Line #4 YMMV/ArlingtonRoad


1	* HarsherInHindsight: The ending involves Michael [[DrivesLikeCrazy driving like crazy]] to prevent an apparent terrorist attack, screaming at people to move out of the way while nearly hitting several of them. This is uncomfortable to watch from TheNewTens onward, after terrorists driving into crowds of people in busy urban centers became a much more common form of terrorism.
2	* MagnificentBastard: "[[BombThrowingAnarchists Oliver Lang]]", apparent real name William Fenimore, seems to be the [[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse utterly plain neighbor]] of Michael Faraday, but in truth is an orchestrator of an anti-government terrorist operation. Driven to villainy by his parents' abuse by the government, Oliver murdered his friend as a youth and stole his identity to cover up his own suspicious past and hide as an average citizen. Oliver becomes one of the masterminds for a homegrown terrorist group, specializing in bombing government targets and then framing one person for it. Befriending Michael in present, Oliver turns Michael into his lastest puppet, driving the man to paranoia and rage throughout the film before tricking him into delivering a bomb straight to the FBI headquarters, killing Michael and getting the whole scheme pinned on him as [[TheBadGuyWins Oliver ends the film]] ready to move with his family to a new location and start the process all over again. Polite even in the face of danger, genuinely caring for his family, and holding an apparent real affection for Michael's son Grant, Oliver's brilliance is matched only by his [[WellIntentionedExtremist sincere belief]] in the NecessaryEvil of taking down the government.
3	* MoralEventHorizon: The villains are implied to have crossed that long before the start of the movie.
4	* ParanoiaFuel: The entire film. [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished Just for doing a good deed]], an innocent family man trying to grieve the wrongful death of a loved one ends up uncovering the sinister past and future plans of a group of terrorists hiding behind the facade of a typical suburban family [[spoiler:and [[ShootTheShaggyDog has his life ruined, ended]], ''and'' [[TheScapegoat reputation beyond death completely obliterated]] by those same people. [[KarmaHoudini And everyone responsible for it gets away scot free]], planning on restarting the cycle elsewhere.]]
5	* SugarWiki/SheReallyCanAct: Creator/JoanCusack, who's usually associated with comedic roles, absolutely sells the creepiness in her scene with Creator/HopeDavis, who plays Bridges' love interest, when they ran into each other outside of a shopping mall.
6	-->''Brooke had just left Michael a message confirming his suspicions about the Langs. When she hangs up, she turns, only to run into Cheryl, who seems happy to see her.''\
7	'''Cheryl Lang (with a forced grin):''' ...I knew it was you! Hi! (Brooke says hi) What are you doing here?\
8	'''Brooke:''' Just shopping! What are ''you'' doing here?
9	-->'''Cheryl (quickly staring away and back at her):''' ''Shopping.''
10	-->'''Brooke:''' G-great.
11	-->'''Cheryl:''' Yeah. (Cheryl's face grows sad.)
12	-->[[spoiler:Brooke dies off-screen later.]]
13	* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The premise is heavily tied to the post-Oklahoma City bombing but pre-9/11 period. More exactly the suspicion that others were involved in that incident and the general fear of militia types that existed.
14	* TheWoobie: Michael and his entire family, but ''especially'' Michael himself.

Context YMMV / ArlingtonRoad