The film focuses on a mother and daughter (Jennifer Connelly & Ariel Gade) in the midst of an ugly custody battle who move into a run down apartment building. They soon have to contend with a severely leaky ceiling an uncooperative landlord (John C. Reilly) and an ominous handyman (Pete Postlethwaite) as well as some troublesome teenagers and possibly the ghost of a dead little girl. To make matters worse the mother may or may not be having a nervous breakdown. The film is paced deliberately, a term I use because I found it's slow burn effective. It does take it's time to get going but packs quite a wallop by films end.

 

    The film touches on a lot of serious issues (abandonment for one) that some might not want in their horror movies but that I feel elevates the film and makes it's premise ultimately believable and moving. Jennifer Connelly does a great job as a women on the brink and is beautiful to look at even during the films most harrowing moments. The film is suitably dreary and it has a distinct 1970's feel. It doesn't rely on special effects or a booming soundtrack to get your attention and is genuinely creepy and at times had me and the proverbial "edge of my seat". Some no doubt will find the film moves to slowly and perhaps even be bored but those are likely the same people that have grown up on A.D.D style MTV horror movies.

 

   Good performances by John C. Reilly as the slimy Landlord and Pete Postlethwaite as the uber creepy handyman also help keep the film grounded. It's the kind of film that cheesy performances would have ruined completely because it plays like a mid 70's slice of life drama at times. Ariel Gade and Perla Haney-Jardine as the little girls are excellent as is the rest of the supporting cast which includes Tim Roth, Dougray Scott and Camryn Manheim. Director Walter Salles does a great job turning a boring Roosevelt Island apartment complex into a foreboding, atmospheric and unsettling place for the story to unfold.

 

    "Dark Water" is not for everyone. If you hated "The Others" or "The Sixth Sense" don't waste your money you'll just be pissed off. If, however, you found those movies to be engrossing and scary then go see this film. One observation I find to be kind of funny is that this film is part "Chick flick" (My wife cried at one point!!), part 70's drama and part ghost story. It works on all three levels and is already on my favorite ghost story list along with films like "The Changeling" and the above mentioned "The Others" and "Sixth Sense". I wish Hollywood would make more thrillers like this that don't insult our intelligence or our eardrums and eyeballs. This movie I think will stay with me for quite some time and that is what a good horror movie is supposed to do.
 

 

    -Eric (Aka: Zombielover)