Skeletons in the Closet

...Jonathan Jackson had it in him? I first saw a poster for this movie at the grocery store, and decided that I had to see it. I thought it was horror, but it was actually drama. Seth's dad suspects that his son may be a murderer, although he has trouble finding evidence to convince anyone else. Throughout the movie, we also become suspicious of him and the mysterious fire that killed Seth's mother. "Every family is a hierarchy ruled by its sickest member. The trick is figuring out who that is." The ending made me cry.

Very intriguing film, the plot is unlike a lot of other films of the same genre. Acting wise it's not brilliant, but it's passable and the characters are good, and you can have great characters even if the actor playing them isn't world class.

The plot is the main appeal for this film and it's very strong.

7/10: Just about gets a 7, I wouldn't watch it again but I really enjoyed wondering what would happen next, unpredictability is exciting.

There's a reason why you've never heard of this movie... it's not any good! However, I must admit that the movie does keep your attention; but that's only because you think the movie's going to be good or the climax will be spectacular. Not so. The film tries to be clever like every other Hollywood thriller by gradually giving pieces of the puzzle; and when the puzzle is finally solved you're not thinking, "Oooohhh, I get it now!," but rather, "Big deal, no surprises there." My overall thought: the film seems more like an episode of a TV thriller (such as Profiler) rather than a movie.

I would consider this to be an average thriller with above-average acting. The actors brought the story to life and made this low budget film highly watchable. The film quality and audio quality definitely leave something to be desired, but that is to be expected of a film with a lower budget. The acting was top-notch and the plot made for a decent thriller. Without giving anything away, I will say the story was somewhat predictable, but there are times where you will question what character's perspective is the real one. If you enjoy thrillers, I would definitely give this one a watch. It's probably not one that you will watch a second time, but it is entertaining and holds your interest. Again, I commend the actors for a job well done, and it proves that you don't need a high budget and a lot of fancy equipment to make a decent film.

Will Reed (Treat Williams) is a middle-age widow, living with his problematic son Seth (Jonathan Jackson) in a small American city. Will works in a factory, and has some affair with his colleague Tina Conway (Linda Hamilton). Seth blames Will for the loss of his mother when he was six years old. When Seth is eighteen years old, some crimes happens in the neighborhood. Will suspects that the crimes have been committed by Seth, and Seth accuses his father of being paranoiac. The end of the story reveals many secrets. This television movie has a reasonable screenplay, but it is very supported by the performance of the cast. The cynical character of Jonathan Jackson and the dramatic one of Treat Williams are indeed very well performed. The aged Linda Hamilton has a minor, but correct acting. The supporting cast is also very good. I do not know what type of film was used, but the image looks like a television show or news. Although not being outstanding, this dramatic and suspenseful movie entertains. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Lembranças Macabras" ("Macabres Remembrances")