Stir of Echoes

Plot synopsis:
Tom Witzky is a phone lineman living in a working-class neighborhood in Chicago with his pregnant wife Maggie and his son Jake, who possesses the ability to commune with the dead. At a party one evening, Tom challenges Maggie's sister Lisa, a believer in paranormal activity, to hypnotize him. After putting him under, Lisa plants a post-hypnotic suggestion in Tom urging him to "be more open-minded". Tom then begins experiencing visions of a violent scuffle involving a girl who he later learns is Samantha Kozac, a 17-year-old that disappeared from the neighborhood six months prior.
While Tom and Maggie attend a high school football game, Jake is overheard by his babysitter, Debbie Kozac, as he speaks with Samantha. Debbie gets upset and snatches Jake, running off with him in the night. Meanwhile, Tom senses Jake is in danger and rushes home but finds him gone. Tom then sees strange flashes of red light that eventually leads him to the 'L' station where Debbie is speaking with her mother about Jake. When Tom and Maggie confront her, Debbie angrily questions them about her sister Samantha, explaining that she had an intellectual disability: having the mental capacity of an 8-year-old and thus a child's tendency to trust strangers. Tom denies knowing her to Debbie but admits to Maggie that she is the girl in his visions.
Tom becomes obsessed with Samantha and begins probing members of the community about her disappearance. This attracts the attention of his landlord Harry Damon, Tom's friend, Frank McCarthy and their respective sons Kurt Damon and Adam McCarthy, who all dismiss Samantha as a runaway teen. During an afternoon walk, Jake and Maggie encounter a funeral where Chicago policemen are saluting in a ceremony; here a policeman named Neil immediately recognizes Jake's unique talent and invites Tom to a private gathering of like-minded people to learn more about what is happening to his son. Maggie withholds her conversation with Neil from Tom and goes to the meeting herself, and Neil tells her the spirit that contacted Tom has asked for something and will grow upset if it does not get done. As predicted, Samantha begins plaguing Tom, eventually leading to his insomnia. He goes back to Lisa and demands she undo what she did, but when she hypnotizes him, Samantha tells him to dig. Tom complies and digs holes in the backyard and eventually tears up the house in a desperate attempt to appease Samantha.
While Maggie and Jake attend her grandmother's wake at a relative's house, Tom inadvertently knocks down a shoddy brick wall in the basement and discovers Samantha's decomposed remains. He receives a vision showing him that before his family moved in, Adam and Kurt lured Samantha into the house to rape her. When she resisted, they unintentionally suffocated her and hid her body. Tom brings Frank back to the basement to disclose to him the crime. Frank breaks down and admits that Adam and Kurt had already confided their secret to him and Harry. Frank pulls out a gun and demands to be alone. As Tom leaves the basement, he hears a single shot.
Harry and Kurt suddenly show up. Harry, in his capacity as landlord, voices displeasure with the torn up house. They corner Tom with the intention of killing him, but Maggie interrupts them when she arrives back home. As Harry takes her hostage, Frank emerges from the basement and fatally shoots both Kurt and Harry to save Tom and Maggie. Tom notices Samantha's spirit put on her glasses and coat, she smiles as she walks down the road and slowly fades away, suggesting her soul is finally at peace and is now free to fully move on.
Afterwards, the family packs up a U-Haul and moves out of the house. Meanwhile, Samantha's mother and sister are finally able to give her a proper funeral and burial. Tom and Maggie smile happily as they drive away to a new neighborhood, but Jake covers his ears as they approach their new home, overwhelmed by the spirits that linger in all of the houses they pass by.

Tags: suspenseful, mystery, murder, paranormal, horror, romantic

Review:
Stir of Echoes (1999) tells the story of Tom, a middle aged man who, after being hypnotized, starts seeing things.
Plot wise, the movie is also more than decent, with only a few small plot holes which will only bother the most scrutinous of viewers.The movie's plot does however remind some viewers of other thrillers, mainly The Shining and The Sixth Sense (another 1999 release which overshadowed Stir of Echoes with a larger marketing campaign and larger overall budget).
From the likable fish-out-of-water guy who trips the light-fantastic through a piece of fluff like FOOTLOOSE, to putting everything on the line to play a pedophile in the unnerving THE WOODSMAN, there's hardly anything he can't - or won't do - to show his amazing range.That being said, STIR OF ECHOES still holds what is for me one of his all-time Top Five performances.He plays Tom Witzky, a regular mug living with his family in a working-class suburb of Chicago.
