Imaginary Playmate

It's amazing that even while this movie isn't even 2 hours long, it feels like a much longer one. This of course isn't a very positive thing to say and for the movie this means that it has some serious pacing- and writing issues.

I think I know what the main cause is. This is originally a movie meant for television, that is build up in such a way that commercial blocks can fit right into it. This means that the movie ends with a sort of cliffhanger every 20 minutes or so, followed by a much slower build up and than suddenly something mysterious occurs again, right before the screen turns black, which meant that another commercial block could be inserted right in there. So the one moment it feels like the movie is going fast and trying to wrap things up, while the other it's much slower again and not an awful lot is happening. Because this is a circle that's happening over and over again, the movie really starts to drag and feels like a long one, after a short while.

But besides; it just isn't a very special movie to watch. Once you have seen one haunted house movie, you already know everything that is going to happen in this movie as well. The lack of true originality and creativity is disappointing and still the foremost reason why this movie never manages to become an interesting one. The story is progressing in a very predictable manner and you know exactly when something is going to happen and how. This obviously makes the movie very ineffective as a mystery, thriller and horror.

Another mistake is that this is one of those movies that features a little kid in it. Nothing wrong with that necessarily but it still is something that more often works bad for the movie instead of good, since child actors are not easy to work with in an horror movie and also often aren't the most convincing actors. However in this case I wouldn't really blame the young actress but more the script, that gives the little girl lines that no normal kid would ever say, especially not in those circumstances. I hate it when scriptwriters can't make kids sound and look like just ordinary kids. It makes some of the moments that happen in this movie seem all the more silly and unconvincing really.

Someone that comes across as far more convincing is Dina Meyer. I have actually always liked her as an actress and it's sort of too bad she never really had her big breakthrough, though it still might happen of course. She is not only the best actor in this, her character is also the only real convincing one. She mostly carries the movie and does this quite well.

Nothing good, original, scary, mysterious, entertaining, suspenseful or remotely creative to see here. Just move along, move along!

4/10

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An imaginary friend turns bad.

Starring Dina Meyer, Rick Ravanello and Cassandra Sawsell Written by Christine Gallagher Directed by William Fruet.

This is an average low budget movie with a predictable and familiar plot to thousands of other haunted house movies. It's better than I thought it would be but it's still pretty average fair. Dina Meyer plays a good part but the rest of the cast could well have been stolen from any old soft porn movie that's ever been made. It's a bit of fun but also instantly forgettable and the ending was also predictable and could have been foretold after about ten minutes.

Nothing new here but it was okay. A decent story spoiled mainly by a low budget.

6.5/10

What a terrible film.

'Imaginary Playmate' is a disappointment in almost every area. The premise is potentially interesting though it's littered with question marks, they can't seem to make their mind up if the playmate is imaginary, invisible or even just hiding. The camera work is poor, as is the dialogue while the editing is mystifyingly choppy.

The acting isn't much better at all. I do appreciate what Cassandra Sawtell brings, which is nothing incredible but given her young age and what she's working with I think she does an admirable job as Molly. The others, who are led by Dina Meyer (Suzanne) and Rick Ravanello (Michael) aren't up to scratch.

As always, I respect the people involved though this isn't one I'd recommend.

When the summary of someone's 10/10 review is "I love this movie", it's pretty safe bet that not only have they *not* written a review but an opinion but also that the said rating is probably a major overstatement. And at least in the case of this excuse for a TV movie, even the average at the time of writing, 5.6/10, is an overstatement.

There seems to be no info on the length of the movie, but I can assure it is *too* long. 110 minutes including commercials was what was allotted for its "around midnight" time-slot here - presumably not because it is too scary for kids but because it is likely to put the viewer into sleep. For a thriller, this is seriously lacking in thrills and the makers don't seem to have the slightest idea of how to create a ghost story. There isn't a mood to speak of - the scenes seem like they are all first takes, the angles and the music couldn't be more bland and the editing is from the bottom of TV movie barrel - slow and lazy.

If, for some bizarre reason, you end up watching this movie - maybe because there really is nothing else on, or you want to calibrate your rating criteria, or perhaps are feeling masochistic, do have a game: count every movie cliché you recognize. The script is so full of recycled plot elements that you are likely to give up. The whole thing is a 3/10 example of pointlessness likely to just leave you feeling indifferent.

A highly forgettable Canadian TV movie, the only thing of interest about IMAGINARY PLAYMATE is that it was directed by none other than William Fruet, the man who made the likes of SPASMS and CRIES IN THE NIGHT back in the day. It's always sad when a director with a unique and independent style ends up making slick, cookie-cutter TV movies for The Man, but I guess that's the way of film-making...whatever pays the bills.

The storyline involves a guy, his daughter, and the woman who becomes part of the family when she marries him. All goes well at first, but soon the daughter develops a strong relationship with her imaginary friend, who she christens Candace. When supernatural events begin to occur in the home, the girl's stepmother begins to believe that the imaginary friend might not be so imaginary after all...

Weak sauce is the key phrase here. The thrills and spills are diluted, the few supernatural scenes inserted into the production are tame and predictable, and the scenes involving a ghostly kid are laughable. It doesn't help that we're saddled with the continually uninspiring Dina Meyer (STARSHIP TROOPERS) as the lead, or that the male performers are considerably worse than she is. IMAGINARY PLAYMATE is a dud, nothing more.