Michael is a for hire intellectual property thief, taking the best of a competitors product, reverse. Good action, big names, there is plenty here to entertain if you arent looking for a masterpiece. Dick, minority report is an actiondetective thriller set in washington d. When he discovers that he has forgone his paycheck in exchange for an envelope filled with seemingly unrelated. An utterly boring film that even miles and miles of action, explosions, car chases, and ridiculous combat cant temper, paycheck trades the subtle narrative of philip k. The plot of the film results to be pretty twisted and the ending has an extraordinary surprise. Paycheck is a 2003 american science fiction action film based on the short story of the same name by science fiction writer philip k. Dick, author of blade runner, total recall, and minority report. John woos work has been for the most part rather disappointing since he left hong kong for hollywood, and his sf thriller paycheck, based on a 50yearold story by philip k dick, is both sleek. If you show someone the future, they have no future. Paycheck novelette news newspapers books scholar jstor. No the acting was not great but my year old is not an acting critic. Elements of the story suggest parablelike christian meaning and the story has some interesting twists, but ultimately it is a typical action movie with plenty of fastpaced violence. The purchase price is the amount which the producer has to pay.
After he finishes his most recent job that leaves him on the run for his life and piecing together why hes being chased. With paycheck dont think ive actually seen the movie there were quite a few twists, which was nice. The main character is a college freshman named tessa who falls in love. I think most nonfiction writers write for the movies.
Looking back at the 9 movie adaptations of philip k dick. Jane gives you the lowdown on how the moon, stars and hollywood all have to align to make that happen. Paycheck was directed by john woo faceoff, broken arrow and written by dean georgaris tomb raider ii, the manchurian candidate 2004, based on a short story by the aforementioned mr. Le film paycheck 2003 est librement base sur cette nouvelle. While not every movie based on a book manages to live up to fans imaginations, the ones on this list are almost as good on the screen as they were on the page. The most assaulting thing about the movie was probably how much potential was squandered.
The road was chosen as an oprahs book club pick and awarded the pulitzer prize for fiction in 2007. All time domestic box office for based on fiction book short story. Selling the film rights increases the chances of a book that might not have been picked up otherwisegetting picked up in a foreign translation deal. Like all movie lists, this one is subjective and in no way authoritative. The film is based on the science fiction writing of philip dick, a great mind and perhaps a soothsayer to what lies ahead for all of us. Apr 29, 2014 paycheck was first published in imagination in its june 1953 issue. Directed by john woo, the film stars ben affleck, uma. Paycheck features ben affleck as a programmer whose memory is erased by a greedy businessman. Paycheck begins with a thoughtprovoking idea from philip k.
After the job, jennings wakes from the memory erasure to find himself being. Paycheck is about an engineer whos paid big money by a hightech firms for working on hushhush projects. Page numbers come from paycheck and other classic stories by philip k. Waking up with his shortterm memory erased, engineer michael jennings ben affleck learns that he has been doing highly secretive work for the last three years in exchange for billions of dollars. Dec 25, 2003 the storyline is based on an original novel from philip k. The storyline is based on an original novel from philip k. Finding meaning, money, and happiness in the second half of life farrell, chris on.
Most contain plenty of action, lots of plot, and contain a moral. Apr 10, 2017 a new book, the financial diaries, sheds light on the creative ways that american families cope with financial uncertainty. Paycheck is a good movie, with surprisingly little language for a ben affleck movie and no nuditysex scenes and some moderate. Remember the future michael jennings is a genius whos hired and paid handsomely by hightech firms to work on highly sensitive projects, after which his shortterm memory is erased so hes incapable of breaching security. Only loosely based on the source novel one significant piece of dialogue and a few themes. The main purpose of which is to spark discussion and maybe interest in seeing some of these fantastic films again, or for the first time. What are your favorite books that have been made into movies. Michael jennings ben affleck is a topnotch reverse engineer. The story was later made, with various alterations, into the film paycheck in. Financial analysis of paycheck 2003 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability.
