Sorry, this movie sucks

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Stephen Baldwin stars in another serial killer film that arrives on the scene about ten years too late. Detective Caleb (Stephen Baldwin) and wife Mary (Shawn Huff) are still grieving after the accidental shooting death of their six year old son. Mary drowns her sorrow in pills, while emotionless Caleb drowns himself in work. A serial killer is on the loose in Salt Lake City, and Caleb and partner Glenn (Rob Knepper) are under pressure from their stereotypical blowhard commander (Allen Garfield) to solve the case.Caleb takes the case personally, since the main suspect was an abused child now visiting all his old childhood homes and murdering everyone living there. Dr. Lyons (Tyne Daly) tries to help Caleb before the case, and his nightmares about his son, send him over the edge.The cast here is very good, from Daly's tough and tender psychiatrist to Huff's sad portrayal of a mourning mother. Knepper is always a villain in everything else I have seen him in, having him be a good guy is a welcome change. I was initially put off by Baldwin's stiff portrayal. I realize his character is keeping his emotions bottled up, but I started to find his monotone monotonous. Once in a while, I thought he would turn that emotional corner, but then he would drop back into rigid and unfeeling again.John Flynn's direction is very good for a small film, helped immensely by Ric Waite's beautiful photography. Like most serial killer films, you might have this one figured out if you are paying close enough attention. I did like the investigative process this time around, although the "flawed cop working on his toughest case" story has been done. "Absence of the Good" was too easy a target (with that title) if it was bad. It is merely okay, no more, no less, and no surprises. (* * *) out of five stars.

**SPOILERS** Nail biting thriller that has Salt Lake policeman Caleb Barnes confront his deepest fears in a serial killer who, as Caleb says, is totally absent of any good inside of him. In short the person is pure evil.Already suffering from deep emotional trauma in his 12 year old son Michael getting shot to death in school by a friend who tried to show off his father's gun Caleb is now involved in a deranged serial murderer who after murdering his victims tidies up the place as if he didn't want the victim's blood to dirty up the house. It takes a while but Caleb soon discovers that the killer was someone who just happened to live, as a boy, in the very houses that he's now committing his horrendous crimes in.The stress of Caleb's investigation as well as Michael's death soon takes it's toll on his wife Mary who's at the point of being committed into a mental institution. Trying to get Mary help Caleb asks police psychiatrist Dr. Marcia Lyons to treat her which goes nowhere in Mary feeling that she'll be declared insane, by Dr. Lyons, and put away for good. Together with his police partner Det. Glen Dwyer Caleb narrows down the killer to the now grown up Gaskin kids Jack Brad and their sister Julie who fit the bill in having lived in the places where most of the killings were committed.As things turned out the Gaskins were brutally abused by their father Mr. Gaskin when they were young and that may have lead to them, or one of them, to have grown up with a serious mental disorder that lead to murder. What puzzles Caleb is why murder those living in the places where the killer once lived if only to retrieve items that he hid there when he was just a child?***SPOILERS***Heart stopping final with the killer coming out of the shadows just when Caleb felt that he finally solved the case and captured the real killer. Bludgeoned almost to death, with a hammer, by the totally crazed psycho Caleb was saved from having his skull smashed in, the favorite method of doing in his victims by the shadowy lunatic, by non other then his wife Mary who, after being held hostage by who at first was thought to be the serial killer, had the presences of mind in all the confusion to blast him before he could finish off her by then, after being hammered almost unconscious, helpless husband.

This is a fairly dull, yet still moderately engaging police procedural. Stephen Baldwin plays the detective who tries to stop a serial killer by finding the clue to his motives in his sordid childhood. The detective has also lost his son recently, a side-plot which adds nothing to the main plot whatsoever, except perhaps that it gives Baldwin the opportunity to be brooding and soulful throughout the film, making the already grim atmosphere (although there is almost no on-screen violence) even more gloomy. The biggest shock of the film comes at the very end, in the credits, when it is revealed that the female psychologist-police consultant is played by Tyne Daly! I wouldn't have recognized her in a million years! (**)

Firstly stephen baldwin isn't that big of an actor, but his total films list are incredible. That says something, im gona tell you this guy is great. his ability to make you feel at ease but tense and alwasy aware is unbelievable.This film was great i was flickering through the channels after watching east enders and thought whats this , my girlfriend being a big fan herself said leave it on, so i do. and boy im so glad i did. Not saying to much about the story guys its great , a real treat.