The urgency is heightened when he discovers how sensitive he was before the hypnotic suggestion, in the most chilling way possible...it seems that son Jake can see and talk to the dead as well.In the tradition of THE CHANGELING, LADY IN WHITE and THE SIXTH SENSE, the focus of Tom's visions comes from one apparition in particular, who won't leave him or his family in peace until he can figure out what it wants and why.
The situation provides fodder for one intense and terrifying performance, and with help from a strong supporting cast, Bacon comes through like a champ.When movies like this are adapted from older works by classic authors, I usually proceed with the greatest caution.
But Richard Matheson's creepy novel has been skillfully transformed by David Koepp, a man who knows a little bit about balancing thoughtful plotting and dialogue with outright terror, (as in APARTMENT ZERO) and the outstanding job he does here will make you think twice the next time somebody wants to 'put you out' at a party with something more than just shots of Captain Morgan....
Stir of Echoes is a very good horror thriller in the traditional sense.
It's the story of a guy who gets hypnotised and develops precognitive psychic abilities which he can't control.Kevin Bacon is excellent and shows he can be a leading man, while the rest of the cast performs well.
There are some plot strands that aren't explained, but this can be forgiven because of the film's running time.Although not mind blowing, it has a decent payoff at the end and left me satisfied that I'd just watched a good movie.
Indeed, all the best scenes in Stir Of Echoes involve interaction between Zachary, Kathryn, and Kevin.I do think this film has its faults.
Who knows what would have happened to this movie if it was released before "The Sixth Sense...It surely would had been appreciate more than it was now.I'm glad that the movie by now is finally starting to receive the credit it deserves.You also have to remember that in 1999 these type of movies were still fresh and new, so everything about it was original.
It provides the movie with mystery and an uneasy atmosphere.The movie above all is a supernatural thriller (that also definitely has some similarities by the way with "The Sixth Sense", which also might be a reason why it was received so coolly) but the movie also features some real horror elements.
It shows how good as an actress she actually is.The movie is well directed by David Koepp himself and he knows how to bring his own story to the screen.
It doesn't have a stunning payoff like "sixth sense" (what film does?), but until the, in some ways hasty, conclusion, it's well made, scary and, since I have a knowledge of occult things through a good friend, rather believable.
And I love the way all the little things are tied up, especially the end sequence with Jake in the car...If you liked The Sixth Sense, this is not quite the same standard, although it's pretty close.
Tom (Kevin Bacon) has hypnotized by his sister-in-law, played by Illeana Douglas, and from then on his life's a little....well, weird.
The scenes of life in a Chicago working class neighborhood, and the interaction with the local neighbors and cops was all believable and interesting, kind of like "The Deer Hunter".The mystery builds and you are guessing the whole time whats going on as Kevin Bacon (as Tom Witzky) slowly appears to go crazy...The title of the movie is a clue, there are some supernatural things going in...Really fun, engrossing movie.
"Stir of Echoes" is more than just your average ghost story; it's a thriller that weaves together mystery, intrigue, murder, and love of family into a very memorable film.
Adapted from the novel by the late, great Richard Matheson, the story centers around everyday man Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon), his wife Maggie (Kathryn Erbe) and their young son, Jake (Zachary David Cope).
As for as characters, each of the actors give solid performances, be it Kevin Bacon as skeptic turned (almost dangerously) obsessed believer, Kathryn Erbe as Tom's devoted wife, Illeana Douglas as the sister-in-law, Kevin Dunn as Tom's friend and neighbor Frank, or Zachary David Cope as young Jake Witzky.
Two good things, fail to redeem it; The photography on the opening shots which lead us to believe we may be in for something special, and Kevin Bacon's portrayal of a sad and bored suburbanite living a life he rather wouldn't.This plays like a TV movie or episode of 'The Twilight Zone'.
Bacon's son can be likened to the central character in 'The Sixth Sense' in that he can see and speak to a ghost residing in his house, however this strand seems underdeveloped and 'light'.You will form your own conclusions before the conclusion actually arrives, and if you have paid to see this movie you will start to think about other worthwhile items you could have purchased instead.I am sorry; This is the most negative review I ever wrote, but I found this a complete waste of around an hour and a half of my time..
It leads to unexpected and breakthrough twist ending about what's happened before.The movie packs suspense, tension, shocks, grisly horror and eerie scenes when the ghoul appear.
The highly interesting topic of apparitions is built well upon, yet the ending is as flat and uninspired as can be.Stir of Echoes honestly is the first film starring Kevin Bacon which I give two thumbs down..
