One of the best recent paranormal films

Rating: 7/10 (18 July 2013)

I'm not sure if saying James Wan's The Conjuring IS based on a true story is considered a spoiler or not since it is clearly stated in all the trailers. Whether or not people believe that is another story. I would high suggest reading the book and watching the many interviews the Warren's have done over the years about the Perron family's experience. While I wished The Lone Ranger (another film just out this summer) would have been tightened up to 2 hours instead of it's 2:35, I wish The Conjuring would have been extended to 2:35 so as to include more of the preliminary events that led up to the Perron family eventually calling the Warren family in for help. Hard to fit all that into a 2 hour movie. But James Wan did an incredible job of making a great modern day ghost story in the class of Poltergeist and The Exorcist. Vera Farmiga did a good job of portraying Lorraine Warren, although the real Mrs. Warren is much softer spoken and more genteel. The greatest performance I felt came from Lili Taylor who had to run the gamut of emotion and pulled off what had to have been a very physically demanding role. Doe eyed Hayley McFarland was also quite good. I was most disappointed in Ron Livingston's performance as Roger Perron. He never quite pulled off the horror the real Mr. Perron must have felt. In an interview I saw of him he did state he was not a believer, which may have been part of the problem. Overall, a great film and well worth my $$. Unfortunately my viewing experience was somewhat ruined by a gaggle of 12-13 year old giggly, screamy girls behind me in the theater.