Intuits free paycheck calculator makes it a cinch to calculate paychecks for both your hourly and salary employees. The concept of the story is fantastic and quite intriguing, but the films execution doesnt quite fair so well. Based on the overall number of customers for qb payroll products as of 102018. When the job is done, he has his memory of it erased. All time domestic box office for based on fiction book short story movies rank 301400 350. Movie websites launches for december 19 december 25. Dec 25, 2003 if a film can do that, it cant be all that bad in my book. What that means is that the producer has acquired not the exclusive right to make the movie, but has acquired the exclusive right to purchase the right to make the movie.
Im sure one our nerd fanboys will write in and give me the low down, as always. Based on the novel do androids dream of electric sheep. I say that to confess that paycheck had two strikes against it before the lights ever went. Plot summary jennings is a mechanic who agreed to work for earl rethricks company with a two year contract. My own list of those actors is extremely short, but two who rank right at the top are ben affleck and uma thurman. So now i present to you the movie blogs top 100 movies based on books.
And, of course, if the project makes it to the screen, it can really positively affect book sales, which is the goal of every author and publisher. Dicks original short story and its aesopianlevel lessons for guns and fists, and is far worse for it. But at the end of a threeyear job, hes told he isnt getting a paycheck and instead receives a. Paycheck is a 2003 american science fiction action film based on the short story of the same. I first saw this film shortly after its release because its loosely based on a philip k. If a film can do that, it cant be all that bad in my book. We make sure the calculations are accurate by using the most uptodate tax table. John woo directs the scifi action thriller paycheck, based on a story written by philip k. By the end, the film seems to have lost enthusiasm for itself and should be scored with is that all there is. Most often, the deal to make a movie based on a book takes the form of an exclusive option agreement. Paycheck by john woo ben affleck, aaron eckhart, uma. Finding meaning, money, and happiness in the second half of life. After all, a lot can happen between signing an option and the. Ben affleck, uma thurman, aaron eckhart, colm feore, peter friedman, paul giamatti, michael c.
In 2007, michael jennings is what is known as a reverse engineer. For two years he worked for a company named rethrick construction but he has no recollection of his time there. All time domestic box office for live action movies rank 1,3011,400. Based on the iconic book series, the film adaptation scary stories to tell in the dark follows a girl named stella and her friends as they find a book of scary stories in. Paycheck 2003 screenplay by dean georgaris directed by john woo based on the short story, paycheck by philip k.
Phantoms, armageddon, the sum of all fears, daredevil likes it so. Before paycheck, ive only been familiar with dicks novels, so i therefore had not read any of his short stories. Everything you need to know about after, the movie based on. Composition of book actual chase scenes or violence 20% planning. As a film producer, however, you can bring the story to a much larger audience as a movie. Rethrick aaron eckhart, head of a company called allcom, hires jennings to reverseengineer a secret government device. A new 3d monitor is demonstrated and michael jennings ben affleck. The film was directed by john woo and stars ben affleck, uma thurman, and aaron eckhart.
Dick, exploits it for its action and plot potential, but never really develops it. How to buy film rights to a book with pictures wikihow. Michael jennings ben affleck works as a reverse engineer, taking technology and figuring out how it was made. It takes longer to watch the film adaptation of this book than to read the short. Paycheck is a 2003 film adaptation starring ben affleck, aaron eckhart and uma thurman of the short story of the same name by science fiction writer philip k. Hollywood often turns to books for movie ideas, but sometimes the films are so popular they overshadow their source material. Paycheck directed by john woo available on bluray, dvd. Paycheck is a 2003 science fiction thriller directed by john woo and stars ben affleck as michael jennings, a reverse engineer who undergoes a procedure to erase his memory of the secret work he performed for a technology company. These directors had been signed on a pay or play basis, and would get paid when the movie was made, even if they didnt make the movie. I have seen ben affleck in a number of films, and felt that he was good in a few, ok in most. Dick, minority report is an actiondetective thriller. But i bought the dvd and rewatch it because i like for its own sake. The movie has some interesting ideas and a promising premise.
