Healing the Wounded Healer

Rating: 10/10 (10 September 2002)

A child psychologist, returning home after receiving an award, is confronted by a deranged patient who condemns his former caregiver before shooting him in the stomach and committing suicide. Emotionally and physically numbed, the psychologist takes on a new patient: a child who believes he can communicate with the dead. In addition to feelings of depression and self-doubt, the psychologist is having difficulty in communicating with his wife, who has become increasingly distant since the shooting. Gradually the relationship he establishes with his patient draws him into a strange reality.
"Sixth Sense" is a character study with profound concerns, on the theme of self-absorption and despair in a spiritual universe. Somber and low-key, it is misrepresented as a suspense thriller. Viewers should be prepared for a counterpoint to the works of Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman: the fundamental conflict in the film is between alienation and awareness leading to salvation. Anyone expecting the more familiar Hollywood treatment of ghosts and the afterlife will be disappointed: there is no series of jack-in-the-box surprises as found in "The Shining" or Nicole Kidman's "The Others". The concerns of "Sixth Sense" are similar to, but significantly different from, those of Robin Williams' film "What Dreams May Come", without the dramatic imagery. While the mood and pacing of "Sixth Sense" are deliberately oppressive, the final revelation illuminates not merely the series of clues scattered throughout the film but the predicament of the protagonist... and by implication that of the audience.
This is a well-crafted and thought-provoking film, and the acting, while restrained, is also excellent. Ironically, many viewers have found the surprise ending to be a distraction: some people seem to have sat through the film waiting for "the twist". Paying attention to the characters and the message that is developed in the story will be more rewarding. However if you dislike Bergman-esque films this one is not for you either.