Get ready to root for the bad guy...
are the words on the cover of Payback (VHS DVD), staring Mel Gibson.
His character in the movie is a real anti-hero all right. He's a criminal. He steals some money and someone steals that money from him. So he spends the rest of the movie trying to get his stolen money back as well as paying back those who took from him in the first place.
I enjoy this film not so much because of the action, but because of HOW his character goes about getting the money back.
The odds he's up against don't matter to him. He doesn't care that he has to take on a crime syndicate. He doesn't care the cops are involved. He's DETERMINED and he deals with all of those problems by THINKING AHEAD and TAKING ACTION.
Qualities successful business owners have. So I see Payback as a "type" of educational film.
Another "type" of educational film is The Devil's Advocate (VHS DVD) staring Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino.
Once you get past Keanu's usual lack-luster acting ability it's quite a good movie which has some very interesting business insights.
And the ending... boy oh boy! There's a twist. A totally unexpected twist (aren't all twists unexpected). And if you watch it closely, that twist is followed by another more subtle twist.
Both movies are rated R (Sorry kids). And while they can both be watched for their entertainment value, they have other things to offer as far as business goes.
Michael Ross.
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