We liked it

Rating: Null/10 (30 July 2004)

Warning: Contains SPOILER comments.
How you react to this movie depends on your expectations. I liked that Shyamalan does not make scaring the audience and his usual plot twists the primary theme of the movie. They are the structure he uses to get you to see it and to make other points, more sophisticated than in his previous movies. To me, this movie is about love and the quest for innocence. Can we achieve innocence when we have "secrets"? To Shyamalan, one must be strong to be innocent.
Bryce Dallas Howard is stunning and fully worth your risking possible disappointment in going (remember expectations?). The other actors are only fair in their parts, but they are not parts written to shine, with the exception of Joaquin Phoenix's role. He does an excellent job portraying moral strength and trusting innocence.
One concern I have: I counted 11 scenes showing a very obvious boom mike. After about the 4th one, the audience laughed, breaking the suspension of disbelief. Did Shyamalan do this on purpose? If yes, it is a gimmick that smells and fails. If no, it is incredibly sloppy.
Notwithstanding, I give it 7 out of 10.