Circadian Rhythm (film)
Encyclopedia
Circadian Rhythm is a 2005
action film that portrays a young woman's journey to discover who she is and why multiple enemies want her dead. The woman, Sarah Caul (played by Rachel Miner
), is thrown into an artificial ‘construct’ where she must put the pieces of her life together and confront the menace that follows her every move.
A familiar melody wakes Sarah from a deep sleep, and she finds herself teaching a history class in the school she attended at age 11. The ‘school’ is revealed to be a replica, and all of Sarah's books and files are completely blank and empty. Now thoroughly confused, Sarah's assistant principal, Sandrine (Terasa Livingstone
), explains that Sarah is not a school teacher; rather, she is an assassin, and she has something on her body that Sandrine’s government desires. After a deadly shootout and a high speed chase on a cat-walk, Sarah is intercepted by another ‘handler
’ like Sandrine, who tells her the same story, claiming to be from a different country and a different agency, but still desiring the same unknown element. Like Sandrine, once the handler had extracted all of the evidence he could from Sarah, he attempts to kill her. Not able to trust anyone, Sarah spends the duration of her time in the construct trying to stay alive long enough to uncover the truth, and find out why so many people want her dead. She endures a series of wire-fu fights and a car chase while conducting an intense investigation into her past.
Sarah eventually finds herself back in the white room where she started, where, before she can be killed, two gunshots are heard and a slow, wobbly figure emerges from the shadows. The figure is revealed to be J. Edgar Hoover
(Seymour Cassel
), who is very much alive and very happy to see that his granddaughter, Sarah, is doing just fine. Apparently, Hoover was aware that two government factions had ascertained that he was still alive, and he used his granddaughter as bait to flush out these two agencies, thus eliminating them and any proof of his continued existence. Having shared this, Hoover helps Sarah up and dusts her off, and the two walk off into the light.
, Californication
, and The Black Dahlia
, among other productions). One reviewer stated that the film was a "directionless jumble of boring scenes strung together tenuously by a plot that feels like they were making it up as they went along," and that watching the film's allegedly ‘wire-fu’ fight scenes was akin to "being over at a friend’s house when they’re getting yelled at by their parents."
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
action film that portrays a young woman's journey to discover who she is and why multiple enemies want her dead. The woman, Sarah Caul (played by Rachel Miner
Rachel Miner
Rachel Miner is a Broadway, film and television actress, born in New York City.-Personal life:A third generation Miner in show business, she is the daughter of director and teacher Peter Miner and the granddaughter of director/producer Worthington Miner and actress Frances Fuller...
), is thrown into an artificial ‘construct’ where she must put the pieces of her life together and confront the menace that follows her every move.
Plot
Sarah L. Caul is 24 years old, attractive, skilled in martial arts, and highly intelligent. When the audience first meets her, she has no idea who she is, where she is from, or how she came to be in a white room, in no discernible location.A familiar melody wakes Sarah from a deep sleep, and she finds herself teaching a history class in the school she attended at age 11. The ‘school’ is revealed to be a replica, and all of Sarah's books and files are completely blank and empty. Now thoroughly confused, Sarah's assistant principal, Sandrine (Terasa Livingstone
Terasa Livingstone
Terasa Livingstone is an Australian theatre, film and television actress.-Career:She began her career as a roving reporter for Agro's Cartoon Connection on the Seven Network, eventually taking over the role of co-host from Ann-Maree Biggar in 1996. She also served as a reporter for Seven's The...
), explains that Sarah is not a school teacher; rather, she is an assassin, and she has something on her body that Sandrine’s government desires. After a deadly shootout and a high speed chase on a cat-walk, Sarah is intercepted by another ‘handler
Agent handling
In intelligence organizations, agent handling is the management of agents, principal agents, and agent networks by intelligence officers typically known as case officers.-Human intelligence:...
