Common Sense to see Sixth Sense

Rating: Null/10 (7 November 1999)

I have a sense that I have seen the sixth sense before, then again I have seen "The Matrix" in countless other films. It doesn't necessarily mean thats bad. The plot basically revolves around the boys discussions with the psychiatrist (Bruce Willis) and the interaction mainly between these two characters is at the heart of the movie.
The film is difficult to label. It isn't a horror, although there are some scary moments, its not a thriller though at times it is quite thrilling. I would class it as a supernatural drama. Its a strangely uneven film. I really don't know where it actually goes and what it is trying to say. Is it about the effects of loss? as the child is suffering badly because of his parents divorce. I felt that the scenes involving the children in the film were excellent . The loneliness and isolation of childhood is remarkably well presented. The scene in which the children at the party lock the boy in a cupboard is very painfull to watch.
The performance by the leadinbg actor and no it is not Bruce Willis but Haley Joel Osmet is sensational. He gives a wonderful , sensitve performance. He is neither cloying or "cute". I loved the scenes between the boy and his mother. Toni Collette who plays the mother is excellent in this too. The scene where she and the boy discuss her mother who is dead but has given the boy a message for his mother) is excellent. Its extremely emotional and real. In some films it can be difficult to believe in a relationship between two characters but I really felt that these were mother and son.
There are major gaps in the film, not least the "twist" but overall I liked it. I also wondered why the boys parents had divorced and where was his father. Its never really explained and the boys feelings about his father are never unearted. What does the mother work as? This is never explained either. The reason I ask this is that she seems so out of place at the childrens birthday party scene compared to the other mothers.
The relationship between the Willis character and his wife is never fully developed and is quite frankly uninteresting.
Overall an effective " supernatural" drama with some fine performances and some scary moments.