Ordinary name for unorthodox film

Rating: 7/10 (17 March 2012)

I watched it not quite knowing what to expect. It's not conventional horror. I would describe it as a mix of family drama and psychological supernatural suspense. The closest movie it made me think of was The Others with Nicole Kidman, but it's suitably different. It also reminded me a bit of M. Night Shymalyan's early films. In short, an orphan girl adopted at young age, goes back to live at her old orphanage, recently purchased, with her husband and son. Her memories there are happy, and she plans to start a new life taking care of handicapped kids in that place. Her son has imaginary friends, but he starts making new ones once he arrives at the new house. He plays strange games, a creepy little kid with a cloth bag on his head starts appearing, and then eventually the son vanishes.
The rest of the film is mostly the desperate quest of her mother to find him, while also discovering secrets of her own about the orphanage. I thought the film had pretty good tense moments without relying on cheap jump scares. The directing doesn't draw much attention to itself, but I thought it was nicely done and visually stimulating, even in the several moments where nothing much seemed to happen, moments that could have been boring in a less-talented directors's hands. It's a slow-boiler though and the things you don't see can be the creepiest. Memorable moments include a discussion in bed and a children's game variation on hide and seek. In fact, the discoveries and unmasking of the truth were always highlights.
I liked how things were not always obvious and how it made me think. The clever ending was surprising and memorable, as well as open to interpretation depending on how optimistic or somber you are. The acting by the female lead was believable, you could feel her anguish, and she didn't look like the typical, perfect Hollywood actress, in fact she looked older than her actual age. I could see afterwards why Guillermo Del Toro was interested in the project. It's right up the alley of what interests him with seemingly innocent kids, the power of imagination, wondrous moments, mysteries and a dash of scariness. I think it's worth watching provided you don't expect straight standard horror.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Very good)