Fierce, Bold, and shameless view into the psyche of fragmented motherhood.

Rating: 7/10 (2 September 2009)

To start, the film "Orphan" was promoted to be a modern day schlock film about a murderous child who wrecks havoc on a loving home which adopts her. This method of audience attraction could not be further from the truth. "Orphan" is an intense drama, about how fragmented minds of both children and adults can hinder the relationships between the children of a family, broken or otherwise, and the parental units with which the family is overseen. The film's premise follows a the Coleman family, a broken, unconventional family who have recently befallen a slight tragedy. Specifically the mother, Kate, who has just suffered a miscarriage. From here, we learn that, in addition to other complications to John, her husband, and she herself, that their marriage is on the rocks, about to slip. They figure adopting a child to make up for the still born one of their own, will mend things. So they adopt Esther, a kind, intellectual, but reclusive young girl from the St. Martins school for girls. This does in fact, mend their marriage, because of all things, their youngest child, Maxine, who is deaf, has particularly taken to Esther. Soon though, events start to take place, inconsistencies, and 'accidents' that all seem to be connected with Esther's arrival. This sets the story, but so much more takes place within the film, that will most obviously be missed by many 'thrill seeking' audience members. First of all, there is a complexity of character development and layers of character issues with both John and Kate, who were both played out wonderfully and very authentically by Peter Saarsgard and Vera Farmiga. The problems the characters are faced with, matched with the problems they've overcome, reaches the viewer with no holds barred realism. So too, do you get the feelings from the actress playing the deaf child. Sign language is incorporated into the film, and stylistically, the direction has many of her scenes in complete silence, helping us live in her world for just a few moments at a time. One of the real gems to this film is Isabelle Furhmen, who is regards nothing but what she is supposed to do as Esther. She is impressive, and focused, with a memorable accent and almost perfect acting for someone at her age. She will go far if she continues to grow and take in all that she can. CCH Pounder pops in for a welcome cameo. The story itself is frankly far fetched, but the actors and director Jaume Collet Serra, who is humbly making his way up the ladder in the industry, and it's not hard to see why, make this stylish and entertaining trash something to think about. The direction is a BIG contribution to the films virtues. The camera work, the direction of the scenes and the actors, and overall execution of the story and the way it's structured give the film more cinematic validity than it originally has any right to. There are physical camera moves than entice and suspend the viewer, there are jumps and build ups in the conversations that lead the viewer on, and then usually there will be a revelations that doesn't try to scare, just creeps up your skin. John Ottman provides a less than memorable score. He is usually on top of the game, providing a score that is better than the films themselves, but this time, the direction has clearly eclipsed him. But it by no means stops there. The best part of the film (direction, really) is the bold and shameless way it approaches how the events in the film are portrayed. Serra is not afraid to go where other filmmakers are sensitive. He places to the two children, one innocent, the other not so innocent, in the scariest of situations, for both children and parents alike, and takes risks with their lives. The situations on screen are in your face and intense, but don't linger on for too long, eliciting an uncomfortable and at times, horrifying feel that makes the viewer want to forget they ever saw this. These depictions include but are not limited to, children locked in a tree house on fire, children killing adults, children psychologically playing off the naiveté of other children, etc. It's definitely not for younger audiences. In fact, it's a film that some adults should see. A commentary on the affect parenting has on children, and how subtle but real the ignorance of a parent can be. It's an adult film on many levels actually, giving the story lines to the parents most of all, and giving the scary material as a secondary tactic. The film is a daring exercise in presenting the subtle consequences of ignorance in the American Family. Likewise, the film can also be taken as a look into a world where youth and innocence is taken for granted, and all ages are affected thusly. Either way you look at it, the film presents a world where the boundaries of age and maturity are broken and the lines that are usually drawn between are blurred. Our characters at one point or another can each be blamed, or sympathized with. And for that, the film has done half of what it should: Reflect while being entertaining. The other half, is what no brained audiences have seen the film for, a gory attempt to cash in on the idea that adults are stupid and children should disrespect their parents. People who are going to see this film for either this reason, or to be scared, will most certainly not get their dollars worth. All in all, "Orphan" has brought back the R-rated horror film, and with it, an intellect to the adult scary movie, and it will only really be successful if other filmmakers recognize it for what it is, and continue to take this new method on.
-TP