Let's be realistic.

Expected more

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

I found this to be a very scary movie. From the first time I saw Joe Hilditch (Bob Hoskins) helping the innocent Felicia (Elaine Cassidy) after she had arrived nervously from Ireland, I felt uneasy. When I saw him with his eyeglass eating such a lovingly prepared meal by himself, I felt more uneasy. When I saw him look in the side-view mirror watching Felicia walk away to find Johnny (Peter McDonald), I felt even more uneasy. However, the confirmation that he was indeed a predator was when we saw the clip of Felicia unburdening herself to him...and then clips of multiple girls doing the same and realizing that those girls had not survived. From there, we are in the thrall of terror, wondering what will be Felicia's fate. We know if she remains in Hilditch's orbit that she is destined for a terrible ending. In spite of knowing Hilditch's true character well before the end of the movie, it does not deter us from being interested in how the movie turns out because director Atom Egoyan has spun such a suspenseful web.This is really a wonderfully terrifying movie. Bob Hoskins is terrifying, Egoyan is wonderful, Elaine Cassidy is good as the naive Irish girl. If you want a good scare that will stay with you, check out this movie.

The TV announcer who introduced this late one Saturday night said it should have won Oscars. Quite a statement for a film I'd never heard of...though why I should have taken any notice of a TV announcer, I don't know. In the event, said announcer was talking tripe.It's a dreary, miserable movie that leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I couldn't get on with Hoskins' awful Burr-ming-gum accent. Can't see any advantage in it being set in the Midland's anyway. Unresolved threads abound...and I wouldn't normally mind this but half of them make no sense. And what about when Hoskins' says he'll pick Felicia up from outside her B&B although she never told him where exactly she was staying??? Or her buying into the funeral that clearly never took place (and where was she during those days???) Clumbsy and ill-thought through bits of business if you ask me.It's a thriller without thrills. It's full of pretentious bits of business. It's depressing... Didn't like it. Thought it was rubbish. Wouldn't recommend it. 'Nuff said.

I think I saw a trailer for this film, and I wondered what it was about, and since it was four stars from the critics I thought I'd give it a go. Basically middle-aged catering manager Joe Hilditch (Bob Hoskins) spends all his time studying tapes of eccentric French TV chef Gala (Arsinée Khanjian), and following her recipes. Meanwhile, young woman Felicia (Elaine Cassidy) is making her way from Irelandto find her boyfriend Johnny Lysaght (Peter McDonald), who moved to England to work in a lawnmower factory. On arrival, she briefly meets Hilditch, who recommends a boarding room to her, oh, and we see more of her relationship with Johnny in flashbacks. I certainly wasn't expecting it, but it is revealed to us (the audience) that he has in fact befriended and abused many other young women, and he has taped them! Oh, and he also has flashes of a horrible experience with being on TV with Gala as a child! He of course has his sites set on Felicia, but he won't do anything to her until she has gained his trust, "helped" her in her search, and persuaded her to abort a baby she will be having. He does eventually get to stage where he can make his move, and of course the next morning you see the blood on her night dress. He is quickly visited by the slightly crazy and religion obsessed woman who tries to make him be part of her "path of happiness", and I'm not sure but I think he saw the error of his ways, and he lets Felicia go, and hangs himself. Also starring Claire Benedict as Miss Calligary, Brid Brennan as Mrs. Lysaght, Gerard McSorley as Felicia's Father and Sheila Reid as Iris. This is what I like to refer to as the nut-case film, not exactly the same as them, to similar to the characters from films like One Hour Photo and Misery. Bob Hoskins was number 37 on The 50 Greatest British Actors. Very good!

Though very well conducted, this is a very sad movie. With weird characters and surreal situations, it keeps you interested on their lives and where (and how) this all going to develop along the flick. Elaine Cassidy as Felicia is superbly cute. You would remember her from Alejandro Amenabar's "The others"; side with Nicole Kidman - Elaine played the "mute girl" Lydia. Bob Hoskins is good as ever. Quite convincing and intense. Their backgrounds are suggested to the viewer more than shown on screen. But even with all this good elements together, it's something I would NOT recommend watching if you're on a bad mood day.