The Amaranth

While it seems like it's going to become a melodramatic, supercilious Lifetime type movie, it ends up treating a dicey subject a pretty objectively, giving the viewer an opportunity to form their own opinion, which I find refreshing in an era when every movie and TV show seems like imperious operant conditioning for convicted thought criminals.

Overall, I felt this was a very good movie. You do not have to be an A listed male or female actor to give an extremely good performance; you just have to have the opportunity to do so. But, as I sat though the viewing of the film, my mind drifted back to the 1970s for an oddly similar movie and the only one I could come up with was the original Stepford Wives.

This film is just ok but it will not make you wish for your time back, which a lot of offers on streaming will make you do ! The story is very predictable but passable. At least it is set in not too far fetched reality vs some sci fi future. I found the acting good all around except for the acting of the two "harpy" type country club women, too over the top obnoxious. I haven't seen the female lead since she was in the HBO series "Big Love", so that was a nice surprise. I didn't care for the lighting or coloring throughout, maybe it lent to the "sinister" ambiance, but it was just too muddy. . If its a rainy cold day, and you have nothing else to watch, not a complete waste of your time.

Not a masterpiece but a very decent mystery thriller with excellent acting and a very good cast. A little slow and moderately predictable but was worth watching till the satisfying end. With who we have as president and the way society is going I see this story as very plausible and in the very near future.

The premise of this thriller is interesting and fairly original, but somehow it didn't live up to its potential. That is mainly due to the very slow pace and the lack of any serious action. It's all in the atmosphere, that is supposed to be sinister and creepy, but even that didn't really come about. What didn't help was Melora Walters as the intelligent and suspicious heroine Lily, she constantly acted cranky, sulky or angry, treated her well-meaning old husband (a fine role by Richard Kendrick) condescending, and had an irritating, slurry way of talking, as if she was constantly under the influence of downers.

After some 70 minutes Lily (and we) out of the blue got all the answers to the mysteries (as if the leading doctor of the facility suddenly decided to make a clean sweep!), and after that there is a weird sort of epilogue, in which we see how formerly outraged and indignant Lily a few years later nevertheless drops her principles when it suits her own benefit. It could have been a strong, cynical ending, if it hadn't been presented so abrupt and out of the blue, it looked like either an afterthought of someone in the production who was able to force it into the movie, or as if some substantial material was lost on the cutting table.