Bad Seed meets Play Misty for Me....

Rating: 8/10 (25 July 2009)

Although I shouldn't, I often like to read critic reviews before I go see a movie. The critics either went way low or higher than expected on their ratings, but they all seemed to describe themes throughout the movie that didn't seem to jive with what I saw. The two most common being that this film was unintentionally funny(dark humor) and that the "twist" was disappointing. First, I'm a huge fan of the Cohen Brothers and Tarentino, and I didn't see any "dark comedy" in this film. Second, I would not say the ending was truly a "twist" in the Sixth Sense type of way. Granted, from the outset, we all know something is "wrong with Esther"!! I more say the films ending is a "revalation" than a "twist".
The movie centers on a couple (Farmiga and Sarsgard) who are struggling with the aftermath of a stillborn child. They decide to adopt an Orphan (fuhrman) and things go downhill from there.
Farmiga is always solid and is no different here. She is believable as a recovering alcoholic, struggling with guilt that goes way beyond the death of her unborn baby. She has an exceptionally touching scene in which she uses sign language to read her partially deaf daughter Max(Aryana Engineer) a bedtime story. Sarsgard is sufficient as the overly naive father. And then there is Esther, portrayed quite powerfully by Isabelle Fuhrman. I have not seen her in anything else but this girl has got some BIG talent. The interactions she has with her "new" family are creepy and very convincing!!
This is a well made horror/thriller that should not be compared to The Omen or The Excorcist, those movies where about Demonic Possession, this one is not. I would more describe it as "Bad Seed" meets "Play Misty for Me". ENJOY!!!!