JIM reviews film "ORPHAN" -- You’d better Investigate BEFORE you Adopt! =

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“ORPHAN” — You’d better Investigate BEFORE you Adopt! =

Rating: 7 of 10 stars (based on an advance screening).

This movie is being sold as sort of a “HORROR” flick— but it’s really a “psychological” THRILLER about an Orphan named Esther (ISABELLE FUHRMAN) who turns out to BE Horrible (tho she pretends to be the opposite). Kate (VERA FARMIGA) is the frequently-dysfunctional therapy-seeking mother of 2 kids (JIMMY BENNETT & ARYANA ENGINEER as a challenged daughter) who wants to adopt another child. John (PETER SARSGAARD) is the often-oblivious husband who tends to undercut her efforts with all the kids. CCH POUNDER plays the overly-trusting nun who runs an orphanage visited by the parents. Besides sexuality, there’s a lot of VIOLENCE initiated by the efforts to adopt, & it’s repeatedly bloody & disturbing (tho not at the level of the gory “slasher” movies I so dislike). To my surprise, this film is actually somewhat CLEVERLY-constructed & tension-building as “accidents” keep happening to people involved with the various family members. The tagline is “There’s something wrong with Esther.” Actually, there’s LOTS wrong with her— but, thanks to the acting & directing, there’s a lot more “right” with this MOVIE than I’d expected. It’s only recommended for those who LIKE films of this general type, tho!