Duane McGraw

Firstly, I’ve never felt strongly enough about a movie to write a review, but this one has my eyes watering and ears ringing for all the wrong reasons. For me, the high calibre of actors weren’t nearly enough to salvage the wreckage I observed throughout the film. I haven’t read the novel, but I wonder if the suggestive scene of the teen fiddling with his tackle while watching pictures of his crush, is consistent between versions or adds any value to the viewer. (Or the one where the house owner’s daughter asks Ethan Hawke’s character about his sexual exploits with his students for that matter.) Kudos to the special effects department for keeping me nauseated and overstimulated between the voids of quality dialogue. Had the attention to special effects be mirrored in a rewrite, I’d be offering a much different reflection (or ironically not engaging through one at all.) Attack of the Killer Tomatoes used to be my go-to for worst film, but this just might be a contender. I also found no scrap of resolution to the story, so if you’re desperate to see quality actors miscast, you may want to abandon ship five minutes before the end and call it a permanent sort of intermission. I wish someone had given me that advice. Julia, Ethan, Kevin… There are only so many years left to practice your craft. Please choose more wisely. 🙏