Safe House

Story: CIA agent Matt Weston(Ryan Reynolds) is in charge of a CIA safe house in Africa when a CIA traitor named Tobin Frost escorted by Weston's fellow CIA agents arrive. While getting settled, what was supposed to be a secret and secured safe house was attacked and killed all the escorts. Weston needs to relocate the "house guest" in another place while finding out what secrets Frost is keeping.

Review: The safe house is what usually people call a place where they keep key witnesses who are in grave danger before testifying in a trial. In the case of the movie, it's what Frost is keeping. The suspense of the story is what will make the movie worth your money. There were lots of twist  and action packed scenes. I never saw Denzel Washington kick butt better than his last action movie like The Book of Eli.As for his character, Frost, he is hard to predict. Ryan Reynolds, did well as Matt Weston. He was able to redeem himself after bad review about Green Lantern. He was able to do action again just like what he did in Blade: Trinity where he played Knightstalker Hannibal Drake. There were elements of this movie that it was not is not Hollywood material and similar to indie filming because it was directed by Daniel Espinosa. This is one of the movies that opens this week that you shouldn't miss. Safe House opens February 10 in Philippine cinemas and is released locally by Solar Entertainment Corp.

Ryan Reynolds in brightest day and blackest night shines in”Safehouse”

Ryan Reynolds in Safehouse

Ryan Reynolds is the perfect guy as Matt Weston in Safehouse, producer  Scott Stuber recalls: “We had to be certain that the actor opposite Denzel would be ready.  I’ve known Ryan for a long time and was sure that he would step up to that challenge.  More importantly, he wanted such a challenge.”

Reynolds explains his interest in joining the team: “First and foremost, I was riveted by the story.  It was also an opportunity to work with Daniel, who is an unusual and unpredictable filmmaker.  He is unlike anyone I’ve ever worked with, or even met before.  He’s this incredibly wise, intuitive, intellectual thug.  It’s a weird combination that gives him this incredible street sense.  He’s a guy who could easily be in a bar fight, and at the same time, if you name any book, there’s a good chance he’s read it—among the plusses, not the least of which was working with Denzel.  You know you will learn a lot working with Denzel: Spending time with him makes you a better actor.”

The actor found the duality of Weston’s life—the housekeeper’s cover is that he is a health worker—compelling.  He says, “I was fascinated by the fact that my character lives a complete lie.  He’s lying to himself and wraps himself up in the flag.  There’s a lot of hubris involved.  He feels what he’s doing is righteous, and yet, there’s a dark, seedy underbelly to what he does—not the least of which is the fact that he lies to everyone he loves, and that takes its toll.  He’s beaten up from this.”

Reynolds explains his character’s transformation: “Matt’s growth is debatable.  In some ways, it’s almost a regression.  Throughout the course of the film, he’s resorting to some of the same ways he’s previously despised.  The audience’s concern as we’re watching is that Matt might be affected by Frost in the same way that Frost was swayed by whoever it was who caused him to go off book.  One of the things that Frost does is reveal to Matt what this agency really is, how some of the black ops that it engages in are in the guise of a higher good.  It affects Matt deeply, and he’s seeing how this could easily become him one day.  Whether that’s growth or not, he’s definitely changed.”

Washington saw that growth in the man playing Weston and found Reynolds a worthy on-screen adversary.  The performer compliments: “Ryan is a very good actor who works very hard, and we had good chemistry.  He has an inherent innocence that I think was right for the part.”

How did you come to this film?

I read the script and loved it.  Then I met with Daniel Espinosa.  I had seen SNABBA CASH, which he directed, and I thought it was incredibly inventive.   It was a really interesting take on the action/crime thriller and I thought Daniel would be a great match for this project.  I usually gravitate first towards a character and then towards the overall story.  I liked that there is this hubris associated with these guys who enter agencies like the CIA thinking that it’s some romantic journey into a love of God and country.  Then once they are involved, it is actually incredibly disillusioning.

What’s your character’s relationship to Denzel’s character?

Frost (Denzel’s character) represents everything my character, Matt Weston, despises.  He’s betrayed his country and his own personal code of ethics in innumerable ways. Although my character opposes everything Frost stands for, by the end of the film we’re left wondering if Matt is going that same route.

Have you had a lot of action scenes?

The fights in this movie are really long and extensive.  They’re not kung fu or the typical fight scenes that you see in this sort of film.  These fights are just ugly.  There’s biting and head-butting.  The driving is pretty intense, as well.

How have you found working with director Daniel Espinosa?

Daniel is amazing.  He embodies the aspects of a great psycho-analyst that all good directors have and he is very good with actors.  He sees everything. Nothing gets by him.

“SAFEHOUSE”  Showing on February 10, nationwide.

Released and distributed by United International Pictures through

Solar Entertainment Corp.

