Abandon

Plot synopsis:
Katie Burke (Katie Holmes) is a young grad student sitting on the stairs of a campus building. Her friend Sam (Zooey Deschanel) drags her to a job fair where they check out the booth of a company they want to work at when they graduate from college. The company recruiter flirts with Katie. Later we see that Katie is also under severe pressure to complete her thesis.At the same time, Detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt), an ex-alcoholic, is given a new case by his lieutenant (Fred Ward). It concerns a missing person named Embry Larkin (Charlie Hunnam), who was a rich orphan. Handler finds out that Embry was Katie's boyfriend when he disappeared two years ago. Handler contacts Katie, who says she's not sure if Embry disappeared, left school, or both. She also seems to be generally irritated by Handler.Katie, Sam and some friends including August (Will McCormack) and Amanda (Gabrielle Union) go to a party one night, so that Katie can relax from constant stress and exhaustion, mostly because of her thesis and wondering if she's going to get her job. All of them get drunk/stoned, and during a cool strobe light effect scene, Katie thinks she sees Embry lurking. A few days later, she goes outside and thinks she sees him again, driving away in a car. Handler tells Katie that he thinks Embry is dead, because he had purchased two first-class airplane tickets to Greece that he never used, not to mention never having taken any money out of an account or used any credit cards in the past two years.One night while Katie is studying hard for her thesis, she falls asleep, completely exhausted. When she wakes up, a number has been inscribed in the desk where she was sitting. It's the Dewey decimal number for a library book. She goes to shelf where the book, Dante's "The Inferno," is. Suddenly, she sees what are presumably Embry's eyes staring at her from the other side of the shelf. She is startled and runs out of the stacks into the tunnels that run between buildings.Meanwhile, Handler talks to Sam, Amanda and about Katie and Embry, asking questions about their relationship. Sam tells him that Embry didn't like Katie's male friends, especially Harrison Hobart (Gabriel Mann). Harrison, who has long had a crush on Katie but doesn't seem to realize the feeling isn't mutual, tells Handler than Embry once put him in the hospital because he poked him with a glass bottle. Later Harrison confesses to Katie that he loves her. She says he's a great guy, but she doesn't feel the same.The next day, Katie is again in the library, hard at work. An odd girl in the library, named Mousy Julie (Melanie Lynskey) bothers her. Julie tells her that Harrison has disappeared. Katie is convinced that Embry is responsible for Harrison's disappearance. Katie has lunch with Harrison's parents who are trying to account for his disappearance. While in the restaurant, Katie sees Embry sits at another table. Katie storms outside and yells at him. He tells her to come to his country house, which was a nesting spot for the two before Embry disappeared.Katie goes there, and falls asleep again. When she wakes up, Embry is playing the piano. She tries to leave, but Embry follows her. Eventually he pins her against the wall, but she knees him in the groin and escapes. She goes over to Handler's apartment. Katie and Handler have sex, and in the middle, she imagines Handler transforming into Embry. She gets this out of her head, and she realizes that for the first time in a while, she's happy, sitting there with Handler. She also completes her thesis.Handler quits the police force. On his last day, a forensic expert tells Handler that a note that Embry has supposedly just written to Katie was written over two years before. Handler gets in his car and buys an alcoholic drink, stressed. He drinks, but quickly spits it out. He can't start his car because there is an alcohol sensor on the ignition. Katie is waiting on some steps for Handler to pick her up. They are going to go off to Handler's cabin in New Hampshire for a little while. Embry suddenly attacks her, telling her that wherever she goes, he'll find her. Handler shows up, and Katie tells him what just happened.Katie and Handler go into an old tunnel that Katie and Embry used to hang out in a lot. Handler has his gun and flashlight. Katie continues to see Embry, but Handler doesn't. Suddenly, we flash back to Katie and Embry, two years before, in that same tunnel they're in now. Embry tells Katie that he's leaving her and that he never wants to see her again. Katie gets upset, talking about the trip to Greece they're supposed to take together. Suddenly, Katie picks up a rock and repeatedly smashes Embry over the head with it, killing him. Katie is revealed to be completely insane because her father did the same thing to her when she was little: He abandoned her.At this point, Handler realizes that Katie is deranged and has been imagining seeing Embry. He catches sight of something in the water, probably Embry's body, and leans over for a closer look. Katie picks up another rock and hits Handler over the head with it, plunging him to the water where he ultimately dies.On graduation day we see the group of friends hanging out together. Harrison has reappeared and explains that he had been climbing a mountain, became dehydrated and disoriented, and was rescued by the state police. He asks Katie about the cop and she said he's probably in New Hampshire.Epilogue. Flashing forward several months later, Katie is at her job that she wanted, when the recruiter she has been dating tells her that he's close to becoming partner, so he can't risk dating her any more. Katie gets that same look on her face... Her murderous self is apparently about to emerge again.

