"ORPHAN" -- You'd better Investigate BEFORE you Adopt! =

Rating: 7/10 (21 July 2009)

This movie is being sold as sort of a "HORROR" flick-- but it's really a "psychological" THRILLER about an Orphan named Esther (ISABELLE FUHRMAN) who turns out to BE Horrible (tho she pretends to be the opposite). Kate (VERA FARMIGA) is the frequently-dysfunctional therapy-seeking mother of 2 kids (JIMMY BENNETT & ARYANA ENGINEER as a challenged daughter) who wants to adopt another child. John (PETER SARSGAARD) is the often-oblivious husband who tends to undercut her efforts with all the kids. CCH POUNDER plays the overly-trusting nun who runs an orphanage visited by the parents. Besides sexuality, there's a lot of VIOLENCE initiated by the efforts to adopt, & it's repeatedly bloody & disturbing (tho not at the level of the gory "slasher" movies I so dislike). To my surprise, this film is actually somewhat CLEVERLY-constructed & tension-building as "accidents" keep happening to people involved with the various family members. The tagline is "There's something wrong with Esther." Actually, there's LOTS wrong with her-- but, thanks to the acting & directing, there's a lot more "right" with this MOVIE than I'd expected. It's only recommended for those who LIKE films of this general type, tho!