Denzel Washington researching his character in “Safehouse”

Denzel Washington in Safehouse

When casting Safe House, producer Scott Stuber and  director Daniel Espinosa placed importance on avoiding tired tropes.  Stuber explains the rationale: “Action without character is boring.  The script read well because everything moves at a quick pace.  Then, when you sit and get to know these people, there’s a real depth to them.  We went after actors who could be in those moments and have the audience feel what these characters are feeling.”

As the producer and the director discussed their dream cast, Denzel Washington was brought up as their ideal Tobin Frost, the CIA’s most notorious traitor.  The two invited Washington (then starring on Broadway in the play Fences) to discuss the proposition.  Stuber recalls the meal: “At the end of lunch, Denzel stood up and said, ‘All right, we’re going to do this,’ and walked out.  I thought, ‘What?  Is he going to call his agent?  Is it a done deal?’  I wanted to make sure, so I called Denzel’s agent and he said, ‘I just got off the phone with him.  He’s doing the movie with you and Daniel.’  It was one of those rare, great moments in this business.”

Washington, who had a window in his schedule coinciding with preproduction, labored with the filmmakers to hone the project and the character of an operative who has spent the past nine years selling out the United States.  The actor offers what attracted him to the role of a man wanted for espionage on four continents: “I got the chance to see Daniel’s film Snabba Cash, and it had a unique style and was a very different film.  That made me very interested in him as a filmmaker. Scott, Daniel, David and I worked on developing the character.  Safe House was an opportunity to revisit ways of working what I used to do.  I invested heavily in the character and the story.”

As he prepared for the role, the performer went into full immersion mode.  Washington says: “I didn’t want to do a lot of CIA research because Tobin Frost wasn’t CIA anymore.  He hated everything about the CIA, and I wanted to discover his dark side.  Scott gave me some great books to read, one of which was ‘The Sociopath Next Door,’ which became my bible that I would refer to in developing the character.  I felt Tobin was a sociopath.  When you think ‘sociopath,’ you think violence, and the majority of sociopaths aren’t violent but they want to win and manipulate.  I thought he was a great liar, a great manipulator and perfect for the CIA.”

The filmmakers valued the actor’s work ethic on the project.  Offers Espinosa: “Denzel is a master.  He works harder than any actor I’ve ever met.  When he decided to do the movie, he thoroughly researched and spent about a half a year studying his character before we even shot.  When he got on set, no matter what the situation in front of him was, he reacted as the character that he was playing.”

With Washington attached, the team began the search to find Matt Weston played by Ryan Reynolds, the man responsible for his house guest.  For Espinosa, it is the contrast between and the evolution of Frost and Weston that distinguish the story.  Notes the director: “Matt is a guy who has a lot of dreams.  He believes that he can maintain a relationship with his girlfriend and have a somewhat normal life, while at the same time, coming closer to his goal of becoming a full-blown CIA case officer.  He clings to the notion that you can be a strong, ethical, moral person while working in his chosen field.  There is no gray area.  Frost, however, is well beyond any such notion.”

What attracted you to this film?

My late agent, Ed Limato, passed away last July and this was the last project that he wanted me to take a look at it.  I just felt I should do it because I knew it was the last thing he wanted me to do.

Did you have a hand in developing the story?

Daniel Espinosa (director), Scott Stuber (producer), three different writers and I worked on the story for months.  We wanted to keep going deeper, making more sense out it.  I’m a logic monster.  I always want to know why things happen the way they do.

How is it working with director Daniel Espinosa?

Daniel is a fine filmmaker. He did SNABBA CASH and it’s a really interesting film. I’m sure Hollywood is looking at Daniel as the new hot guy.  He’s very passionate and very talented.

What’s been the most difficult aspect of filming on SAFE HOUSE?

I’ve got a bad knee and there’s been a lot of running, jumping and fighting. And I was water-boarded. Having somebody poor water up your nose when you’re upside down is kind of tough.

Do you see your character as a villain?

I see him as a sociopath. I’ve been researching and learned that 80% of sociopaths aren’t violent, they just want to dominate.  Tobin doesn’t think he’s a villain.  He thinks he’s right and everybody else is wrong.

“SAFEHOUSE”  Showing on February 10, nationwide.

Released and distributed by United International Pictures through

Solar Entertainment Corp.

Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds team up in ‘Safehouse’

Oscar^® winner Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds star in the action-thriller Safe House.  Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run.  When the South African safe house he’s remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him.  Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead.

For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town.  A “housekeeper” who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself.  When the first and only occupant he’s had proves to be the most dangerous man he’s ever met, Weston readies for duty.

Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade.  One of the best ops men that the CIA’s known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned.  From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he’s done to the U.S. is immeasurable.  And he’s now back on the reservation with a secret.

As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston’s safe house.  Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way.  Now it’s up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they’re both eliminated from the game.

“SAFEHOUSE” is released and distributed by United International Pictures through

Solar Entertainment Corp. Showing soon!