Thursday, January 20, 2011

Beneath

2007
Directed by Dagen Merrill
Writers: Kevin Burke, Dagen Merrill
Starng: Nora Zehetner, Brenna O'Brien and Carly Pope


 

From IMDB: "Christy (Zehetner) returns to her hometown years after a car accident that disfigured her older sister. Haunted by the accident in which she was the driver, she learns that her worst nightmares have either come true ... or are about to."

So as I'm typing I'm rocking my 8 week old in her little chair and watching the opening of this movie.
Right out of the gate - the music and look give it a Canadian made-for-TV feel.  I don't mind Canadian films in the least - as long as they don't feel like Canadian films.  This one does.
A quick look in IMDB confirms - this one is from North of the 49.
So right away - a touch confused.  The log lines reads that her sister was disfigured in the accident - however in the opening scene we see the funeral and grave site of the sister.  So I'm assuming they've kept the disfigured gal hidden away.  I guess that's a little creepy.
Gabrielle Rose is playing the matriarch of the family a little too spot on.  Clearly she's hiding the burned girl.  Evil should be a little more banal.  Not - "Look, I'm evil - you can tell by how I my hair is pulled and piled and my inability to show emotion."
"Guilt is good.  It's the price you pay for an honest soul." Good line.
This guy Warren Christie (plays Deputy Jeff) is pretty good.  He's been working lots since this film as well.  Deserves to.
"John says you attacked him and took Amy to the boathouse."
"It was a misunderstanding.  I never hurt anyone."
Instead of "WTF!!!  I never attacked that guy??!"
Shitty dialogue - and for Christ sake - REACT to something!!
This movie is transparent.
Why is it so often that a character in a movie is unable to pull off a ruse - even if it means their life?  So Jeff calls Christy to tell her she's been right all along and John is the bad guy.  The trouble is, Christy is standing with John.  So all she has to do is put on a smile and walk out the door - "Gotta go to the store.  I'll be right back." But no, she widens her eyes in horror and runs.  Slick.
But then when Amy "kills the monster" which is in fact her ridden hard mother, Christy puts on a smile and says "Well done" - so clearly she was able to pull off a ruse - except when it suited the story.  Poor form.  Either the character can "pretend" or she can't.

So this thing ended up playing like a made for TV movie from the W channel - Ugh!!.
I really need to find something with a higher fun factor for the next one!

1.5 Bloody Eyes out of 5

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