After directing some of the worst films of the past decade (“The Covenant,” “Exorcist: The Beginning,” “Mindhunters”), Renny Harlin delivers a welcome return from the basement with “Cleaner,” a by-the-numbers thriller that, while totally predictable, succeeds thanks to a solid cast. Samuel L. Jackson stars as Tom Carver, a former cop who now makes a living cleaning up crime scenes. When Tom is called in to sterilize a home following a suburban shooting, however, he’s surprised to discover that in erasing crucial evidence, he’s unknowingly become an accomplice to the much-publicized murder of a wealthy community leader. Though Jackson is more timid in this film than usual, it’s exactly what’s required of the role. The veteran actor has a pretty good track record when working with Harlin, and while the final product isn’t always a slam dunk (see: “Deep Blue Sea”), it’s usually at least fun to watch. The rest of the cast (including Eva Mendes and Luis Guzman) also deliver safe performances, with the exception of Ed Harris, whose onscreen relapse into his “Gone Baby Gone” character fails to retain even an ounce of surprise in the film’s ending. It’s not like you won’t see it coming on your own, but had the journey there been a little less predictable and “Cleaner” could have been even better than the average thriller it seems so comfortable being.
