This is a disturbing story, that in the hands of a less skilled director and cast may have ended up looking like an American TV movie of the week (banal and predictable). Penelope Wilton and Michael Kitchen deliver beautifully nuanced performances and the story is such that the outcome isn't what we've been conditioned to think it will be. As Daisy is falling for Henry and one is listening to Henry's inner dialogs, it's difficult not to agree aloud with the warnings of her friends, and hard to imagine that someone of Daisy's intelligence can't see through his facade. One is forced to separate what Daisy sees with what the audience hears - clever that. Thankfully, Penelope Wilton and Michael Kitchen are both actors of impressive depth and and subtlety and their motivations are easy (if not easily internalized to our own experiences) to understand.
What I enjoyed the most about this movie is that the apparent emotional frailty that Daisy embodies is turned around in a satisfying way when she discovers the truth about Henry's manipulations and faces off with him, forcing him to give the ground. Huzzah Daisy (and well done Penelope Wilton)! The violence and need for control underlying Henry's character is most disturbing and should be what viewers remember about Michael Kitchen's clever, insightful portrayal of Henry. Remember - with a view to learning from and being conscious of. Although we've seen Henry's memories and ought to be prepared for physical violence, Daisy's shock and sense of betrayal is touchingly rendered in her response. Her ability to take charge and "rise above" when the viewer expects her to meekly submit or run off is the crowning moment of this film and why I would rate it an eight out of ten.
What I enjoyed the most about this movie is that the apparent emotional frailty that Daisy embodies is turned around in a satisfying way when she discovers the truth about Henry's manipulations and faces off with him, forcing him to give the ground. Huzzah Daisy (and well done Penelope Wilton)! The violence and need for control underlying Henry's character is most disturbing and should be what viewers remember about Michael Kitchen's clever, insightful portrayal of Henry. Remember - with a view to learning from and being conscious of. Although we've seen Henry's memories and ought to be prepared for physical violence, Daisy's shock and sense of betrayal is touchingly rendered in her response. Her ability to take charge and "rise above" when the viewer expects her to meekly submit or run off is the crowning moment of this film and why I would rate it an eight out of ten.
