A Gallery of Brilliant Performances

Rating: 9/10 (30 May 2005)

Let me preface this by saying I thought this movie was very underrated. It's not that people didn't get it--they were simply expecting something else. And I would caution you to confuse disappointment with surprise.
I personally thought that Bryce Dallas Howard's performance was so brilliant that I was disappointed she was not nominated for it at the Oscars. Her pouring of her emotions--the natural flow and grace of her character. She is a breath of fresh air among what many modern critics consider great acting. No, she wasn't a lost soul caught in the center of a mid-life disaster--she did not love the bottle and she did not love strange men. She was only a girl with a blindness that, rather than incapacitating her, made her stronger. She was bright, charming, and insightful...and alas, you forget it is only an act.
I also thought John Hurt's performance was remarkable, as was Adrien Brody's. Although Brody's role as a mentally retarded young man was subtle and seemingly unimportant to the storyline, his presence is felt throughout the whole movie.
Tremendous movie, chilling performances. And perhaps if we did not all see this as a horror film, it would not prove to be such a disappointment.