A troubled woman named
Alison Callaway (Amy Irving) is
discovered in her bathtub dead where she
apparently committed suicide and her
husband David (Robert DeNiro found her as
well as his duaghter Emily (Dakota
Fanning).
Emily is disturbed by this and doesn't
say a word as she spends some time in a
child's treatment centre.
After she is out her and David move to a
land with woods and a river. Emily tells
her dad that she made a new friend named
Charlie but doean't want to reveal him
too much.
They are greeted by a kind lady who is
their neighbor named Laura (Melissa Leo)
and then he meets a beautiful lady named
Elizabeth (Elizabeth Shue) with a
daughter near Emily's age and they go to
their place but Emily doesn't say a word
and creeps Elizabeth's daughter out.
Elizabeth starts dating David but Emily
says that Charlie doesn't like this.
Plus there's threatening red letters
marked in the bathroom to David but Emily
says it's all of Charlie's doing.
Emily also plays hide and seek with
Charlie which leads to something deadly
as well as she does sketch art with
Charlie doing his killings.
However, Alison's death wasn't what it
seemed to be.
A great horror flick that
works on it's own and doesn't compare to
any other horror film.
I just returned from the theatre while
reviewing this now and it is very spooky.
I'd advise this film to any horror fans
and can tell you that this one will for
sure be a classic!
The
acting is terrific! Robert DeNiro
is always a natural character actor
playing the understanding father who
sometimes loses it.
Child star Dakota Fanning really
brought her character to life. In a way,
her character was almost similar to Felissa
Rose's character in the cheesy cult
classic Sleepaway Camp. Dakota
was also remembered in the film Trapped
and whenever you see her performances you
really feel like protecting the poor
child. She is terrific with her disturbed
attitude and emotions.
Elisabeth Shue was terrific as the
nice girlfriend of DeNero's and
always liked her work ever since I saw
her in the Karate Kid.
It's also nice to see Amy Irving
working again as I only remember her in
certain films like Carrie
and it's sequel The Rage
doing a nice job with her depressed
attitude.
I also really liked the suppporting role
of the next door neighbor played by Melissa
Leo as it makes you really want her.
No gore except for some
blood and a dead cat along with the odd
horror violence.
The directing by John
Polson is terrifically eerie
although he is mainly an actor instead
but with this film he could instantly
make a success as a director in future
horror films with the true intense
mystery revealing around the story as he
is guaranteed for you to keep your eyes
glued to the film.
He shows a good beginning with the film
on Amy Irving tucking Dakota Fanning in
bed making out this will be the last time
she will see her do that.
There's a great devastated reaction on
Robert DeNiro as well as a good shot on
Irving dead in a bathtub. Plus there's a
good expressionless presence by Fanning standing
in the doorway along with a perfect close
up shot on her.
A good shot on Fanning walking through
the woods and going to some sort of a
cave along with DeNiro putting up stuff
in his room during this moment.
Fanning shows nice wide eyed expressions
as if she really was disturbed in the
child treatment centre.
DeNiro does well at the dinner table
trying to talk to Fanning and to
encourage her to eat her spaghetti and
meatballs yet she is depressed and is
impressive by acting that way.
There's a good shot on DeNiro opening
some shower drapes and candles around a
bathtub with threatening scrawled letters
on the tile walls. DeNiro does a good job
by trying to act sympathetic towards Fanning
when he asked her why she did this but
she shows a good and still attitude
telling him that Charlie did it although
he tries to be nice to her to tell him
the truth.
A nice presence by supporting actress
Melissa Leo as a neighbor introducing
herself to him with a housewarming gift
as she makes herself a believeable nice
neighbor. and shows a nice warming
attitude to his daughter showing a nice
fascinating attitude towards her. Fanning
does well by acting quiet and disturbed
by this.
DeNiro is good by getting aquainted with Elisabeth
Shue outside discussing her child and
trying to strike up a conversation.
There is a descent discussion with Shue and
DeNiro at his house when they discuss
what happened to their marriages.
Meanwhile, we have a good performance by
supporting child actress Molly Grant
Kallins in a bedroom trying to be
friendly to Fanning yet she acts cold
towards her not giving her attention
which looks disturbing when someone tries
to be nice to another. There's a good
shot on Fanning holding a squashed up
face of a doll towards her.
A good shot on Kallins storming out the
door in a hurry to get away from the
house.
A good shot on DeNiro sleeping in his bed
with a reflection on his blinds blowing.
Good shots on Fanning running around the
house and opening up closet doors playing
hide and seek. There's a terrific jumping
moment with her slowly walking into a
basement and turns the light on. Then
suddenly the electricity goes out.
We have a perfect moment with DeNiro
trying to demand Fanning who Charlie is
and she chants his name out repeatedly.
Fanning is good having a silently cold
attitude towards Shue at the dinner table
and DeNiro does well by scolding her.
A good dialogue between DeNiro and Leo in
her house when she tells him about the
toys that they kept in the house and then
is great by breaking down and crying as
if you'd want to help her out.
There's a perfect shot on Shue opening up
a closet door and then does well by
screaming with the camera shooting
towards her and falling back through a
window.
DeNiro has a great menacing attitude
towards Fanning as she is great crying
intensely about Charlie doing these nasty
deeds.
A perfect shot on Robert John Burke with
a flashlight reflecting on his face
outside by getting aggressive towards DeNiro
as DeNiro really knew how to get a little
menacing during this moment.
There's a good shot on Dylan Baker as a
sheriff trying to talking to Fanning as
there's a nice silent shot on her drawing
a picture and then there's a nice
chilling feeling when she tells him who
she's drawing and then the lights go out.
John Ottman
does a nice classical score for
this film with some horn playing and of
course the violin music. He also had some
good thumping sounds too that will make
you jump.
Dr.
Richard Goodman: We're gonna move,
out of state - country.
Dr. Katherine Carson: What about
Emily? This is a traumatic time for her.
I think it's important she stays here and
works through this.
Dr. Richard Goodman: No, here
she's flooded with memories. Right now, I
need to be a full-time dad.
Emily
Goodman: Let's just hope you don't
end up like her.
Emily
Goodman: Three one thousand. Four one
thousand. Five one thousand. Six one
thousand. Seven one thousand. Eight one
thousand.
Dr. Richard Goodman: Hey!
Emily Goodman: Nine one thousand.
Emily
Goodman: Charlie. Come out, come out
wherever you are.
Sheriff
Hafferty: Neighbor called. Said there
was a problem. Whatcha drawing there?
Emily Goodman: You. Dying.
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