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Greetings again from the darkness. Screenwriter Sarah Conradt must think mothers possess superhero emotional strength, if we are to judge by her two most recent films - this one and MOTHER'S INSTINCT (also 2024). In this feature film directorial debut from long-time producer Robert Salerno, the mom is really put through the ringer - and we are right there with her.

Claire (Connie Britton, "Nashville", FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, 2004) beams proudly as her fifteen-year-old daughter, Robin (Freya Hannan-Mills), plays piano in church. Claire also rolls her eyes when her ex-husband/Robin's dad (Giovanni Cirfiera) walks in as the performance nears conclusion. We learn Robin has been non-verbal since age 5, yet she's a talented enough pianist to be invited to audition for conservatory.

Claire and Robin have a loving mother-daughter relationship, although Claire seems a bit overprotective at times. Things turn bonkers when Robin is involved in a horrible bicycle accident and is dead for 20 minutes before being miraculously resuscitated at the hospital. Claire is relieved her prayers were answered, however, as so often happens with 'miracles', there's a catch. See, Robin can now speak. Only that's not the catch. Claire begins to notice Robin's personality is nothing like it was before the accident. Is this due to the trauma or something more sinister from beyond? I believe the film's title provides a clue.

Religion is on display throughout the film and in many forms. Also on display is Connie Britton's RWF (in contrast to RBF). Ms. Britton excels at a constantly 'worried' look, and is well cast to play the mother role in a film written by Sarah Conradt. Of course, we do discover why Claire has been carrying around all this guilt. It's also the reason why Robin initially stopped talking at an early age. The final act works off of a tremendously interesting premise, and some will find the execution a bit too artsy for this type of movie, while others will appreciate the approach.

Opening in select theaters and on digital September 13, 2024.

1. Don't see this.

I think someone wrote an OK script, then someone from hollywood, rewrote it to add all the clips you see in the trailer.

Sadly this destroyed the movie.

No direction, except the dumb use of tilted shots - why and when.

During the last 45 mins, I found myself listing failures, acting, directing. Tommaso Basili has his head in hands and I swear, you can see him thinking, why did I take this role???

So the story, plausible, but so much useless information was added, scenes that set up nothing an informed no one of anything - just pointless.

The real crac: it takes 60 mins to get to the story. Then 30 to setup and 5 to finish. All the wrong way round.

Was this a thriller or a horror? Make up was laughable - demons and monsters and religion.

Poor rehash of old material and the co-stars were left with rubbish lines and missed opportunities.

I learned nothing new except that random use of angled camera shot annoys everyone - saved gimmicks for meaningful story events.

Everything about this movie is average, except: 1. The script (it sucks) 2. The directoin + editing (it's boring) The plot is so predictable it makes your eyes bleed.

Let me give you a hint: at the very instant I heard someone say the word "Bicycle" I said to myself: "The girl is gonna die in an accident. No way around it."

The whole script is so terribly predictable that this movie should have a big disclaimer on the opening credits saying... "Spoiler Alert!"

This movie was made just because thera is a streaming service to back it. No sane producer would touch this with a ten-foot pole. Nor would they be able to hire the main star in the cast, even though she's like "C" grade.

I didn't have any expectations of the movie beforehand. I like the lead actress Connie Britton and the movie description sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try. I felt it was a haunting sort of movie rather than scary. Details slowly unfolded with the use of flashbacks and dialogue. It could have been a predictable movie but I didn't feel it was. It could have ended a few different ways. I liked how it ended. I can understand why some people found this movie slow and not scary. I wouldn't categorize it as a horror. I think it was more of a drama and thriller. I thought the acting was very believable.

The film demonstrates remarkable proficiency in its execution of camera angles, fashion design, and the selection of diverse environments and locations. Visually, it captivates the audience, creating a rich and immersive cinematic experience. However, the storyline presents some accessibility challenges. A significant portion of the dialogue is delivered in a foreign language, and the absence of English subtitles for these segments hampers the audience's ability to fully comprehend the narrative. This is a regrettable oversight, particularly given the film's high production values.

Furthermore, while certain camera angles contribute to an intriguing atmosphere, the pacing of the film is notably sluggish. It takes a considerable amount of time for the story to hint at its horror elements, which may leave some viewers feeling disengaged. Personally, I favor films that introduce horror themes more swiftly or interweave them throughout the narrative from the outset. I find that productions adhering to conventional themes and formats within the basic horror genre often lack the depth and innovation that truly engage my interest.