Eerily satisfying

Rating: 8/10 (28 February 2010)

Laura (Belen Rueda) lives with Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and their adopted son Simon (Roger Princep) in the orphanage building that she grew up in as a girl. She has plans to open it up as a home for disabled children. Simon seems to have invisible friends and when he goes missing, Laura is determined to find him - she knows that the answer lies in her orphanage home.
It's a good ghost story, scary at times, always atmospheric and strangely pleasing at the end. The cast are good, especially Rueda in the lead role. There is also a good, sinister performance by Montserrat Carulla as Benigna. Good scenes include a game where Laura knocks 3 times on the wall before turning around to see if anyone is there and there is that moment that happens in all scary films where you shout out "Nooo. Don't go down into the basement!" The only silly part of the film is the husband's unwillingness to stick with her at the end and the way in which Laura seems to be going through everything without her husband going through it with her at the same time. Still, you always have the feeling that Laura can face whatever is going on by herself. Which she does.