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Next (2007 film)

2007 American film by Lee Tamahori

Next (in 103 minutes release on Signature Edition) is a 2007 film, about a stage magician, Cris Johnson, who actually perceives and experiences events in his own potential futures, but usually no more than two minutes before they could occur. It is very loosely based on the science fiction short story The Golden Man by Philip K. Dick.

Here's the thing about the future. Every time you look at, it changes — because you looked at it — and that changes everything else.
Directed by Lee Tamahori. Written by Gary Goldman, Jonathan Hensleigh, and Paul Bernbaum, based on concepts by Philip K. Dick.

Cris Johnson

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Okay… I'm starting to get that "psycho vibe."
  • Well, that's magic, folks — and that's why I'm here.
  • You've probably seen a lot of those shows — mentalists, magicians, illusionists. You'd be shocked to know that sometimes — not often, but sometimes — it's the real deal. Masquerading as an act. Hiding behind a few fifty dollar tricks. Hiding in plain sight. Because if the magician doesn't do that, the alternative is impossible for others to live with. Anyway, Wednesday night at the Back Page doesn't pay very well, so I gamble. But I don't play against other people, only against the house. So, no mega-jackpots, no long shots. The idea is to go unnoticed. That way I can keep coming back. I'm not a god. I can't see everyone's future, only my own. And only within two minutes. Except for when I saw her.
  • Here's the thing about the future. Every time you look at, it changes — because you looked at it — and that changes everything else.
  • If I do what you want, you'll keep me in this chair forever.

Liz Cooper

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  • You are odd. Charming — but odd.
  • Don’t drink that! It's drugged. Oh God. I don’t know what I'm doing. I have no idea what I'm doing. Some federal agent came up to me and said that you were a delusional sociopath, and showed me this tape — so maybe you are. But I don’t want to believe that. I don’t think I can believe that. And she also said that if you ran, they would shoot you. So I should drug you instead. Even if what they said is true, I don't want you to die. I don't want you to die.

Agent Callie Ferris

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I'm sure you know why I'm here. Because you're the man who knows what I'm going to do before I do it, right?
  • He's gone right? I missed him by seconds, didn't I?
  • I believe that the urgency of this situation compels the use of any and all resources to obtain Cris Johnson.

Quotes

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It's ironic, but people like you, who try to "help", have been torturing me, in the full sense of the word, since I was three years old.
 
I have no idea how, but I can. I was born with it. … You said anything was possible. … For some reason I saw you far beyond anything I'd ever seen before, and I don’t know why.
Director Wisdom: I need actionable intelligence, not paranormals and bullshit magicians.
Callie Ferris: With all due respect, sir. This bullshit magician's shown a pattern of advanced awareness that is statistically impossible. You let me bring him in and you'll get what you want.
Callie Ferris: I'm sure you know why I'm here. Because you're the man who knows what I'm going to do before I do it, right?
Cris Johnson: [puzzled a moment by her assertion] Oh — the show. Right. Right! I saw you there. Wonderful. You like magic tricks.
Callie: Yeah. Yeah, I do like your magic tricks, clairvoyance… whatever you're calling it. Let's talk about something hard. A stolen nuclear munition is being smuggled into the United States, or may, in fact, already be here. I want you to look ahead and tell me where it's going to be deployed.
Cris: Uh... I think you've got the wrong guy. It's a magic act.
Callie: You going to stick with that story? Because millions of lives are at risk and you could, maybe, prevent a major catastrophe. On a practical note: we're standing in front of a stolen vehicle and you're wanted for assault involving a weapon at the casino.
Cris: All right — that was an accident. He had a gun. He was going to shoot two people.
Callie: Yeah? How'd you know that?
No good deed goes unpunished, does it?
I can fix your legal problems, buddy, but you've got to step up. Otherwise, your next magic show is going to be at Folsom State Prison.
Cris: It's ironic, but people like you, who try to "help", have been torturing me, in the full sense of the word, since I was three years old. What did they call it? Oh, yeah. Observed play therapy. Featuring, the marathon 36-hour, can-you-guess-the-next-flash-card game. So, please, leave me alone and let me live some semblance of a normal life.
Callie: I'd love to indulge your feelings, but I am dealing with a slightly larger picture right now. Now you can exercise your responsibility to help your fellow man or I will exercise that responsibility for you.
[77 minutes later logo]
Callie: Let's see. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?"
Irv: [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) TV show] Oh, no! Who's watching ninja turtles?! Honey, who's watching the ninja turtles.
Cris: [shocked] Why are you ninja turtles?!?!
Cris: It's amazing isn't it? I end up in a diner where you are, and were both headed in the same direction.
Liz: Well, I don't know if I'd call it amazing but…
Cris: Destiny. That's what it really is.
Liz: Okay… I'm starting to get that "psycho vibe."
Cris: Oh, no. You don’t believe in destiny?
Liz: Well, even if it does exist, I don't think I want to know. If every move we make is preordained, then what's the point in that? I mean, life is supposed to be a surprise. Isn't it?
Cris: It would be nice.
Cris: [contemplating a premonition of sharing a kiss] Wow. That was incredible.
Liz: What was?
Cris: This.[kisses her]
Cris: There's an Italian painter, named Carletti, and, uh, ahem , he defined beauty. He said it was the summation of the parts working together in such a way that nothing needed to be added, taken away or altered, and that's you. You're beautiful.
Liz: Wow.
Cris: The man in that casino would have killed two people. It happened. It just hadn't happened yet.
Liz: Oh my God. You are delusional.
Liz: [as Cris demonstrates his precognitive abilities by switching TV channels, saying beforehand what will be said on each channel] How are you doing this?
Cris: I have no idea how, but I can. I was born with it.
Liz: Is this some kind of a trick?
Cris: You know we don’t have time for that. You said anything was possible.
Liz: So you see things before they happen? You see the future?
Cris: My future. What'll effect me — and only two minutes ahead. Except you. For some reason I saw you. For some reason I saw you far beyond anything I'd ever seen before, and I don’t know why.
Liz: I don't understand. If you can help them why don't you?
Cris: Because I can't. I can only give them a two minute head start. And that's if my life is personally involved.
Liz: But with me you can see further.
Cris: Yeah. But they don't know that. [suddenly moves back, takes an envelope from his jacket] There's almost ten thousand dollars in this envelope. They know about you. You need to get away from here.
Cris: You're going to be okay Liz.
Mr. Smith: Back off!
Cris: I've seen every possible ending here. None of them are good for you.
Mr. Smith: I'll take my chances. One more step, fortuneteller, and it definitely won't be good for you.
Cris: [steps forward through multiple manifestations of experiential awareness of potential events, till Smith's gun is empty] You have one way out of this. [Smith holds up the detonator; Ferris shoots it out of his hand] That wasn't it.
Cris: There's something I've got to do. I can't put it off any longer.
Liz: Are you coming back?
Cris: Yeah. It might be a week, or a month. But if you can wait, I'll find you.

Cast

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