Repentance (I) (2013) User Reviews

A movie with shades of Misery that dragged just enough to make it hard to stay completely involved in.

[cosmo_tiger · 5/10 · 22 June 2014]

"Seems like you were in need so I figured I'd reach out to you." Tommy Carter (Mackie) is an author and spiritual adviser who wrote a book about his near death experience and tries to help others deal with what they have gone through. When his brother gets into trouble Tommy thinks the best way to help is is to do one more one-on-one session. He offers to help Angel (Whitaker), a husband and father who lost his mother but still sees her. When Tommy tells him he can't help him anymore Angel doesn't like that answer. This is a movie that I had no idea what to expect out of it. I thought it was gonna be a little creepy but when it started becoming a little like Misery I got into it. The acting is great from these two and the movie stays pretty tense the entire time but it was also a little draggy in some parts and I found it hard to totally stay focused on. This is a movie that is worth seeing if you can but don't expect anything super amazing. Overall, a movie with shades of Misery that dragged just enough to make it hard to stay completely involved in. I give it a B-.

A decent semi mystery and revenge tale, but don't expect the 10 rating it has been given or you will be disappointed..

[sstetsko · 5/10 · 13 June 2014]

Solid although not usually exceptional acting from the cast carries this movie well enough, while the performance by Forest Whitaker is quite strong (but I tend to expect that from him). He carries off the role he is given well, and elicits a fair bit of understanding from the viewer even though the role he plays is a hard one to make people sympathize with. The story is solid, and the ending is decent even though it is less realistic and more moralistic in motive. I don't rate it highly, but I do give it a true medium rating and would recommend it to anyone who just wants a movie to watch that will not leave them cold.

It's not all about the money

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 24 February 2015]

And by this I'm not only talking about the budget (which seems to be a big concern for another reviewer), but also about the story of the movie. Sometimes there is more to a story than the first glimpse reveals. It may feel like the movie tries to cheat its way into the viewers mind a little bit, but the actors make up for it.

This is still a tough watch, because the title is chosen for a reason. There is not always reason to things happening in the movie and it seems a bit like a muddle from time to time, but it's still able to hold up a certain degree of suspense, if you let it to. The actors try their best to divert from some holes in the script (or finished movie, if scenes got deleted for pacing reasons) and the movie will be explicit in depicting violence to a degree.

Imagine a Misery inspired movie in which the author was a psychiatrist and the crazed fan was someone who deeply needed their help with grief.

[Amari-Sali · 24 June 2014]

Trigger Warning(s): Torture Scenes

When it comes to some actors, there is just a go to style which seems to fit them well. For Will Smith, it is the likable and approachable Black guy; Denzel Washington, as of late, recycles his Training Day persona; and then there is Forest Whitaker who usually plays off putting characters. This one is no different but, with a character which reminded me of Kathy Bates in Misery, the question is whether his portrayal as Angel was good, or just another awkward character of his to write off?

Characters & Story

A man with mental issues named Angel (Forest Whitaker) has lost his mom; his wife, to a point; and now all he has is his house and daughter. So needless to say, he is troubled. But there is one man he believes can help him: that man is Tommy Carter (Anthony Mackie) whose self-help book dealing with his brush with death seems to have had a profound effect on Angel. But as Angel reveals his demons, Tommy finds himself facing off with them and his own which involve wife Maggie (Sanaa Lathan), as well as Ben (Mike Epps). Leaving us with a film which makes it seem that Tommy may have taken on Angel's problems a bit too lightly.

Praise

As always, Whitaker playing an unnerving character just fits. It pretty much has been his signature, to me anyway, since Jason's Lyric in the 90s. And in this movie he is not only off putting, but a bit frightening as well. Arguably, Whitaker could probably play, with the right script, an iconic fictional villain again and perhaps set a precedent people would be trying to match for years. Though, it should be noted, the rest of the cast surely isn't slacking. Mackie hold his own against Whitaker and does attempt to compete for intensity. But you can see Whitaker's veteran status definitely gives him the upper hand.

