Conspiracy Theory

Conspiracy Theory is a 1997 American political action thriller film directed by Richard Donner. Starring Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts and Patrick Stewart, the original screenplay by Brian Helgeland centers on an eccentric taxi driver who believes many world events are triggered by government conspiracies, and the Justice Department attorney who becomes involved in his life. The film was a financial success, but critical reviews were mixed. Plot New York City taxi driver and conspiracy-theorist Jerry Fletcher continually expounds his ideas to Alice Sutton, a lawyer at the U.S. Justice Department. She humors him because he once saved her from a mugging, but is unaware he spies on her at her home. Her own work is to solve the mystery of her father's murder. Seeing suspicious activity everywhere, Jerry identifies some men as CIA workers, follows them into a building, and is captured. The interrogator injects Jerry with LSD and questions him using torture. Jerry experiences terrifying hallucinations and flashbacks, panics, and manages to escape by incapacitating the interrogator by biting his nose and kicking him. Later, after being captured again, Jerry is handcuffed to a hospital bed and forced into a drug-induced sleep. Alice visits, and Jerry persuades her to switch his chart with the criminal in the next bed or he will be dead by morning. When Alice returns the next day, the criminal is dead, allegedly from a heart attack. The CIA, FBI and other agencies are there, led by CIA psychiatrist Dr. Jonas, whose nose is bandaged. Meanwhile, Jerry fakes a heart attack and, with Alice's help, escapes again. While Alice and FBI Agent Lowry are examining Jerry's personal items, the CIA arrive and confiscate everything. She declines Lowry's offer to work with her, and returns to her car to find Jerry hiding in the back seat. They leave the hospital and, on the way to Jerry's apartment, Jerry explains someone is likely following her. Trying to avoid a car chase, Alice switches lanes and stops, finding out that that someone is Lowry, she convinces him to leave her until she has more information to give him and he drives away. They go inside Jerry's well secured apartment, where he tells her about the conspiracy newsletter he produces. Just when Alice has decided Jerry is crazy, a SWAT team breaks in. Jerry sets everything on fire and they leave through his elaborate secret trapdoor exit.