Deadline, 2009

Deadline, 2009
Director: Sean McCornville
Cast: Thora Birch, Brittany Murphy, Marc Blucas


Deadline in short: Alice, 32, a writer recovering from a psychological breakdown retreats to a remote Victorian house to convalesce and focus on completing her screenplay in time for a fast approaching deadline. Shortly after her arrival, mysterious noises and strange happenings cause her imagination to run wild, sending her on a twisting and terrifying pursuit to find out what is behind the endless mind games.




Stage: Home theatre, the third one in the row. Had to be brilliant at least to catch my attention


Preps: Also a movie I don't have a clue about. I just got it somewhere and it was in a row of all those that seek my attention.


Reality: It drags my attention, as the cast shows up. Murphy, isn't this the girl that died just a few months ago, young and healthy? Well, the history proves that the work of someone that just died, can trigger interest or more interest than ever. I am inspired right away. The story is somehow good, the house is old and the saying - Old houses are like old people, they cry in pain, I love it. And it's the perfect scene for a horror.

Pursuing the original thought, I await anxiously to see something HItchock - like or even close. This one isn't even close. But it has some good turnovers and some good changes of the time and space. You float from reality (Brittany) to the past (Thora) and I love the way Brittany finally takes over the role that Thora Birch (Lucy) had in the past. Even has her dress and wears her jewelery.

Apart from the psychological aspect, the movie can be a bit boring, it loses my attention in the middle, but gains and repays in the end. Not a bad attempt, although a very american and Hollywood - praiser.

The idea, that loneliness drives you mad is perticulary highlighted in the movie. It reminds me of The Others (see it, a very good one!), The Shining (even more brilliant - Jack Nicholson's one of the best ones). I couldn't agree with it more, here it isn't evolved in a way I would buy it. And it turns out the horror is in flesh and bones. I would prefer it in a ghost shape :)



My personal rating: 7,5 (yes, a re-make. Yes, an attempt of horror. But I love the ending. Made me doubt about the whole essence and think about it all over again. And yes, it proves that music or lack of it makes the horror, not the actors or act itself.)

Deadline on IMDB
Official (Myspace) Site
Britt on Wiki