Conceding to Kismet Presents Pop Culture Therapy

This summer I will be offering you doses of Pop Culture Therapy: A Pop Culture Junkie’s Guide. While the completed work will give you suggestions in cinematherapy, bibliotherapy and audiotherapy, this summer I will focus on cinematherapy, so get ready to go out and find some really awesome films to fill your summer nights. This week, “Pulsate Yourself.” In honor of the end of the summer blockbuster film season, take a ride with this film that will never get old.

The Bourne Identity (2002)

Synopsis: A crew of fisherman pulls a man out of the Mediterranean Sea during a storm. Upon examination, the doctor finds two bullets in his back and the number of a Swiss bank account implanted in his hip via laser device. Despite his injuries, the man is not dead. In fact, even he does not know who he is. Once the crew docks, he makes his way to Zurich and finds the safe deposit box with passports identifying him as Jason Bourne (portrayed by Matt Damon). In addition, he also finds several other passports, a large amount of money and a gun. Bourne makes his way to the American embassy where he discovers a young woman named Marie (portrayed by Franka Potente) who is in need of money; he proposes she drive him to Paris for $20,000 so that he may find more clues as to his identity. Meanwhile, an American organization called the Treadstone Project, led by a man named Conklin (portrayed by Chris Cooper), diligently seeks Bourne’s whereabouts and even sends a few trained assassins after him as he is somehow tied to an exiled African dictator named Wombosi (portrayed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Several great action scenes accent this film as Bourne eventually discovers his true identity. Brian Cox, Clive Owen and Julia Stiles round out the supporting cast of this suspense thriller.

Why I Like/Recommend: I first became familiar with this film with five-minute previews of pay-per-view movies. After those five minutes, I wanted to see the entire film. I was not disappointed. Somewhere between this film and The Talented Mr. Ripley, I realized Matt Damon is a hell of an actor. Casting the babyface actor as a deadly assassin works on so many levels and adds so much to this film. He is completely badass, turning a ballpoint pen into a deadly weapon. If I hadn’t been an action film fan before I saw this film, it would have turned me into one. It’s just that good.