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.

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.

Jonathan Jackson and Treat Williams (who also played father and son in Deep End of the Ocean), are together again in this eerie movie where again bitterness and resentment prevail between the two.

Jackson plays Seth, a tormented teen with a troubled past...his mom was killed in a house fire when he was just a kid. So he's become a rebel. Seemingly stereotypical, until odd things start happening around town.

Disappearances of people and murders...and Seth's dad suspects him. Is he merely trying to get his son out of the way to make room for new girlfriend/fiancé Linda Hamilton? Or is he looking for a scapegoat to pin the blame on?

One things for certain....

We all have a few skeletons in the closet...

but this time, the skeletons are real.

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.

The film was better than I expected. I have to admit I was skeptical when my Brother's fiance brought this film home. But we were bored and she seemed enthusiastic to see it, since she evidently met the lead actor (Jackson) once.

Right off the bat I was taken aback by a visual display that was far from impressive. I had a problem watching the film because of the (in my opinion) unprofessional camera-work, which became so distracting in parts that I had problems relating with the characters in the film. Some of the interior scenes are shot from a different room than the one the actors are in (literally "peeking" around a corner), seeming to suggest a director of photography with a serious fear of intimacy.

All of my problems with the camera-work aside, I thought the acting in the film was impressive. I have seen several Treat Williams films, and I never thought much of him as a dramatic actor. This was his best performance to date, which isn't saying all that much, but he did a decent job. I am not familiar with whatever soap opera produced Jackson but this film proved all the potential he has. His acting range was impressive and his delivery is exceptional. The only negative thing I can say about the part of Seth, would be, did they have to use so much make-up? I don't think male characters really need to be wearing "fire-engine red" lip-stick.

After all was said and done, I wasn't upset that I watched this film, which means it exceeded my expectations. Plus, with the right crowd, it is a down-right blast to make fun off. But that is only if you are actively trying to antagonize your future sister-in-law.