by lamyrptr

Feb 5, 2005

The first hour is great fun as a thriller! However, the last part is prure dreck. Implausable (although creative) and highly unlikely. And the last scene just confused everyone. I heard folks in our viewing gasp and say -- "awful"! Well, we were warned and so are you!

Now some other comments about the film --

Wonderful to see Dakota Fanning in something other than a "cutesy" role! She could play the "bad seed". DeNiro is TOO OLD to be her father. Grandpa maybe. If he's a psycholgist "fellow", why is his student tellling him what's wrong -- well, I guess so we know!

Points I like to quibble about --

Is it January? February? Or Fall? Should be winter by my reckoning of the timeline. Why isn't the girl in school? Why isn't there snow on the ground. Its not spring -- too many leaves. Hollywood just doesn't know what "upstate" New York looks like in winter, I guess. Babbling brooks? C'mon!

Wait for the rental -- or see it on HBO. Just to be scared for the first hour. Then fast-forward to the last 10 minutes for the revelation. Ignore the last scene. 

by George Jobson

Feb 9, 2005

Dakota Fanning is the best and only good performer in this film.The film is too confused for anyone to follow. But Fanning's performance is very good, especially in scene at the table where she dresses in back. She remind me of winoma ryder in "Beetlejuice." but sadly, I can't recommend the film. A mixed review.