I love going to the library and finding movies I haven't seen. It saves me money, and I get to catch films, good or bad, that I would never otherwise have investigated.
"Close Your Eyes" (aka "Doctor Sleep," the title of the book that inspired it) is a pleasant find, a supernatural mystery that doesn't insult its audience's intelligence or rely upon showy effects to achieve its ends. It struck me as more akin to "Rosemary's Baby" than "Silence of the Lambs," and certainly has no relationship to "Scanners," despite the blurb on the DVD case. A BBC production, the film is unsurprisingly British in its low-key build toward resolution, and the very unhistrionic acting and direction. Actually, now that I think of it, "Wicker Man" comes to mind as the film it most resembles in terms of pace and atmosphere.
The leads are well-played, especially the mousily sexy Shirley Henderson, who first came to my attention in another UK film, "Once Upon a Time in the Midlands." Goran Visnjic is appropriately haunted and resilient as a somewhat telepathic hypnotherapist who is drawn into the manhunt for a serial killer (who turns out to be a bit more than that). Support from the likes of Miranda Otto and Fiona Shaw is right on the money, and even the child at the center of the affair is very good. The cinematography is appropriately non-showy, the art direction/production design is simple and effective, and the few "scary" set pieces are effective and memorable. The ending was a bit obvious, but thankfully not belabored, and so wrapped things up neatly. I would rate this film higher, but it strikes me as having little repeat viewability, unless perhaps one is obsessed with Ms. Henderson. Her understated performance as a determined police detective is a joy to watch, almost deceptively so, especially when her character's wry sense of humor peeks out from beneath the veneer of professional toughness. This is a woman I'd happily bring home for tea and crumpets, not to mention a few other things.
But I digress. Give this one a chance if you like murder mysteries slash supernatural thrillers with an emphasis on substance and not flash. You won't be disappointed.
"Close Your Eyes" (aka "Doctor Sleep," the title of the book that inspired it) is a pleasant find, a supernatural mystery that doesn't insult its audience's intelligence or rely upon showy effects to achieve its ends. It struck me as more akin to "Rosemary's Baby" than "Silence of the Lambs," and certainly has no relationship to "Scanners," despite the blurb on the DVD case. A BBC production, the film is unsurprisingly British in its low-key build toward resolution, and the very unhistrionic acting and direction. Actually, now that I think of it, "Wicker Man" comes to mind as the film it most resembles in terms of pace and atmosphere.
The leads are well-played, especially the mousily sexy Shirley Henderson, who first came to my attention in another UK film, "Once Upon a Time in the Midlands." Goran Visnjic is appropriately haunted and resilient as a somewhat telepathic hypnotherapist who is drawn into the manhunt for a serial killer (who turns out to be a bit more than that). Support from the likes of Miranda Otto and Fiona Shaw is right on the money, and even the child at the center of the affair is very good. The cinematography is appropriately non-showy, the art direction/production design is simple and effective, and the few "scary" set pieces are effective and memorable. The ending was a bit obvious, but thankfully not belabored, and so wrapped things up neatly. I would rate this film higher, but it strikes me as having little repeat viewability, unless perhaps one is obsessed with Ms. Henderson. Her understated performance as a determined police detective is a joy to watch, almost deceptively so, especially when her character's wry sense of humor peeks out from beneath the veneer of professional toughness. This is a woman I'd happily bring home for tea and crumpets, not to mention a few other things.
But I digress. Give this one a chance if you like murder mysteries slash supernatural thrillers with an emphasis on substance and not flash. You won't be disappointed.