In a Dark Place

I was walking past In A Dark Place one day at a rental store and I saw Leelee Sobieski on the cover of the film. It looked something similar to recent movies such as The Return and The Grudge, which I thought both of those films were very satisfying, even though this ended up being nothing like them really, so I decided to give this movie a try.

At first, it looked really cool, when I put it in that is. The first near hour or so were fine, just fine, nothing special, but I was enjoying the build up and performances to an extent. Then, it took a turn for the worst. Everything started going horribly wrong and as the film dragged on I became more depressed, and more depressed with how the outcome of the film was turning out. The storyline just gets so ridiculously poor and overrated, and everything they had built up with mildly entertaining values were thrown out the window near the end of the film.

Why, how, Leelee, I thought you were great! What made you take part in this movie when you saw how the character development is demolished in the last half hour, or did you even notice? Sure, there was some stuff I found in the movie that was entertaining, I have already stated that, but I felt as if my insides were going to explode from how horrible the last half hour of the film was and how horrifically boring and inane Sobieski and everyone elses' character became.

If you love Leelee Sobieski enough, avoid this movie, because I really was expecting more from her and the movie itself seeing as how I enjoy her as an actress. I'm sure her heart will thank you if you don't watch this, for now every time she hears about her role in this film, as often as that probably isn't, I bet she falls to the ground and bursts into tears. . .

In A Dark Place would be classed as a psychological horror/thriller. It stars the underrated Leelee Sobieski or as I like to call her Helen Hunts mini-me.

Telling the story of a girl hired as a nanny of two less than usual children at a wealthy estate and her dwindling mental health.

Also starring long forgotten English actress Tara Fitzgerald from the likes of Brassed Off (1996) this is an utter mess of a film from opening credits to closing.

Immensely boring, poorly written and incredibly crappily made In A Dark Place is an instantly forgettable film with practically nothing going for it at all.

The Good:

Leelee Sobieski

The Bad:

Weak writing

Terrible plot

Bad finale

Awful child actors

I've heard that the book this film is based on is quite good, although you'd never know it from this screen translation. The movie itself is quite terrible in the way it's delivered. It is the type of film that doesn't tell you everything, and wants the viewer to decide what really happened. However this isn't directed with the skill of a Kubrick or a Bergman, nor is this version written well for the screen, so really the film just leaves you going, "What the ****?". Not even really caring much what happened, nor leaving you with interesting ideas of what may have happened. It's just crap really. The story here is an ugly toad covered in warts, as for the princess. Enter Leelee Sobieski who is the one and only reason to watch this confused effort. If you are a lesbian or a male who likes Leelee, then this will satisfy. Otherwise run from this dark place. To me, Leelee was well worth the watch. In fact I couldn't stop watching her, despite the ridiculousness of the story. Leelee's voluptuous body in itself is a feature presentation well worth the price of admission. Cleavage and curves galore, this is the only film in existence that I can think of where a woman's body completely steals the film, and alone makes it worth while. That is truly the way I felt though. The film's story is laughably stupid, however Leelee's body is nothing short of a masterpiece. And so...the princess saves an ugly toad.

7/10

The disturbed arts teacher Anna Veigh (Leelee Sobieski) is hired by the busy Mr. Laing (Jonathan Fox), the tutor of the orphan siblings Flora (Gabrielle Adam) and her brother Miles (Christian Olson), to work as governess and raise the children in their huge mansion in Bly with the support of his secretary Ms. Grose (Tara Fitzgerald). Sooner, Anna believes that the ghosts of the former governess Miss Jessel and housekeeper Peter Quint are in the property haunting the children, and she decides to help them to face the spirits and get their souls free.

"In a Dark Place" is an unsuccessful update and unnecessary remake of the classic ghost story "The Innocents". In the original movie, Debora Kerr magnificently performed an ambiguous character while in this remake Leelee Sobieski visibly performs a deranged woman, spoiling the fantastic ambiguity of the original screenplay. If the viewer has not seen "The Innocents", he or she may like "In the Dark Place"; but for those like me that saw the other film, "In a Dark Place" ruins the mysterious atmosphere of the story. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Lugares Escuros" ("Dark Places")

This is a very slow moving film, open to all sorts of interpretations. It has atmosphere, some tension and decent performances, and is very well shot, but something is definitely missing.

In the documentary included as an added feature on the DVD, director Donato Rotunno proudly tells us that he made this movie without having read the source material on which it is based, Henry James classic novella "The Turn Of The Screw." Perhaps Rotunno should have read it first. His vision for the project might have been clearer.

Big plus: Leelee Sobiesky is a beautiful woman, and her assets are amply displayed throughout the film.