Hypnotic

Nick Willing's thriller "Close your eyes" came as a total surprise as all I had read about the film was negative. Not only it is a mystery, but it keeps you engrossed in every twist and turn.

This is the story of an American analyst, Dr. Michael Strother, who is working underground in London, treating patients who want to quit smoking. The visuals of the opening credits and the session with detective Janet Losey, are done with a cinematic sense that shows a lot of style from the creative team behind the director.

This is a film that keeps the viewer engrossed in all what is happening on screen. There's never a dull moment as everything evolves in a logical and intelligent manner.

The acting is flawless. The casting of Goran Visnjic, as Dr. Strother is excellent, as this actor makes one feel as though what is happening to him is a reflection of his failure in America. With his good dark looks and accent, he creates a complex character without much effort, or so it seems.

As the detective, Shirley Henderson is equally good as the detective that will not give up in the pursuit of the evil force behind what has been done to the little girl at the center of the story.

The rest of the cast is equally good. Fiona Shaw's Catherine Lebourg is equally spooky as she is mysterious. Paddy Considine as Elliot, is a key in solving the case.

The film is for lovers of the genre. It won't disappoint.

Written and directed by Nick Willing, "Close Your Eyes" (aka "Doctor Sleep") is a taut, highly effective British thriller that supplements its crime drama scenario with generous helpings of the supernatural and paranormal.

Michael Strother is a hypnotherapist who has returned to England with his pregnant wife and young daughter after seven years living in the States. Strother is asked by one of his patients, a policewoman named Janet Losey, to bring his professional expertise to bear on one of her most baffling cases, that of a little girl who's managed to escape the clutches of a serial killer but who has been rendered mute by the experience. Strother's involvement leads to complications not only with the highly skeptical police force who are less than thrilled at the prospect of having a hynotherapist working on the case, but with his wife as well who fears that any untoward publicity might reflect badly on her husband's career. Of even more concern is the fact that Strother's involvement might also be making him and his own family a target of the killer.

It would hardly be cricket to reveal much more of the plot here, so I'll just say that "Close Your Eyes" boasts a better-than-average storyline, intriguing characters, an effective back story involving Strother's past in America, and enough genuine suspense to help us ride up and over some of the inconsistencies and absurdities inherent in the material. And if the resolution comes out as a bit flatfooted - well, that doesn't wind up being too much of a handicap since weak endings seem to be just about par for the course when it comes to these types of films anyway.

The prime selling point of "Close Your Eyes" is that it makes us care about the characters, particularly Strother, who elicits our interest and sympathy from the start. Goran Visnjic and Shirley Henderson make an engaging crime-fighting team with just the right amount of unrequited sexual chemistry bubbling under the surface to add to the tension.

As a director, Willing frequently interrupts the narrative with free-floating flashes of dreams, memories and hypnotic suggestions, reflective of what is occurring in the minds of the characters. The effect is sometimes confusing but almost always effective in ratcheting up the level of mystery and feeling of dislocation necessary for the story. The film is a bit gruesome and gory at times, but the prime focus almost always remains on the character's interactions and the unraveling of the plot. This is a solid, well-crafted thriller.

Michael Strother (Goran Visnjic) is just trying to lay low and make a living in England. He relocated to London, due to a career-ending catastrophe in the US. Now, he uses his ability as a hypnotherapist to help people kick their addictions. One of his clients happens to be a cigarette-smoking cop named Janet Losey (Shirley Henderson), who hopes that he can help her on a case, after Strother proves to have some psychic insight into it.

Strother is introduced to a little girl who hasn't spoken a word since being abducted by a mysterious serial-killer. She is the only one of multiple victims to survive. While working with the girl, Strother is drawn into something far more bizarre than any normal crime. Both he and Losey, with help from an odd toy maker named Elliot Spruggs (Paddy Considine), find themselves investigating an ancient occult conspiracy that just might be real.

CLOSE YOUR EYES is several things at once: It's a cracking crime thriller, a dark mystery, and a tale of supernatural horror. A grim atmosphere permeates the proceedings, soaking everything in gloom. The story itself is intriguing as well as terrifying, with ever more danger lying just around the next corner. We are never sure if anyone will live to see the end! The occult angle is used in a fresh, novel way, especially the 16th century tie-in, the use of church buildings, and Fiona Shaw's ultra-creepy character (the whole "finger tapping" thing is unforgettable!). It's a shame that this movie has been so overlooked. It's time for its rediscovery...

Close Your Eyes (aka Doctor Sleep) has all the makings of a horror sleeper. I hadn't heard anything about it, and thought the DVD box looked interesting, so I picked it up. I'm used to renting bad movies that have great packaging, so I didn't hold out any great hopes for this one.

Surprisingly, this movie has some taut moments and manages to sustain a fairly creepy vibe throughout. There are some logic gaps in the story, and most of them have to do with police procedure, but even with those problems the movie ends up being very watchable. I was left a little unfulfilled by the ending, but overall it's a better than average thriller. Should have been a sleeper hit.

Gorin Visnic pulled this movie off well. I was unsure of his acting outside of ER. The movie has a cool plot, and there a few leaps we must make with character actions and general believability, but how many supernatural movies don't require such. I'm not saying call the Academy, but as mentioned this is a 'sleeper' movie that will entertain you if you enjoy the supernatural thriller genre. I was glad I rented it, and I'm a bit picky in general. It isn't the fastest paced film as it develops slowly, but you'll probably like it if you like Gorin. The female lead is credible as well, as is Gorin's wife in the film. The Supernatural element of the movie was a new one to me, which is further reason I'm taking the time to write this, as I thank those who have done such for me, as it drives a fair amount of my 'tweener' rentals. Ciao!