’ like Sandrine, who tells her the same story, claiming to be from a different country and a different agency, but still desiring the same unknown element. Like Sandrine, once the handler had extracted all of the evidence he could from Sarah, he attempts to kill her. Not able to trust anyone, Sarah spends the duration of her time in the construct trying to stay alive long enough to uncover the truth, and find out why so many people want her dead. She endures a series of wire-fu fights and a car chase while conducting an intense investigation into her past.
Sarah eventually finds herself back in the white room where she started, where, before she can be killed, two gunshots are heard and a slow, wobbly figure emerges from the shadows. The figure is revealed to be J. Edgar Hoover
J. Edgar Hoover
John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
(Seymour Cassel
Seymour Cassel
Seymour Joseph Cassel is an American actor.He first came to prominence in the 1960s in the pioneering independent films of writer/directorJohn Cassavetes...
), who is very much alive and very happy to see that his granddaughter, Sarah, is doing just fine. Apparently, Hoover was aware that two government factions had ascertained that he was still alive, and he used his granddaughter as bait to flush out these two agencies, thus eliminating them and any proof of his continued existence. Having shared this, Hoover helps Sarah up and dusts her off, and the two walk off into the light.
Cast
- Rachel MinerRachel MinerRachel Miner is a Broadway, film and television actress, born in New York City.-Personal life:A third generation Miner in show business, she is the daughter of director and teacher Peter Miner and the granddaughter of director/producer Worthington Miner and actress Frances Fuller...
as Sarah L. Caul- Aiden Cree Lafreniere as young Sarah
- Jonathan BanksJonathan BanksJonathan Ray Banks is an American actor in film and television.Banks was born in Washington, D.C. in 1947. His mother worked for the CIA. Banks attended Indiana University Bloomington where he was a classmate of Kevin Kline...
as Trejo - Robert Berson as Prometheus
- Sarah WynterSarah WynterSarah Wynter is an Australian actress, most widely known for her roles on American television – such as Kate Warner on the television drama 24 and as Beth on Windfall.-Personal life:...
as Eva X - Seymour CasselSeymour CasselSeymour Joseph Cassel is an American actor.He first came to prominence in the 1960s in the pioneering independent films of writer/directorJohn Cassavetes...
as J. Edgar HooverJ. Edgar HooverJohn Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972... - David AndersDavid AndersDavid Anders is an American television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as Julian Sark on Alias, and as Adam Monroe on Heroes. Although Anders is American, both of these noted roles required him to use an English accent.-Early life:Anders was born in Grants Pass, Oregon, to parents...
as Garrison - Terasa LivingstoneTerasa LivingstoneTerasa Livingstone is an Australian theatre, film and television actress.-Career:She began her career as a roving reporter for Agro's Cartoon Connection on the Seven Network, eventually taking over the role of co-host from Ann-Maree Biggar in 1996. She also served as a reporter for Seven's The...
as Sandrine
Crew
The film was directed by René Besson and written and produced by James Portolese. The stunts and fight choreography were arranged by Hong Kong martial artist Xiong Xin Xin.Reception
The movie was critically ignored, and was poorly received in its few reviews, despite the mild success elsewhere of some of its actors (Miner went on to have roles in CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, Californication
Californication
Californication is a portmanteau of the words California and fornication, appearing in Time on May 6, 1966 and written about on August 21, 1972, additionally seen on bumper stickers in the U.S. states of Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington...
, and The Black Dahlia
The Black Dahlia (film)
The Black Dahlia is a 2006 neo noir crime film directed by Brian De Palma. It is based on the novel of the same name by James Ellroy, writer of L.A. Confidential and starred Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank. The story is based on the murder of Elizabeth Short...
, among other productions). One reviewer stated that the film was a "directionless jumble of boring scenes strung together tenuously by a plot that feels like they were making it up as they went along," and that watching the film's allegedly ‘wire-fu’ fight scenes was akin to "being over at a friend’s house when they’re getting yelled at by their parents."
External links
- Official Site
- Merav Maroody's site containing photos from the movie