It took me about thirty seconds to realize in "The Sixth Sense" that Bruce Willis' character was, in fact, a ghost - but in "Stir of Echoes" nothing is revealed ahead of its time.There is a humanity and sincerity in the relationships as well - no stereotypical, strained single mom/difficult kid relationship like in "Sixth Sense", but in fact an honestly written and acted relationship with genuine tensions and joys and hardships.Ileana Douglas deserves a special mention for a fantastic performance in a supporting role - as usual.
I am normally not a real big fan of Kevin Bacon but I thought that in this movie he gave us his best performance so far.
In Fact, You could remove the Child's ability "to see Dead People", and this Movie would have been just as Horrific and Effective.It is a Grungy Little Horror Movie that has its share of Scares and its Twilight Zone Flavour is no accident since the Story was Penned in 1958 by Richard Matheson who Wrote many of the Zone's best Episodes.For Trivia Buffs, the Book that the Babysitter is reading on the couch is The Shrinking Man by Matheson, that was made in to one of the Best Sci-Fi Movies of the Fifties.This Movie is at once Creepy and has a Middle-Class Urban Milieu rarely seen on Screen, at least with such Verisimilitude.
It combines Supernatural and True Crime Elements with Outstanding Overlays.The Ending may seem a bit Rushed but Things do come together in a Spurt of Thrills and Grotesque goings on and it is one of those Movies that at most Times has the Audience holding Their Breath and after all is said and done, They can breathe a sigh of Nervous Relief..
The story has been done to death by Hollywood recently - this came out the same year as THE SIXTH SENSE, which helped popularise the ghost story genre once again - but this film works, possessing a finesse and level of quality usually missing in the genre.The good things about STIR OF ECHOES are the reliance on good, old-fashioned storytelling over blood and guts and jump scares.
Stir of Echoes is a scary movie that has a good story to tell.
it can compare to sixth sense nonetheless, due to the kid seeing ghosts, although these movies seem to be two very different types of films...
There must be some guy in hollywood who just goes around stealing scripts or something.)  This movie involves a kid who can see dead people (what movie does that sound like?), and Kevin Bacon puts out a wanting performance.
She has a witchy sister, Illeana Douglas (as Lisa Weil), who gets the story going, after hypnotizing Bacon into seeing dead people, too David Koepp's "Stir of Echoes" is a mostly effective ghost story.
And, babysitter Liza Weil (as Debbie Kozac) reads dog-eared paperback writer Richard Matheson's incredible "Shrinking Man".******* Stir of Echoes (7/28/99) David Koepp ~ Kevin Bacon, Kathryn Erbe, Zachary David Cope.
It came out the same year,and basically,although with differences,has the same plot as a certain other film about a young child who saw dead people,Stir of Echoes,in my opinion,is a very good film.Kevin Bacon is excellent as a man tormented by the visions of a murdered girl,shortly after being hypnotized.It has become popular,with new technology,to make the dead move somewhat faster in films,which is effective,I suppose,but to me,the dead can be just as scary moving at a normal pace.This was an excellent leading role for Kevin Bacon,and I consider this film amongst his best work.Sadly,since it's release came so closely to that certain other film and had more or less the same story line,it will probably be overlooked for years to come..
It was under-rated merely because it made the mistake of being released just a short time after 'The Sixth Sense'.Yes, Haley Joel Osment was great but for a child so young, the little boy in this film was wonderful as the psychically gifted child who was so casual at being able to see dead people.
Kevin Bacon was also great in portraying the role of 'average guy' who descended into obsession over his newfound gifts and the need to solve the murder of the girl who haunted him.While there was no real twist endings, 'Stir Of Echoes' did well in showing how the dynamics of a normal, happy family were quickly interfered with by a joke which brought about an eerie power.
But there is no doubt that KEVIN BACON, KATHRYN ERBE and ZACHARY David COPE (as Jake, his son), all give fine performances and weave a spell that keeps you glued until the film's wrap-up scene.The finale raises more questions than answers, as is typical with this sort of story, but let's just say it's a horror tale that almost feels like something out of TALES OF THE CRYPT.But if you start thinking about it, there are enough loopholes to drive a herd of elephants through..
The rest of the movie is similar, as most of it has been seen in cinema many times before (some the same year with the inferior 'The Sixth Sense'), but by keeping it interesting; Koepp's screenplay succeeds.
This is a minor shame, as Stir of Echoes is more than just OK and the good bits outweigh the bad.The film is set in Chicago, Kevin Bacon plays Tom, blue collar regular-guy husband to Maggie, in the early going we find out that Maggie is pregnant again, much to Tom's concern.