Tags: romantic, suspenseful, murder, plot twist, flashback

Review:
Katie Holmes is well-cast as an intellectual college student in this intellectual thriller, a strange bird of a movie to sit alongside the current batch of "teen" horror films (did you know that in this one the students actually - gasp!- study?).
Understandably a little stressed, Ms. Holmes has occasional flashbacks about beautiful blond ex-boyfriend Charlie Hunnam (as Embry Larkin).
Meanwhile, recovering alcoholic detective Benjamin Bratt (as Wade Handler) is assigned to investigate Hunnam's mysterious disappearance as Holmes is frightened by a stalker who looks just like him...Multi award-winning writer turning director Stephen Gaghan gets good, steady cinematography from Matthew Libatique.
There is life-sustaining support from friendly Zooey Deschanel, mousy Melanie Lynskey and clean-cut Mark Feuerstein.***** Abandon (3/1/02) Stephen Gaghan ~ Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt, Charlie Hunnam, Gabriel Mann.
The film's main priority is to tell a story and I think audiences were really disappointed when they saw a movie that was short on thrills.
That could explain its not so great $10 million dollar box office gross.Abandon is about a beautiful young girl named Katie Burke (Katie Holmes) who is nearing her graduation from a very prestigious school.
A police detective, by the name of Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt), is investigating the disappearance of Embry Langan (Charlie Hunnam), Katie's wealthy and sometimes eccentric ex-boyfriend.
Stephen Gaghan, who won an Oscar for writing Traffic and is directing for the first time with this film, can't seem to properly direct scenes that are suppose to keep us on the edge of our seats.
However, He does a good job of making us wonder if Embry is really back or if Katie is seeing things.
As a character, Katie is very interesting and her past experiences with men (including her father) who have left her plays an important part into the mysterious disappearance of Embry.
Needless to say Katie's development as a character is far more interesting than the thrills, or lack thereof, that are present in this film.
A crucial scene during her job interview for the law firm is not just a statement of power for the character, but for Katie Holmes as well.
The scene shows us that Katie Holmes is ready to play a WOMAN and is prepared to leave the fickle role of Dawson's Creek's Joey Potter behind.
She carries herself so well during this film it makes you wonder what she can really do in a movie that has a better focus.
After Dawson Creek comes to an end this year Katie will be one of the few to have a flourishing movie career once the Creek dries up.
Some critics found it unbelievable but for this story I felt that it worked on a certain level.Charlie Hunnam has a very difficult task of making Embry an interesting character.
There is a scene where Katie ventures back to Embry's country house for the first time since his disappearance and the scores soft yet moody use of the piano during this scene is enough to convey the emotions that the character is feeling.I also was a bit hard on the film's ending when I first reviewed it but upon second viewing I think it actually works.
It is a bit cliché but the acting throughout this sequence makes it bearable.I recommend Abandon only if you're willing to accept the film for what it is: a character study that is light on the thrills.
The movie focuses on the investigation by Wade Handler (Bratt) into the disappearance of Katie's boyfriend two years earlier.
Although the film had some good twists and wasn't really predictable, most of the characters other than Katie Burke came off as kind of flat and boring.
