Cleaner (2007)

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writer (WGA):

Matthew Aldrich (written by)

Release Date:

18 January 2008 (Finland)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Solving a crime can be dirty work.

Plot:

A former cop who now earns a wage as a crime scene cleaner unknowingly participates in a cover-up at his latest job. |

Plot Keywords:

Dictaphone | Police Badge | Shower | Morgue | Key

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Tom Cutler
Ed Harris	...	Eddie Lorenzo
Eva Mendes	...	Ann Norcut
Luis Guzmán	...	Det. Jim Vargas
Keke Palmer	...	Rose Cutler
Maggie Lawson	...	Cherie
Jose Pablo Cantillo	...	Miguel
Robert Forster	...	Arlo Grange
Edrick Browne	...	Det. Darrin Harris
Marc Macaulay	...	Vic
Rosalind Rubin	...	Crying Woman
Mike Guy	...	Priest #1
Richard Folmer	...	Priest #2
James Barnes	...	Lawyer
Linda Leonard	...	Francine Mason

MPAA:

Rated R for bloody images, some violence and language.

Runtime:

88 min | Finland:90 min | Canada:93 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A

Filming Locations:

Shreveport, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Anonymous Content

Trivia:

Principal photography was completed one day ahead of schedule, on March 15, 2007. It was also director Renny Harlin's 48th birthday.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Tom is sitting on the bed thinking of his wife he reaches under the bed for a box and the clock in the background reads 11:40. We then see a close up of Tom smelling her perfume and the clock now reads 11:38.

Movie Connections:

References Columbo: Murder by the Book (1971) (TV)

Good production spoiled by a weak plot

Actually for once I was disappointed after seeing a Renny Harlin movie because I had high hopes for this one. Usually I've known in advance his movies would be bad but "Cleaner" seemed that it might actually be really good for a change. It's not really bad, but it isn't anything great either.

Samuel L. Jackson and Ed Harris did their job very well in the leading roles and Harlin's direction was also good. Eva Mendes' performance wasn't anything to hooray for though. The movie started off well and I thought to myself: "This might be it. The movie that puts Renny back on the top.", but sadly no. The script is just too basic. You've seen different versions of this script on the screen many many times before. The characters and the world they live in might be totally different, but it's still the same generic plot. One thing that bugged me a bit was the musical score which didn't fit in some places at all.

But as far as Harlin's movies go this is one of his better ones. It just needed that original surprise twist in the end that never came. I can't really recommend you go see this in the cinema, but it's worth a rent.