25/365 The Stepfather

Before I started watching my movie for today, I went to a really neat little book that my friend Gina gave me.  It is called “Ever Wonder”, inside are all these cool questions to get you thinking.

The one I opened to is

If what’s in your dreams wasn’t already inside you how could you even dream it?

Interesting point.

Now on to my review:

Starring:   Penn Badgeley, Amber Heard, Sela Ward, Dylan Walsh

Genre: Thriller

Discovery:  The original spooked me, wanted to see if the remake had the same ability. (guess what my answer is?)

Summary:  Basically, you have a guy that has killed his whole family and goes to a new town in search for “the perfect family”.  He finds them in recently divorced Susan and her kids.  Oldest son, Michael, doesn’t like it and instantly distrusts ‘David’.  Pushed to his limit, ‘David’ decides he has had enough of his new family.  The result is…well, watch and see.

First Glance:  What can I say, today I am feeling kind.  So, hmm, let’s see. Sela Ward is beautiful.  I liked her in Once and Again.  Anything else?  Nope nothing kind I can say.  Supremely shallow remake of a pretty dark, creepy movie.  (PS. Penn, yea, don’t ever quit Gossip Girl.)

Deeper Look:  The first one came out in 1987 and starred Terry O’Quinn.  An actor who is infinitely more scary & sinister than Dylan Walsh.  It didn’t help that my mom had just gotten remarried the year before.  As a pre-teen I began to think ‘what if my stepdad had another family that he killed’.  I know pretty dark thoughts but just goes to show.  The movie was creepy.  Even more, it played up the suspense so you weren’t sure if the daughter was just being a brat or she was on to something.

Back to the 2009 version, I kind of wish I had trusted my first instinct that I wouldn’t like this film and let myself pass over it at the video store.  That’s another lesson learned.  Sometimes though, you have to take the good with the bad, right?

What I Took Away from this Movie:  Remakes are almost never as good as the original.

Final Glimpse:  Kind girl says:  Do yourself a favor and rent just about any other movie.