In retrospect though while one of the chills was good in isolation, after the movie finished I realised that it made no sense when considered in context.Maggie is way too accepting of the situation given the unbelievable circumstances going on around her with Jake and Tom, they see everything, she sees nothing and she just accepts this.Not being from America I have no idea how authentic Bacon's accent was, but to me it sounds incredibly thick and annoying.
Without spoilers when he appears on the scene and understands everything without being told it's forced as all hell.By the finale I think everyone watching knows what Tom will find when he completes his search, everyone should also know by now that there are no "surplus" characters in these films, so by the end we have already met someone who knows what is going on, we just don't know who.The ending was a little hokey but the bottom line is that despite some of the flaws Stir of Echoes is a pretty harmless DVD-night movie, with good acting and a serious tone that perhaps the material doesn't really deserve.I rate it as worthwhile regardless.One last thought: If Jake from this movie and Cole from The Sixth Sense got together for a play date, how fun would that be?
Probably better if you haven't seen The Sixth Sense for a while, but some solid chills and the movie never quits trying, even when it sometimes fails.If you liked this (or even if you didn't) check out oneguyrambling.com.
Stir of Echoes is a kewl, quirky supernatural film along similar lines as Sixth Sense, which came out around the same time.
All scary movies should be like "Stir of Echoes."  It scared the crap out of me and still managed to have a good plot and some awesome acting in it.
(except for the shining and the sixth sense)even though the script was good i have to say that this was kevin bacons movie.
Despite this one, over-the-top addition, the understated acting of Bacon and the other principal actors helped heighten the suspense of the story.I liked the premise of the film that the paranormal is just a hairsbreadth away from us, that it exists side-by-side with us at all times.
I like this movie, not only because it is suspensful and thrilling but also because it has an accuracy not usually seen in horror films.
At first glance, "Stir of Echoes" is yet another average scary movie - the type with the plot Hollywood has been shoveling out since "The Sixth Sense" was released in 1999.
The ending, like many of these films, falls apart a bit and becomes quite average, but then the twists come into play and totally redeem the film.Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon) is a telephone lineman, living in Chicago with his wife (Kathryn Erbe) and son.
Okay, maybe not, but seriously, he should play a werewolf sometime.The ending to "Stir of Echoes" didn't really blow me away, I had long guessed it (as always), but there were some small plot twists along the way that made the story much more fun to follow.
Where had I seen that thing?This film is a copy of two great movies (Sixth Sense, The Shining), but is worst in all the aspects.
Adaptation of Richard Matheson's book "A Stir of Echoes" involves husband and father Kevin Bacon (just adequate) who is touched by the supernatural after being hypnotized at a party.
**** out of ****Kevin Bacon is Tom Witzky, a normal man who's just moved into a new Chicago neighborhood with his wife (Kathryn Erbe) and young son.
Underrated financial failure(somehow, the awful Stigmata managed to gross much more money on the same opening weekend) from writer/director David Koepp is an engrossing thriller and one of the most effective horror films of the 90's, it's intelligent, superbly acted (Kevin Bacon delivers possibly the best performance of his career), and most importantly, suspenseful and frightening.
After a summer that saw two excellent cinematic ghost stories, "The Blair Witch Project" and "The Sixth Sense", the release of "Stir of Echoes" in the early autumn could not have been more poorly timed.
At the end of one such party Tom Witsky (Kevin Bacon) is kidding his sister-in-law (Illeana Douglas) about her New Age ways.
And so begins a very creepy tale.For those that love movies like "The Sixth Sense" and have not seen "Stir of Echoes", look no further when a fright is needed..
Inevitably overshadowed by The Sixth Sense,this is a chilling and powerful movie that should have fared better with critics and the public than it did Featuring a powerful performance by Kevin Bacon as Tom Witzky,a blue collar Chicagoan,who through being hypnotized at a party on a dare finds he possesses the ability to see ghosts,the movie focuses on his emotional and physical traumas through involvement with one particular spirit who has passed on in the house where he and his wife now live with son Jake who also possesses the gift but is able to better control it.
Stir of Echoes is a fun little horror movie, yet no one seems to know about it.
Saturday night Horror movie - Stir of Echoes with a good horror feel and interesting screenplay with the edge of the feel to know what is going to happen at next!.
They don't make movies like Stir of Echoes anymore, this is a supernatural thriller, that was truly unsettling and creepy, the kind of film that defines what supernatural horror should be.
The acting is decent, with Kevin Bacon giving the best performance in his major role part in this movie.
The ending does have a great twist, a ghost story that reminds me a lot of The Sixth Sense, which came out in the same exact year.
Of course "The Sixth Sense" garnered more attention and rightfully so, but "Stir of Echoes" was still an excellent movie.