This ESP thriller starts off sluggishly, but opens
up when Giovani Ribisi brings a crowbar to it at the
end of the first third. Even before that, Ribisi's
performances stand out against the bland acting and
first act scripting of this "B" film. Greg Kinnear,
though normally very good, is also bland. Hilary
Swank gives her rather weak character some strong
depth, but lead Cate Blanchett doesn't start to rock
and roll until mid-film.
Annie Wilson (Blanchett) has "the gift" of seeing
things (as in dreams) that will happen or have
happened someplace else. But for some reason, she
still needs cards ... and a candle seems to help too.
Can she provide direction when one sexy citizen of
this small town shows up missing? Her deceased (we
can assume) grandmother pays her a visit to remind
her to follow her instinct. Annie turns away, and
then back (and then ... what the?) gram is gone. It's
the first of many spooky movie cliches. The flooded
bathtub, dripping sink faucet, wind-squelched
candles, googly-eyed corpse, old tire dragged from
the pond, fingers reaching ever closer to the weapon
scenes all occur later as the film unfolds.
Unfortunately, barely fifty percent of the chilling
suspense is actually chilling.
But Ribisi is great. And you know what? Both
lawyers are fantastic, and I just love the sheriff.
The dialogue, especially in the "courtroom drama,"
(middle third of the film) is crisp and meaty ...
some very sweet scenes there.
Too bad Annie's motivations are kind of screwy.
How and when she decides and doesn't decide to go to
the police doesn't quite compute for a woman who has
a family to consider. But the picture climaxes well
enough and did I mention Ribisi is fantastic?
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