I thought Katie Holmes did extremely well with a very tricky role, and I thought there were a lot of well written exchanges between the characters, excellent atmospheric touches, and enough psychological ambiguity to allow me to figure out what was really going on before the ending, but this didn't make the film predictable - it made it clever.
Katie Holmes is fantastic in this film, I will watch her movie career with interest.
For starters, the movie was promoted as a Katie Holmes thriller.
Katie Holmes tries, but fails to carry the movie.
Even though with strong supporting roles from Fred Ward and Benjamin Bratt, Katie Holme's eye candy only goes so far until you begin to lose interest.
mostly i found this movie non-believable,pointless and confusing.i didn't find it really predictable,but most people probably will.the acting was OK,but not great.Zooey Deschanel was the only bright spot,in my opinion.Benjamin Bratt appeared in the movie and was adequate.Katie Holmes was supposed to be the star,i think.i found her sub par,as usual.i don't really like her that much,and have yet to see he in a good movie.or rather i have yet to see her put in a good performance in a movie.the ending was something most people will probably see coming a mile away.it's not something i predicted,but it wasn't surprising either.my vote for Abandon is a 4/10.
"Abandon" plays out like a B-movie, but a very good one at that.
The ending was great and left you in a state where you knew that there had to be a sequel.Stephen Gaghan's script is tightly woven and, while not exactly mind blowing and or original it manages to strike fresh blood; creeping us out as well as making us think.
Detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt) is assigned to investigate the disappearance of the millionaire Embry Larkin (Charlie Hunnam), who vanished two years ago.
I found the strobing scene to be particularly interesting, especially in retrospect now that I know the (pretty surprising) plot twist.Katie Holmes, though not remarkable, gives her role enough life to make the movie work but still cannot separate from her Dawson's Creek part.
If you watch it knowing it's coming, you start to understand some parts of the movie better.
It's not a cut and paste ending that leaves you scratching your head.Bad news; it's still not very good.The movie captures two things pretty well.
And you shouldn't.Everything about this movie feels a little 'film-school,' if you know what I mean.
I like Katie Holmes but was it the acting or just the lack of good material?
The story is not very strong, and the performances very weak.The ending was very clever...too bad the rest of the movie does not deliver.
The plot is very good mysteries yet it still gives you a connection to the characters, something some mystery movies can really fail at.However the ending will leave you spinning!
Either way, this movie comes across as exceedingly dumb, even when you consider that a lot of the rank stupidity is designed to facilitate the "surprise" twist (ho-hum) that is telegraphed midway through the excruciatingly long 90-minute running time.
Unfortunately, sloppy filmmaking reveals the twist too early - I was able to predict how the movie would end more than 30 minutes before the moment of the "big revelation.".
With a strong but incongruous cast including Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt, Zooey Deschanel, and the fabulous Charlie Hunnam, I wasn't sure what to expect out of this film.
When I first saw previews for this movie, I was a little weary, but when I saw that it was out to rent I thought that it looked interesting (and if I didn't like it, I could always make fun of it), but I actually found it fairly entertaining.
The movie, since it is classified as a thriller, has scenes that make you jump, or surprise you, and it has some parts that are a bit unbelievable, but overall, I thought it was pretty good.
My one complaint is that Embry (Charlie Hunnam) is so gorgeous that it's difficult to believe his character, that's not a reflection on his acting because he really does do a good job, but for me, he has a look that doesn't suit what I would have anticipated his character to look like (but he's cute)!
As she struggles to hold on to her ambitious dreams a down and out detective, wrestling with his own demons, attempts to help her put the loose ends together.This movie is neither really good nor really bad, it just is.
I Like Katie Holmes so I thought i would Rent this movie.
Katie Holmes is great as always, Benjamin Bratt is even better and newcomer Charlie Hunnam is hot, talented and great in this move.
I like the unfocused quality towards the beginning of the movie, and the cinematography  was good, but the flashbacks were confusing, although it all comes together at the end.
i give it a 6/10By the way, for the ladies, Charlie Hunnam, who plays Embry, Katie's disappeared boyfriend, is quite a sight.
