Out of Time, released in theaters on October 3, 2003, is a taut, sun-drenched thriller that maximizes Denzel Washington‘s charisma as he navigates a rapidly escalating personal and professional crisis. The film is set in the small, steamy town of Banyan Key, Florida, where Washington stars as Matt Whitlock, the popular and respected chief of police.
The plot spirals out of control when Matt, who is already embroiled in a complicated personal life—he is separated from his detective wife, Alex (Eva Mendes), and secretly involved with Anne Harrison (Sanaa Lathan)—makes a catastrophic error in judgment.
Anne is battling terminal cancer, and Matt, desperate to help, improperly uses a large amount of money seized from a recent drug bust to pay for her life-saving, experimental treatment.
Moments after securing the funds, Anne and her abusive husband, Chris (Dean Cain), are tragically killed in a fire that is quickly ruled arson and double homicide.
Matt soon discovers that the seized money, now gone up in smoke (literally and figuratively), has been designated as the key evidence in the murder investigation, which is being led by none other than his estranged wife, Alex.
The remainder of the film is a breathless, high-stakes race against the clock as Matt must use his police resources and knowledge to try and cover his tracks, solve the murders, retrieve the money, and evade his own department, all while the evidence steadily piles up against him.
John Billingsley, Nora Dunn and Antoni Corone round out the cast.
Carl Franklin (One False Move, Devil in a Blue Dress, High Crimes) directed the film.
Eva Mendes in Out of Time (Photo/MGM)
Reception for Out of Time
Out of Time grossed $16.2 million on its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office.
The film would gross $55.5 million worldwide.
Roger Ebert gave Out of Time three out of four stars in his review.
Legacy
Out of Time‘s legacy lies in its skillful execution of the classic noir premise: an innocent man caught in a web of his own making, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of the law. Denzel Washington anchors the film with an intense, sweat-inducing performance, perfectly conveying the terror of a good man watching his life unravel.
