would recommend this.It would always keep you guessing during the movie. Acting was good. Music was nice and it makes movie more attractive. Pierce Brosnan in the movie but it is not like Bond movies, it is different. The story is good with good script and screenplay. There is no such movies like this in past. I expect more movies like come in future. The suspense part of the movie is key. It would keep you bind till the end and that is the important thing of this movie.However,the climax could have been better.But this is nice movie to watch during the weekend.