A great theme for this film might be little things mean a lot or thanks for the memories. Dicks short fiction, it is easy to ascertain why so many movies are made based on his work. Paycheck is based on the short story from the author who wrote minority report. I think one has to understand with these shorts that not a lot of time is spend on developing characters. Dicks short story paycheck far more subtle and fascinating than the film. Ben appears in this inexpressibly ropey scifi thriller joylessly directed by john woo and based, natch. Looking to pay your employees, quickly and accurately. You might fall in love with a book and recommend it to your friends. Beware those of you who have seen the film and are looking for the book of the film. Its dull, unconvincing, boring, and razzie wining material. Dicks short story of the same titleben affleck plays the main character michael jennings in a movie advertised in the same breath as mi2, minority report and blade runner. Curon when their mother mysteriously vanishes shortly after they all arrive in her hometown, teen twins discover secrets behind the villages tranquil facade. Enter your employees pay information and well do the rest.
Paycheck is a science fiction novelette by american writer philip k. Dick story of the same title, paycheck is a science fiction action adventure. Its a good short story, and i am always amazed by how many of his were taken up by hollywood and expanded into feature films the guy did have some good. After the job, jennings wakes from the memory erasure to find himself being chased. This is yet another collection of dicks short stories, paycheck making up only the first 2030 pages. Online payroll software small business payroll services.
The movie moneyball based on the book by michael lewis tells the story of billy beane, the general manager of the oakland as baseball team, and how he transformed baseball using advanced statistical techniques for selecting players. Dick, written on july 31, 1952 and first published in the june 1953 issue of imagination. Paycheck is a 2003 scifi action thriller based on philip k. Not having read the shortstory of dicks also called paycheck that paycheck is based upon, i can only assume the source material is not riddled with plot holes andor stupid.
The film is based on the science fiction writing of philip dick, a great mind and perhaps a soothsayer to. Its like an assembly of offtheshelf parts from technothrillers. Im sure one our nerd fanboys will write in and give me. When he discovers that he has forgone his paycheck in exchange for an envelope filled with seemingly unrelated items, jennings races to discover what their. Dec 24, 2003 paycheck begins with a thoughtprovoking idea from philip k. He has his memory wiped after each assignment in order to keep his clients designs and. How astounded was i then when confronted with paycheck and other classic stories at a used bookstore while on holiday in savannah, georgia.
Paycheck internet movie firearms database guns in movies. Paycheck by john woo ben affleck, aaron eckhart, uma thurman. Viggo mortensen and charlize theron star in the 2009 movie adaptation. Last spring i signed an option with a producer who wanted to make one of my books, the convenient groom, into a hallmark movie. Mar 10, 2006 maybe flat is the wrong word for eckhart. Movies based on books when you love a book, few things are more exciting or more nerveracking than seeing it turned into a movie. Like the original short story, paycheck deals with erased memories. Waking up with his shortterm memory erased, engineer michael jennings ben affleck learns that he has been doing highly secretive work for the last three years in exchange for. Book of secrets, in which she played a professor who was the mother to nicolas cage. Terms, conditions, pricing, special features, and service and support options subject to change without notice. Oct 01, 2018 by the way, after the film was released, terry bisson wrote a novelization out of the screenplay that was published separately under the same title, and if you think a novelization of a movie based on a short story sounds ridiculous, then you really havent seen this film. Paycheck is a movie that has interesting ideas, but its poor writing and leading actor makes it a boring and forgettable experience.
Neutral based on the actiondrama movies that are available for a family to see this movie was not bad. Corporations pay him to crack the secrets of their competitors products. An engineer whose past two years of work have been erased from memory unravels. Prime members enjoy free twoday delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, tv shows, original audio series, and kindle books. How these 9 families deal with living paycheck to paycheck. Ben affleck and uma thurman seem to have great chemistry, and aaron eckhart rounds out the pretty people quota for this film. The story was later made, with various alterations, into the film paycheck in 2003 directed by john woo and starring ben affleck. Ecstatic would be a more appropriate word, i think.