The 2012 independent film “Columbus Circle,” directed by George Gallo, features a cast of popular actors and yet bypassed the theatres altogether and went straight to DVD upon its release. While the movie isn’t great, it was surprising it received literally no publicity or fanfare whatsoever. With the cast it employed and the plot/trailer it had the ability to be a perfect hidden gem.
The movie takes its name from the famous New York City landmark, in which all official distances from New York City are measured. Overlooking the circle is the Columbus Luxury hi-rise building. Though filled with pricey apartments, the movie revolves its focus on the only two units at the very top of the building.
An old woman residing in one of the penthouse suites awakens in the middle of the night to strange noises. From the shadows, a masked assailant appears and assaults her, taking a photograph from her nightstand before leaving. The next day, police are looking into the death and though most of them feel the woman fell down the stairs in the dark, Detective Frank Giardello (the underrated Giovanni Ribisi) suspects foul play. The building’s concierge (comedian and co-writer Kevin Pollak) advises Giardello that across the hall in the other penthouse unit is a mysterious woman named Abigail (the beautiful Selma Blair), who in the eleven years he has worked at the complex he has never met as she never leaves her apartment. She communicates with the concierge by sliding notes under the door that he collects, and delivers food or other supplies that she needs.
After extensive persuasion, Giardello is able to get Abigail to let him in for a quick interview about the deceased woman across the hall, a woman she claims to not have known. Abigail is terrified of people and the outside world. Giardello asks if she is Agoraphobic and she shrugs this notion off. He confides in her that he suffers from Arachnophobia to which she responds, “What I wouldn’t give for a shoebox full of tarantulas.” Sensing he is unwelcome, Giardello leaves her alone.
Sometime later, the apartment across the hall is rented to a young couple, Charlie (Jason Lee) and Lillian (the angelic Amy Smart). Abigail, who wanted to purchase the apartment herself to maintain absolute privacy on the top floor, calls the only person she will speak to and trust, a family friend named Ray (Beau Bridges). Ray tries calming her down by insisting she won’t even know the new neighbors are there. That night, the abusive Charlie gets drunk and beats Lillian severely, leaving her crying and in pain in the hallway. Abigail musters all her strength and courage to open the door. As the drunk Charlie is heard storming back upstairs, Abigail quickly brings Lillian into her apartment, a move that will have dramatic repercussions for her chosen life of solitude.
“Columbus Circle” has moments of being a great thriller, but the overall plot is a bit too convenient and would have been benefited by going in any number of other directions. I have been crushing on Selma Blair since her Hollywood breakout in the late ’90s and she displays her ability to be an exceptional actress. The scene that she demonstrates her great ability is when Lillian is crying for help in the hallway and her character, which has not left her apartment for nearly twenty years, is forced to open the door. Blair carries this scene in such a way the viewer feels her fear of the outside world exude through the screen. Jason Lee, known for the television sitcom “My Name is Earl” amidst a plethora of other movies, pulls the role of the abusive Charlie well, playing off the jaw-dropping Amy Smart and her perceived helplessness at his hands. Giovanni Ribisi is one of my favorite actors and adds the perfect touch of intuitive cop and unassuming investigator.
The ending is thrilling albeit a bit confusing. At 86 minutes, it was almost too short as several other plot elements are forgotten or left unexplained. I was able to figure out the twist pretty quickly and spent the rest of the movie just waiting for it to play out.
“Columbus Circle” wasn’t bad but wasn’t much more, which is a shame since it had the potential to be a great thriller.
– by Matt Christopher
