Doctor Sleep

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!

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...

Hypnotherapist Michael Strother experiences a psychic flash while trying to help policewoman Janet quit smoking. He mentions his vision of a young girl floating just beneath the surface of a stream to Janet, who tells him that the girl is Heather. Heather has recently escaped from the Tattoo Killer and has not spoken a word since. Michael very reluctantly agrees to help Janet in her search for the killer. Traumatized Heather reveals a few clues under hypnosis and geeky researcher Elliot provides still more with his research into the occult. Michael however has reason to worry. His insomnia is back, his guilty memories have been stirred up again, his heavily pregnant wife does not approve of what he's doing, and the killer pays a visit to his house in the dead of night, leaving behind an ominous warning. When Elliot turns up dead and Heather is kidnapped for a second time, Michael and Janet have little time left to discover the whereabouts of an ancient church...one of ten whose locations form a perfect pentagram on the map.

If you're looking for a fast paced splatter fest, filled with gore and excitement and gunfire, skip this film. If you can appreciate a slow, moody, thoughtful psycho- drama with a low budget and lots of good performances, this film is for you. There's plenty of violence, don't get me wrong. A hideous evisceration and a hungry rat make their appearance, but the camera mercifully looks away. For people with morbid imaginations, it is still a difficult scene to watch, as is the squirm-inducing lobotomy scene which fans of the film Session 9 will find familiar. The performances are great, particularly by Goran Visnij as the insomniac Michael who rarely smiles and always looks slightly haunted. He nevertheless seems to be a good husband to Miranda Otto (Eowyn from LOTR) as his heavily pregnant and hormonally irritable wife Clara. Miranda's American accent is flawless and she looks great. Her performance is totally believable. Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle from the Harry Potter films) as Janet and Fiona Shaw (Petunia Dursley, also from HP) as the creepy Catherine Lebourg are both almost unrecognizable, turning in stoic, tight-lipped performances which are perfect.

Despite a somewhat predictable and downer ending, this film at least tries to be original and intelligent. The special effects used during the hypnosis scenes are clever and colorful and the mood throughout is heavy with dread. This is a good little film with strong performances, but it's not for everyone. Fans of mainstream horror may be bored silly, but fans of films such as the aforementioned Session 9 and the Chinese ghost story The Eye may enjoy this one as well.

A hypnotherapy's (Goran Visnjic) is been asked by a Scotland Yard Detective (Shirley Henderson) to help her solve a troubling case involving a Serial Killer and a little girl (Sophie Stuckey), who's been traumatized since she was captive by the Serial Killer.

Directed by Nick Willing made a strong, unique thriller mixing elements with the occult, a whodunit and a horror film. Visnjic is excellent in the film. The movie also stars:Miranda Otto from "The Lord of the Rings" series. Close your Eyes is a instant cult film with one of a kind premise. Based on a Novel by Madison Smartt Bell, which her novel is titled"Doctor Sleep". Which Bell also appears in a cameo in the opening scene. This film is also known as "Doctor Sleep" and "Hypnotic" outside the U.S. Never receive theatrically in the U.S. Super 35. (****/*****).

In London, Michael Strother (Goran Vismjic) is a specialist in treatment for quitting smoking through hypnosis. His patient, the detective Janet Losey (Shirley Henderson), decides to use Michael's skills with the little girl Heather, who was kidnapped by a sick serial killer and escaped, but was speechless in shock. Michael gets involved with the investigation of Janet, threatening the safety of his own family. Along the story, weird mysteries are disclosed, having a hook in its open end for a possible sequel.

"Doctor Sleep" is an unknown great thriller. I saw this DVD on sale, and I decided to buy it just because it was very cheap. The introduction of the story is so good that I have decided to pay attention on the plot. What a surprise: it is indeed a spooky story, full of mystery, which makes the viewer tense, guessing whether it is a thriller or a horror movie. The direction is precise, using special effects only to create an atmosphere and cast has a good performance. This little gem deserves to be discovered by fans of thrillers full of suspense. Unfortunately, the DVD does not present any extra. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): 'Hipnose' ('Hypnosis')

Note: On 04 October 2021, I saw this film again.