Eye of the Beholder 2000, Rated R

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Starring Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, et al. Released to DVD on May 23, 2000.

Originality and inventiveness are two of the most unheralded qualities of any given film. Adhering to a formulaic storyline or conclusion is far easier to do than to create a fresh work, but that is precisely what writer/director Stephen Elliot has done here in Eye of the Beholder.

This unusual thriller focuses on the lives of two intriguing characters, one, a British surveillance expert, Stephen Wilson (Ewan McGregor) and one, a beautiful, professional assassin on the run, Joanna Eris (Ashley Judd). After sighting Joanna in Washington DC, Wilson begins tracking her, falling madly in love with her from afar. Separated from his wife and daughter, distanced from all other persons, and emotionally a wreck of a human being, Wilson follows Joanna with the diligence, passion and love one would normally reserve for immediately family members only. And, in a thoroughly tragic, unhealthy downward emotional spiral, the more Wilson tracks Joanna, the deeper he falls in love with her. Soon his following Joanna takes the place of family for Wilson; before long, he is acting as Joannaís guardian angel, unbeknownst to her, helping her out of one sticky situation after another.

While both Wilson and Joanna are damaged characters, Wilsonís feelings of depression and poor self-worth were far more interesting to me than Joannaís psyche, simply because Wilsonís psyche is examined on a much deeper level than Joannaís.

Never looking ahead to a long term, emotional solution to his problems, Wilson continually fulfills his short-term needs by investing all of his time, energy and love into following Joanna, the one activity that brings joy to his life. The gaping chasm in his heart is filled, but as is easily visible to everyone but Wilson, that chasm has only been temporarily filled.

Much like some of Alfred Hitchcockís pictures, most notably Rear Window, with Wilsonís profession of choice being that of spying on people, Eye of the Beholder quickly becomes a voyeuristic delight for the audience.

After having followed Joanna to a new location, Wilsonís first line of business is to establish visual and audio contact of her. Once this is done, Wilson and, consequently, the viewer can sit back and watching what the unsuspecting Joanna is doing. And while this too can, ultimately, get boring, Elliot knows this and moves his characters along in turn.

And so it is that Wilson and Joanna travel from DC, to New York to Pittsburgh to San Francisco to Chicago to Alaska; ever changing, the quick arrival and departure from big cities serves to keep you on the edge of your seat, not allowing you to become comfortable in the telling of the story, or with the characters.

Elliotís screenplay is quite tight and tied together very nicely, with his style of direction decidedly capable and artistic. This was one of the most stimulating and fascinating films of the year.