Written and directed by Zak Hilditch, based on a short story by Stephen King. Starring Thomas Jane, Molly Parker, Dylan Schmid, Neal McDonough, Kaitlyn Bernard, Brian d'Arcy James, Eric Keenleyside and Bob Frazer.
Plot: a farmer decides to murder his wife to stop her from selling their farm, but he convinces his son to help, he winds up in an nightmare he never saw coming.
Wilfred James (Jane) opens the film, sitting in a hotel room, writing a confession. He's going to tell us a story. The story of how he got to be in this hotel and why he needs to make this confession. So, we go back in time several years and get to meet his wife and son. The son, Henry (Schmid) is living well on the family farm. He's in love with the neighbor's daughter, Shannon (Bernard) and is pretty happy. Arlette (Parker) however, in unhappy and I'll admit it, a bit of a bitch. She doesn't just threaten Wilfred with divorce, she also threatens to take Henry with her.
Thing is, Henry doesn't want to leave the farm either, but Arlette doesn't care. She is convinced Henry is better off without Shannon. Possibly better off with only her in his life forever and ever. She even says very, very inappropriate things to him about his relationship at the dinner table. Things that I would never say to any man, let alone my own son. So, when it comes time to murder Arlette and Wilfred decides he needs Henry's help, Henry actually goes along with it. I'm not saying it was the right thing to do because I believe someone would've killed her sooner or later anyhow. But they do it and it doesn't turn out well for them.
When they kill Arlette, they throw her body into the farm's dried up well. Wilfred tells everyone that she went to the city without them, taking only what she could carry. Henry gets a little too quiet though and Shannon senses something is wrong. She still continues to see him however, and even gets pregnant. Her father (McDonough) is going to send her away and when Wilfred agrees that it's probably the best decision, Henry runs aways with her.
The story isn't a conventional one. I haven't seen this sort of ending in a while. It was crazy, crafty and creepy. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy all the animal deaths, but it was all for a reason, so I'll accept it. No one was truly likable, but the rules were followed and the effects were sufficiently frightening. I jumped once or twice. And I've read the story, so I know this movie was a suprisingly good adaptation.
My score: 63.
No comments:
Post a Comment