Perhaps if this movie hadn't had Katie Holmes as its lead role, people would have given it it a fair chance.
I wasn't looking for a specific type of movie-- I like mysteries, but am not enchanted with fast-paced slasher films.
If you want a movie at warp speed this isn't for you, however if you like intelligent writing, unique direction, and solid acting then Abandon is definitely worth your attention.Katie Holmes is Catherine, a senior in college struggling to finish her thesis and move into the post-academic world.
Embry's missing persons case falls in the lap of Detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt) a recovering alcoholic who is equally haunted by something that may (or may not) have happened in a drunken episode.The beauty of Abandon is the way characters that would normally be cartoonish representations of college students are in fact real people.
The adult characters are likewise fleshed out (though Fred Ward is essentially wasted in the film, appearing in only two scenes).Most of the criticism of Abandon that I have read picks at the ending.
You wouldnt jump because the scene is scary because the movie is not that suspensful because Katie is so annoying and ugly that all you can think about is how guys think shes pretty and not be able to understand why they do.
My point is this movie is a waste of time, you spend like 2 slow hours being made to believe something that turns out not to be true!!!
Katie Holmes plays Catherine, an intelligent girl who studies at a reputed University.As the story unfolds, we learn that Katie's ex-boyfriend Embry Langan mysteriously disappeared two years ago.
The thing is that we don't know when that happens so you get a little confused about what is the present, and it even gets more confusing when her ex-boyfriend mysteriously returns in her life, but it truly makes sense in the great ending of the movie.About the actors, I really like their roles and they play their characters well, especially Katie Holmes.
The score is good, it keeps you in the movie in the key points of the movie.I give this movie an 8 on 10, great movie, worth watching with your friends and don't leave before the ending!.
I had not seen Katie Holmes before this movie but will look for her in the future.
It was kind of like "The Sixth Sense" in that I want to see it again to view the characters with the ending in mind..
If it takes you more than ten minutes to figure out 'who-done-it' in this over-produced yet obvious thriller, it's time to watch 'A Beautiful Mind' again!Brilliant, rich composer/student Embry Larkin (Charlie Hunnam) has been missing for two years, and the estate that stands to inherit his money if he is declared dead finally gets around to asking the police to investigate.
Instead, he just looks soulfully at Burke, and as she finds excuses to curl up around him, you know the only thing he wants to search is HER!As the film crawls towards it's predictable conclusion, her obvious schizophrenia, forgettable minor characters, and flashy camera angles attempting to pass as 'suspense' pad out the story...leading to the climactic scene, as Burke takes Bratt beneath the theater, chasing 'Embry', with history about to repeat itself!If you were anxiously waiting to see this turkey, I apologize for giving away so much...but trust me, if you skip this film, you WON'T regret it!.
Otherwise, kudos to Katie Holme for great acting, and to Benjamin Bratt as well.
Benjamin Bratt,(Wade Handler),"The Great Raid",'05 plays the role of a detective who tries to assist Katie Burke in finding her lost boyfriend and gets deeply involved in trying to solve this case.
And, while there is a twist at the end, it still leaves one wondering why you wait nearly an hour and a half to get to that point.The writing was average, the lighting and set design was good for this type of film, and again the casting was off, not only with Holmes, but also with Benjamin Bratt, who played the cop investigating the disappearance of Holmes' ex-boyfriend.If you're bored and need a good Friday night flick, and want something a little intense, and dark...you might find that this is right up your ally, however don't hold your breath with an outstanding film, because you won't find it here..
Mainly, because this movie deserves a better ending than selling it's self out with a formulaic "plot twist" so it can be safely defined as a thriller.
AbandonStarring: Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt, Gabrielle Union, Charlie Hunnam and Zooey DeschanelGenre: Drama/ThrillerRated PG-13I thought Stephen Gaghan did a better job at doing Traffic than this movie but this movie was alright.
