If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Admirable film.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Although the film lacks true originality as it comes off in similarity to The Omen, The Bad Seed, or The Good Son, it has it's moments. It's genre is horror/suspense specific but it is really not all that scary. Renee Zellwegger's performance is well received as the compassionate social worker Emily who has much empathy for the abused kids. Her approach is unique and lays the foundation for her character development. Jodelle Ferland does a decent job as the unique, albeit mysterious and cliché child whom Emily takes in. The film is driven by the story of a child that appears normal and frail on the outside but the mystery lies within. There is violence drawn across the film some of which involves children but there lies the truth behind the story. It's a personable, social film for adults. I felt it had good direction and movement but lacked a creative spark. You will enjoy the film as a whole and the performances as well. Bradley Cooper makes his small but relevant role worthwhile. A solid 6/10

I despise when we are tricked into watching a movie for promised scenes which never appear. The man with distorted face was NEVER seen in the movie, and I'm angry about that.If it wasn't for the deception, I would give this movie a 6-7. The lady who adopted the "satanic girl" didn't seem to care that everyone was dying around her, and she seemly kept the girl for weeks past the events occurring. It's one of those movies where the main protagonist doesn't do a damn thing or tell anybody or ask for help (other than maybe talking to one friend, who dies... of course). Just a frustrating plot for those reasons, and the fact that there were scenes from the trailer which were never in the movie.

Well another movie that started out so promisingly then went rapidly down hill to a very un climatic ending.This started off WELL. I was really excited about watching the story unfold.Seemingly evil, sick deranged parents and poor child you could actually feel really bad for... Of course the twist comes very early. The sweet girl turns out to be... yes, evil. Oh yeah, and she has a crazy mother, no real history, was a sort of possessed half demon from birth.. actually scared and tormented the hell out of her parents and made them suffer till they went mad and tried to kill her then died.. (Orphan, The Ring, anyone?) Yes another story that's been done. And yes, again The lead "mother" role is scared and needs help from her male friend- who of course dies and leaves her desperate when the girl turns on her.This is a girl who knows what you are thinking and up to all the time.. ? This seems a fundamental flaw all the way through..how did this kid who knows and suspects all and doesn't sleep.. allow herself to be drugged and almost died in an oven, and then be locked inside an exploding house.. YET suddenly not only get out appear totally fine over the road? and then be killed by being being driven off a cliff- while scared because she can't sense what is happening or read your mind if you pretend you don't fear her.The whole ending was just so slap dash it actually annoyed me. There are so many ways it could have been as dramatic as the build up towards it. But no, rushed and really average. Oh let's go for a nice car ride after I have told you you are a psycho kid and I hate you.. look I'm going to kill you- oh there's the cliff.. right.Then.

CASE 39 really is a bad film. So bad that I found it to be near unwatchable, and for once it's not down to the storyline, as clichéd and predictable as it is. For anyone interested in the narrative, this tells virtually the same story as the same year's ORPHAN, concerning a little girl who's being seemingly abused by her parents and subsequently rescued by the social care system. Unfortunately the girl is hiding a dark secret...No, the problem with CASE 39 isn't the story, as rubbishy as it is, but the casting. Renee Zellweger bags the main protagonist role and she is completely AWFUL in the part. Whether it's her wheezing, affected voice, her squinty eyes or her frankly laughable emoting, she brings down every scene in which she appears and given that she's in the film for 90% of the running time, that's not good.Apart from Zellweger, this isn't too bad, just lacklustre. Ian McShane has a nice supporting role and it's good to see him taking a bigger physical role in the proceedings than usual. One set-piece involving an oven is truly shocking and the best bit in the film. There are a handful of supernatural scare scenes which utilise CGI but are okay - the bit with Bradley Cooper is quite amusing. I wasn't too taken with Jodelle Ferland's performance but at least she plays it subdued for two thirds of the film. But Zellweger is so poor that she makes this film near unwatchable as a result.