Production Companies Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Epsilon Motion Pictures (in association with), Hyde Park Entertainment, Industry Entertainment, Nina Saxon Film Design
Studio Hyde Park Entertainment, Industry Entertainment
Stanford grad Milo Hoffman (Ryan Phillippe) and his equally talented friend, Teddy (Yee Jee Tso), intend to form an Internet start-up and take the world by storm. That all changes when Milo is courted by deceptively friendly software magnate Gary Winston (Tim Robbins), the immensely wealthy head of world-dominating, Portland-based company, NURV. Milo takes the bait, leaving Teddy behind. Arriving in Portland to a NURV-provided house and car, with his girlfriend (Claire Forlani) in tow, Milo finds himself working on Winston's masterplan--software that will link the world's communications devices together. But it's not long before Milo begins to uncover disturbing evidence of Winston's unethical--and brutal--business tactics. When Winston's web of violence touches Milo's world, he joins forces with fellow NURV programmer, Lisa (Rachael Leigh Cook), and sets out to tell the world of Winston's reprehensible practices.
Though obviously influenced by the practices of a certain Pacific Northwest-based software empire and its recognizable leader, Howard Franklin's (THE NAME OF THE ROSE) script is a snappy popcorn-muncher that manages to generate suspense even though it realizes its own excesses. Robbins, as evil geek Gary Winston, is obviously having a good time. ANTITRUST takes the conventions of the conspiracy film and adds a candy-colored millennial sheen.
(20 votes)
2.
In a world where unseen enemies can watch your every move, who can you trust? Ryan Phillippe (Cruel Intentions), Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That), Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black) and Oscar® nominee Tim Robbins star in this fast-paced, sizzling thriller that crackles with "genuine intrigue" (Entertainment Today), "considerable suspense" and an "ingenious, stunningly cinematic payoff" (Los Angeles Times) you have to see to believe!
Young, brilliant computer whiz Milo Hoffman (Phillipe) lands an exciting and lucrative job at the world's largest computer company, N.U.R.V. Handpicked by powerful C.E.O. Gary Winston, to work on a project that will change the way the world communicates, Milo thinks he's found his dream job. But when his best friend, Teddy, is brutally murdered and clues lead to N.U.R.V's involvement, Milo becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. With his cunning and beautiful girlfriend (Forlani) and a sexy programmer (Cook) to help him, Milo races to beat Teddy's murderers at their own cyber game. But as they close in on him, he realizes he may be too late to learn the most important code of all: Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies closer. And know which are which before you are killed.
(20 votes)
3.
Anti-Trust is a gripping thriller, and although far from being great filmmaking it is at least notable for being about something important and having the will to follow it through. Macro software company NURV, based on a giant "campus" in the Pacific North West and under investigation by the Department of Justice, is planning to launch a proprietary broadband Internet. Ryan Philippe is adequate as the young geek hero, though Tim Robbins dominates the film as CEO Gary Winston, a skilfully cutting interpretation of a power-corrupted software multibillionaire; Gary Sinise offers an equally compelling characterisation. Peter Howitt directs in broad strokes, keeping things exciting if not exactly subtle, while Don Davis' score is alternately suspenseful and overblown. Howard Franklin's screenplay offers surprising plot detail and a couple of good twists while straining credulity with hoary thriller clichés. Nevertheless, the technical stuff is far more accurate than usual, despite the Hollywood compromises. Anti-Trust provides a rallying cry against the global domination of global communications for the profit of the few, the final 15 minutes delivering an uplifting if simplistic wish-fulfilment fantasy.
On the DVD: The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is highly atmospheric, though the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is only average, some grain and artefacting letting down the sleek look and elegant design of the film. "Cracking the Code" is a routine 22-minute "making of" documentary, while the audio commentary by director Peter Howitt and editor Zach Staenberg spends a lot of time stating the obvious. --Gary S Dalkin
(19 votes)
4.
Milo (Ryan Phillippe) is an idealistic young computer genius with an artist girlfriend (Claire Forlani) and a golden future. He’s about to launch a start-up company with his friend Teddy, when he’s recruited by NURV, a multi-billion dollar corporation, run by his professional hero, Gary Winston (Tim Robbins).
Winston takes a personal interest in Milo. He needs his brilliance to stay ahead of the field in the race for convergence. There is no second place. For Milo it’s a dream come true, a chance to become a legend in his own right. It’s hard to disappoint Teddy, but their offer is too good to refuse.
With a talented new colleague (Rachael Leigh Cook), Milo is soon caught up in the exciting challenge of realizing Winston’s vision. Winston is an inspired mentor and no problem remains unsolved for long, but new developments are brought to Milo with such speed and frequency, he begins to doubt their source.
Tragedy strikes and Milo’s doubts become suspicions. It looks as if the company will stop at nothing to win. He investigates and the consequences become more and more unnerving, until there is no one left to trust and this twenty-first century David stands alone against Goliath.
(19 votes)
5.
The term suspension of disbelief was invented for the idea that Ryan Phillippe could be a computer genius. As Milo, a slacker brainiac recruited by smilingly ominous software giant Gary Winston (Tim Robbins) to help build a global communications system, Phillippe still looks like a million bucks. He is also still doing the clenched, pouty grown-up voice that he always uses to show that he means business in this acting stuff (he's nothing if not earnest), and a pair of designer glasses completes the transformation. He's well matched in Antitrust by Claire Forlani, who, in turn, spends time pursing her lips and squinting her dewy eyes as Milo's troubled girlfriend, an artist who proves to be a liability when Milo discovers that Winston is killing off clever competitors like a dot-com führer. Robbins, looking like David Letterman, seems willing to either take his role dead seriously or goof around a bit, but director Peter Howitt doesn't know how to play any of it (the actor was better used as a grinning madman in another flawed paranoid thriller, the underseen Arlington Road). Without any underlying menace or enough satirical bite to keep it interesting, the whole thing slips by passively in a mindless matinee kind of way until the over-the-top finale. Production designer Catherine Hardwicke has had some big, glossy fun creating Winston's campus and ornate private kingdom, and there's the cheapest of kicks in seeing Robbins's Bill Gates taken down publicly, but the film is definitely junior league. --Steve Wiecking
(18 votes)
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