This movie is about a senior at an elite college named Catherine Burke (Katie Holmes) who is under pressure and she must complete her thesis and land a prestigious job, must confront the sudden reappearance of her old boyfriend, Embry Larkin (Charlie Hunnam) after his two year and unexplained absence.
Stephen Gaghan, I think personally did a better job at making "Traffic" but this movie is pretty good..
Slow paced, boring and plain terrible mess of a "thriller" has pretty student Katie Burke (Katie Holmes) "haunted" by visions of her former boyfriend Embry Larkin (Charlie Hunnam) who mysteriously vanished without trace 2 years previously.Detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt) is on the case, trying to find out what really happened to Larkin, and pays more than a little attention to Katie in the process.Is Katie seeing things?, is she crazy?, does anyone care?The "shock" conclusion is lame and predictable and the whole mess makes 95 minutes seem like an eternity.Its easy to see why this shambles went straight to video in the UK.
Abandon (2002) Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt, Charlie Hunnam, Zooey Deschanel, Melanie Lynskey, Gabrielle Union, Gabriel Mann, Tony Goldwyn, Will McCormack, Fred Ward, Mark Feuerstein D: Stephen Gaghan.
His thriller stars Holmes as Katie Burke, a sharp-witted college student, who has just aced a job interview with a firm and is in the process of completing her thesis and studying for finals, then her ex-boyfriend, Embry (Hunnam) reappears after he vanished for two years.
I mean, the acting wasn't bad at all: Katie Holmes proves that she can be a good 'lead' in a movie, Benjamin Bratt plays one of his most sympathetic roles and charlie Hunnam proves he is ready for Hollywood.
The story revolves around Katie Holmes who dated this guy.At this point the movie becomes a real mess.
Young college student (Katie Holmes) starts to come under extreme pressure after a police officer (Benjamin Bratt) starts investigating the disapperance of her ex-boyfriend (Charlie Hunnam) who all of a sudden has reappeared and is stalking her.
Okay, I went to see "Abandon" because I like Katie Holmes and Charlie Hunnam.
The women in the film are jealous of her; her best female friend even makes a pass at the guy Katie likes.I have lost respect for all involved..
And I was out of other movies to take a chance on.Wow. How is it possible for respected writer like Gaghan to direct a "thriller" with UTTERLY no suspense?
Charlie Hunnam is quite good looking.Benjamin Bratt did the best he could with the script given....and I'm coming up short on anymore good points.Now, for the bad:Through out the movie I found myself watching in astonishment, not because the story captivated me, but because I really couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a nice leisurely little movie, but at times it felt like this was just going through mud in terms of its slowness.Very sparse character background information.
There is one other thing...Katie is haunted by illusions of her extravagant well-to-do ex-boyfriend Embry(Charlie Hunnam) who's been missing for two years.
And even if I'm not a big Katie Holmes fan, she was kind of sweet in this movie.
As for the psychological, that comes in as you try to figure out what Stephen Gaghan was thinking about when he wrote and directed this concoction of nonsense.****Plot Spoilers****Benjamin Bratt plays Wade Handler, a detective investigating the disappearance of Katie Burke's (Katie Holmes of course) ex boyfriend, Embry Larkin (Charlie Hunnam)two years earlier.
Perhaps if a movie had been made about that, it would have been a lot more interesting than anything else that goes on here.There are a few good quirky performances by Zooey Deschanel, Melanie Lynskey, and Mark Feuerstein, but they're scenes are few, and are mostly here for Benjamin Bratt to have someone to question.
But this movie didn't go anywhere it just showed her and her college life and when the detective comes in she starts imagining her boyfriend then we find out she kills her boyfriends when they "abandon" her!
But Katie Holmes did a good job and the Heath Ledger look-a-like did a fine job as well.
*May be considered as a spoiler to some* Abandon starts off strongly enough within the first half hour, when you figure out Katie Holmes' ex-boyfriend is missing.
The movie had a dark, depressing tone to it.If you're into depressing story lines and bad acting, then watch it..