'Playing God' would be nothing without three of the best actors around to bring a tired genre piece to new heights and make it intriguing.David Duchovny stars as Eugene Sands, a former surgeon who was disgraced when his attempt to balance pill popping caused him to lose a patient. Instead of trying to save his shattered career, he chose to take the easy road to addiction. As the movie opens, he is trying to buy heroine in a bar when a man is shot in argument. Quick thinking Dr. Sands becomes McGyver and fashions a breathing apparatus out of a coke bottle.His quick thinking saves the man's life and captures the attention of Claire (Angelina Jolie). She is so impressed that the next thing he knows he is being invited to the home of millionaire Raymond Blossom (Timothy Hutton). Blossom offers the good doctor a job in which he will be paid to take care of some of his friends who run into, let's just say, some unfortunate gunshot wounds of which hospitals would ask too many questions.The story is, of course, completely stupid and so is Duchovny's quicksilver surgical methods. But it didn't bother me because the realm of this kind of hard-boiled story allows it some freedom. It's helped by Duchovny who is a good looking guy but doesn't seem to be standing around posing all the time. He isn't afraid to look foolish, a quality the most actor's shy away from.Hutton is never a slouch, he goes into even the most tedious screenplay and acts his heart out. Playing the villain is easy when all you have to do is look mean, kill people and issue threats. But Hutton, as Blossom allows us to see what seduced him to his life of crime in the first place. He is an amazing presence in this film because watching him I'm drawn into his character so that I more easily identify with him.Angelina Jolie is a rare case of a gorgeous young woman who doesn't just stand around behind the actors. There is an intelligent person beneath her looks and her screen presence is as welcome as her looks. She could step into the window dressing in this film and simply be the object of lust but we sense a smart woman who is a sucker for a stray dog like Sands.We know that what we are watching is preposterous but with these three wonderful actors they are able to break away from the confines of the screenplay and absorb us.

Don't let his tanned and muscular good looks fool you; underneath that healthy exterior, Los Angeles doctor David Duchovny (as Eugene Sands) is a washed-up drug addict. Stripped of his medical license after operating while high, Mr. Duchovny makes a barroom dope deal at the same time someone is shot. Duchovny uses his medical knowledge to save the otherwise mortally wounded crook. This attracts attention from blond crime boss Timothy Hutton (as Raymond "Ray" Blossom), who rewards Duchovny and uses him as a personal physician. This way, Mr. Hutton can save lives while avoiding hospitals and police. Hutton comes with a strikingly beautiful girlfriend avec especially sensuous lips, painted bright red – yes, it's uber-attractive Angelina Jolie (as Claire)...You don't have to be told, but things get complicated when Duchovny and Ms. Jolie become mutually attracted...Leading the capable supporting players is steely-eyed FBI agent Michael Massee (as Gage). He also wants to deal with Duchovny. This production, directed by Andy Wilson from a Mark Haskell Smith script, moves along well. There are more than a couple problems, however. Duchovny, propelled to stardom on TV's "The X-Files", delivers some terminally ill narration; it should have declared inoperable and put of its misery. As far as looking like a drug addict, Duchovny's more cool than strung-out; that's okay, but we're never really sure why he's one of the least stoned-looking members of the cast. Anthony B. Richmond's cinematography is fine, but Mr. Wilson includes double-exposure and scene transition/dissolves effects that look more like mistakes than effects.***** Playing God (10/17/97) Andy Wilson ~ David Duchovny, Timothy Hutton, Angelina Jolie, Michael Massee

I know there aren't any ties between Baywatch and this movie. Except that they are shot in California, and more exactly in LA and its surroundings. Those locations struck me strongly while watching this movie. The audience moves as well in downtown than in the country, alternating beach and forest. The views you can find here complete the dreamy, cool ones of Baywatch, and even I didn't go there, I think this movie offers a good picture of the real LA. And really, I don't like very much this environment for a living and I prefer the San Francisco area.Now, the story is original but the gimmick (a doctor for healing thugs) is too much used. After the first one, the script becomes a collection of what-if: what-if the doctor visits junk heads, what if the doctor cures the wife's boss, etc..Then, I am perplexed with the cast: Hutton has really no charisma for a nutty and violent boss. On the contrary, Jolie and above all, Duchvony are excellent. I really appreciate Duchovny, because he is a tall man but he is also quiet. He knows what he wants but he doesn't speak a lot. I like his humor, dry, detached that fits well with his personality. I'am sure that without this hot ticket, this movie would be actually left in limbs.NB: my trailer proposes a love scene between the two but it has been cut from the movie.

Now I am a David Duchovny, but I didn't think this movie was going to be good, but was I wrong. The dialogue was great. A little humor, but nothing stupid to ruin the moment. David Duchovny was good, didn't overplay his character, maybe overdid a few of his lines, but that's about it. Timothy Hutton was good as well. He played his character quite well. Having fun with a few of his lines, but pretty good. Angelina Jolie had a smaller role, but not too small and worked surprisingly well with David. They just kinda fit. The relationship between her and Timothy were good as well. The two 20-some year old's that were Timothy's little gang were quit funny and worked well together too. The cop after Timothy's character, I found quite annoying, but was there for a reason and wasn't so bad. The music in this film, the little music it had, I quit liked and fit with the film. I would rate this film 8.5/10.