Filha das Sombras

This must be one of Shue's worst yet, While watching the film I was intrigued by the sheer mystery of the film.

I had no idea or could have guessed what the outcome would be...

And then a truly awful ending which ruined what originally had me gripped.

I only voted four because of my original impression of the film(before Isaw the end) Avoid at all costs!!!!!

Story outline - A dancer (shue) finds she is pregnant, her husband , an up and coming businessman moves them out to a big house to raise their child away from the city, While battling her own depression the lonely house starts to eat away at her , causing a large amount of paranoia, or is it?

While I thought Elisabeth Shue did a wonderful performance of a new mother going through the anxiety of post par-tum depression, the supporting actors were not as engaging. Her emotions were believable, but the storyline was extremely confusing. Perhaps because that was the whole point of the movie? Was the entire theme centered around the confusion, fear, and anxiety that most new mothers face? Because the ENDING completely destroyed any sympathy I had for what the main character. This movie left me with a HORRIBLE, unsettling feeling. I don't want to spoil the movie for everyone, but to the comments posted prior, I actually DID have to watch the movie again. There are subtle foreshadowing events that reveal her insecurities building...not only as a mother, but also as someone responsible for another life. I just hoped for a better ending.

When the dancer Laura (Elizabeth Shue) feels sick after a presentation, she finds that she is pregnant. Her husband and successful executive Steven (Steven Mackintosh) decides to buy a huge house in the suburb to raise their baby daughter Jessica in an adequate environment. Laura changes her lifestyle, feels nervous alone with the rats in the house and accidentally kills their dog with poison. Later Steven hires Mrs. Kasperian (Kathleen Chalfant) to help Laura in the housework and with the baby, but Laura believes the old woman wishes to harm Jessica using witchcraft. Laura has a breakdown, and when she recovers, her mother moves to her house to help her with the baby. During the night, Laura decides to get rid off a doll she found in the house changing their lives forever.

"First Born" is a weird and disturbing movie, and talking to some friends of mine I noted that this is the type of film extremely unpleasant for women. The beautiful Elizabeth Shue is thinner and has a good performance, but her character is not well developed, therefore it is not possible to know whether she is a mother with postpartum psychosis or simply a mad woman. I liked this film, but I do not dare to recommend it especially for potential mothers. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Filha das Sombras" ("Daughter of the Darkness")

"First Born" is a clichéd but watchable thriller.

Laura (Shue) is a dancer who gets pregnant and moves into a country home with her husband (Steven Mackintosh). After the pregnancy, she starts getting post-partum depression. She uses (Tom Cruise's) advice to not go on drugs. She starts seeing and believing things that aren't real.

Elisabeth Shue puts in a good performance, but the script and plotting are lacking. It's basically the same scene for 90 minutes. Laura goes crazy and no believes her, Ad Nauseum. The ending, while interesting, can't bring the movie up to snuff in time.

Overall, "First Born" is a decent movie, but the script, idea and execution could've been way better.

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I usually love anything with Elizabeth Shue. This one just didn't seem right. The movies leaves to many questions unanswered. What was interesting, however, on a personal level, was that this reminded me of my ex-wife's behavior after our child (2nd born), so I give high grades for realism.

At one point in the film, I thought this was going to Rosemary's baby reincarnate, and sadly it wasn't. The story line was sub-par and I wouldn't recommend anyone seeing movie as I feel I just wasted 2 hours of my life.

So why 4 and not 1? There are far worse films out there and at least this one was decently produced.