Conspiracy Theory (film)
Conspiracy Theory is a 1997 American action/paranoid thriller film directed by Richard Donner. The main starts were Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts. The original screenplay by Brian Helgeland centers on an eccentric taxi driver who believes many world events are triggered by government conspiracies.
Jerry Fletcher is a man in love with Alice Sutton, a woman he observes from afar. She works for the government. Fletcher is an outspoken critic of that government. He has conspiracy theories for everything, from aliens to political assassinations. But soon, one of his theories finds itself to be accurate. But which one? Some dangerous people want him dead and the only person he trusts is that woman he loves but does not know.
Tropes used in Conspiracy Theory (film) include:
- Arc Words: More like an Arc Song Lyrics, but yeah; "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
- Bald of Evil: Dr. Jonas.
- Big Brother Is Watching
- Black Helicopter
- CIA Evil, FBI Good
- Cloudcuckoolander: Jerry, part in thanks to the brainwashing he suffered and the gravy for the brain.
- Conspiracy Theorist: Jerry.
- Conspiracy Thriller
- Crazy Prepared: Jerry's apartment is rigged to burn down completely but to leave the rest of the building unharmed. He also has a secret basement built in and a fireman's outfit lying around.
- Deadly Euphemism: "Gravy for the Brain" for mind-altering drugs.
- Drugs Are Bad: No! Not the gravy for the brain!
- Government Conspiracy
- In Love with the Mark
- Kill Sat: One of his theories involves the use of the Space Shuttle to kill the President. Implied to be true.
- Mad Scientist: Dr Jonas.
- Manchurian Agent
- Mushroom Samba: We're shown a bit of how Jerry's perceptions are altered after he gets injected with LSD and subject to torture. Not played for laughs.
- Properly Paranoid
- Sinister Surveillance: How they keep track of some people as they have the compulsion to buy The Catcher in The Rye every so often.
- Smug Snake: Dr Jonas.
- Title Drop: Jerry's newsletter is called Conspiracy Theory