Pretty Good

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

About good thrillers, they need to suspend audience with darkness. This one did not. Its excessive plots spoiled over common reasoning. I had hard time to follow the irrational storyline which killed my curiosity eventually. Hiring a hit man carrying out murders in order to receive insurance payments is a common scheme since the invention of insurance. However, the author might think she reinvented the scenario, she did not. She indeed facilitated a lot of horrors to resonate audience with the crimes. But it failed to deliver thrills and chills unlike "Gone Girl" ultimately did. Psychopathic scenarios are mostly welcomed by thriller movies. Some of them truly horrified audiences to the core. However, this one failed to do so. The reason might be it intended to tempt audience with realities. No one was bothered by the possibilities of "Gone Girl" happening in real lives. Moreover, just like other successful thrillers, "Silence of Lamb", "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" even "The Girl on the Train" were mainly focusing on those unbelievable coincidences to contrive stories which would not merely possibly happened for real even when all the stars align in the sky. Documentaries are for the reality. Even though they are still done with some explainable coincidences to entice audiences. Directors only have one choice to make great thrillers which is weaving all the impossibilities together and bringing to the screen without concerning any probable realities in them. This one unfortunately mocked that.

This so-called thriller came and went without too many people seeing it. It's about a mass family killing that happened in 1985 and how those events impact on the one surviving member, the little girl who grows up to be Charlize Theron and who is encouraged by a young stranger, (Nicholas Hoult), to help prove the innocence of her brother who was convicted for the killings. The film jumps back and forth in time, sometimes almost within the same shot, and it's a device that proves something of a novelty but doesn't make the film interesting. It's all very lame and a good cast is mostly wasted on sub-standard material. Only a dowdy Christina Hendricks as the murdered mom shows exactly what she's capable of.

Lets make clear that I am not aware of the book that this film was based on, so I am not gonna review the movie all about the book. I am not even sure if it is important if the movie was based on the book exactly the same in every detail. From my point of view, this movie has no flaw. Everything was sticking together very good. The plot was terrific, always on edge, characters and story very well put together, and if I could characterize this film with one word, this would be SUSPENSE. I stopped the movie some times to calm down, I was blown away from the rising tension and in the climax scenes always on the edge of my seat. This film blends together so many elements about the history of this era in Kansas city and in America in general, when development of satanic rituals among teenagers had shocked the news and society. Also, when criminal rates are high enough to let their footprint and create a bloodstained and "dark place" in the citizen's hearts. The unsolved mystery murders of this movie is a riddle that unfolds throughout the whole movie, with exquisite use of flashbacks, sound effects and irresolute but determining character development. For me this movie is undoubtedly 10/10. It is powerful, enigmatic and stunning in a way that will make you think of it some time. After all, this movie is important for one main reason. Its twist will never let you guess what happens, only when you finish the movie, you can finally find redemption through Libby's eyes when she visits for a last time her family home and gets free forever. This is a happy end, without fake drama. It is life itself and even if it had spoken lies in the end rises the truth.

The book is one thing and the movie is another. They both tell a story. Book relays on your imagination and movie gives you all, well almost. When I read this book what actually happens? I read, I imagine, I envision the story. I picture the characters. I'm simply making my own movie. I see all the tiny details as I read. But those are mine. No one else's. Now, imagine all those readers, each watching their own "movie". Just like Gilles Paquet-Brenner did. I think he did a good job to put this story in pictures. It was dynamic, captivating, dramatic. Characters were accurately described (well, maybe I wouldn't cast Chloë Grace Moretz for 16 years old Diondra - but I respect the choice). I simply giving this movie a credit (maybe I would use subtitles that say a year between the scenes, just like in book). I rate it 10 as it doesn't deserve this low ratings.