Closet Land

What a movie... I just couldn't take my eyes of the screen. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I could go on forever like this. This movie is fantastic. Madeleine Stowe must be really proud. A solid 10 !!!

This two-character drama is extremely well-acted and has a valid message and some TRULY shocking moments (shocking not because they are graphic, but because you're not prepared for them when they come). But eventually it does become oppressive, just like the somewhat similar "A Pure Formality" did. Still, Alan Rickman should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his multi-dimensional performance, no doubt about it. (**1/2)

These 2 fine actors played off each other perfectly in this terrifying film. Rickman was very effective as the brainwashing and brainwashed interrogator. Stowe as the confused writer was good, letting the crafty Rickman convince her that he only wanted to go one step further, then one more, etc. This movie came off as something that could happen in a country plagued with a police state. Very good film.

"Closet Land" tells a powerful story and has many different subtle elements. You could read lots of stuff about the movie's plot before hand, but you don't really need to. All you need to know is that the movie is all about an interrogation. Along the way, we learn lots of things about the interrogator and the person being interrogated. We also learn that the world can be a dark and scary place. Especially when you have absolutely no control over it.

In the end, the movie amounts to a warning (really though, the movie has several different aspects to it) about what happens to people's freedoms when they "look the other way" and ignore injustices happening to those around them.

If you've got about an hour and a half and know where you can rent this, I strongly recommend that you do so.

Placed somewhere in the midst of ‘1984' and ‘Twilight Zone' this film may be about abuse of power, it may be about government control, it may be about overactive imaginations.

One certainty is after watching ‘Closet Land' you will ask yourself a few questions. A second viewing will raise even more.

Many will be turned off at the notion of a film with only 2 speaking parts (David Mamet's brilliant Oleanna comes immediately to mind), but this is not a film for mainstream tastes. Chances are, if you would like it, you probably have seen it.

Powerful premise, powerful performances, powerful film.