Criticism

When it comes to the story though, it does require you to be a tad bit open- minded. For one, Whitaker as Angel is so off putting that it is hard to understand why Tommy would allow himself to be alone with this man. Then, when you add in Lathan and Epps' characters, you see a side-story there which isn't fully cohesive with the main story. For one, it doesn't act well as a break between Angel's mad moments, nor does it really draw you into either Lathan or Epps' characters fully. And two, as much as I understand they are there to beef up Tommy, neither character is written, or maybe portrayed, to the point you really care about them. Lathan's character, to me, barely evolves past being a shallow love interest. Then with Epps, who honestly I am just not fond of as an actor, not only are you given this brash and utterly unappealing character, but the attempt at giving him a proper back-story to draw sympathy out of you just feels utterly weak.

Overall: TV Viewing

Though I am not highly fond of either Lathan or Epps' characters, their place in the film hardly takes away from Whitaker and Mackie's story. If anything, Epps and Lathan are like a pickle which comes with your burger which wasn't asked for. But overall I am labelling this as "TV Viewing" since even though I like Whitaker and Mackie in this movie, honestly neither pushes the story to a place where it makes this "Worth Seeing." It is decent to spend some time with, especially if you are a fan of anyone involved, but this surely isn't the highlight of any of their careers. Just another film and another paycheck.

This Just Didn't Work At All

[sddavis63 · 3/10 · 30 June 2014]

Generally speaking, I like Forest Whitaker. In fact, he's the reason I was willing to rent this movie in spite of its rather mixed (at best) reviews. And he didn't disappoint me. His performance as Angel Sanchez was actually good. Sanchez was a man dealing with the tragic death of his mother, who decides that he's going to take revenge on those responsible. Whitaker handled the vengeful psycho character pretty well - one moment the quiet, gentle and doting father; the next moment busy torturing the guy he blames for his mother's death in his basement. But it seemed natural. He was believable in both personas, and the transition from one to another was fine. Whitaker was the obvious highlight of the movie.

Then, into the mix comes Anthony Mackie as Thomas Carter, and here's where things begin to fall apart. Not so much because of Mackie. He was all right. But the character, and the direction the story takes. Mackie's some sort of New Age counsellor type, and once that's introduced the movie disintegrates into a cacophony of meaningless and sometimes incoherent New Age mumbo jumbo. Then - because Angel and Tommy have to be brought together in some way - there's the very fortunate release of Tommy's brother Ben (Mike Epps) from prison. Ben needs money, he wants it from Tommy, Tommy apparently owes him big time so to get money he takes on - voila! - Angel as a patient. Yes. A happy coincidence. Angel's "plan" wouldn't have had a chance had that not happened. And then mixed into this there's a lot of unnecessary supernatural stuff revolving around the ongoing presence of Angel's mom. What was the point of that? Why couldn't Angel just have been out for revenge? Why did he need to keep seeing his mom? And then it wasn't just a figment of his imagination - because his daughter had some sort of contact with her as well. Totally unnecessary; totally pointless. Thrown in because ... well ... I don't really know why it was thrown in. Just because apparently. And the ending was ... not satisfying. To say the least.

Yeah. I like Forest Whitaker. But this is one Forest Whitaker movie I wish I hadn't seen. (3/10)

How could Forrest Whitaker Stoop This Low

[anitalansing-40-581915 · 3/10 · 5 July 2014]

Forrest Whitaker is one of the most talented actors I have seen within the last few decades. I would put him on the same level with Sidney Portier, Denzel Washington, and Daniel Day-Lewis. His character in the Last King of Scotland was astonishing and the Oscar he received for the role was truly earned.

I guess it doesn't take long for Hollywood to forget how talented an actor is, and Whitaker wasn't offered anymore challenging roles. I guess, for financial reasons, he took whatever roles were offered.

To say this movie was completely awful and was poorly written is an understatement. The characters were unbelievable and the storyline did not make any sense. First of all, how could a street thug become transformed into a licensed therapist and earn TWO graduate degrees within a time frame of 4 years? How come the little girl did not hear any screaming after she left the locked room she was in? Why did the child's mother allow the father to have so much unsupervised time with the child? It was obvious he was unbalanced and unstable.

I just can't believe how low Whitaker stooped to make this garbage. Not worthy of an actor of his caliber.

Please for the love of God don't watch this

[ronaldentner · 1/10 · 15 July 2015]

This movie was so awful I actually made an IMDb account at 3 in the morning just so I could vote this movie farther into the gutter. If I can just prevent one helpless soul from spending precious moments of their life seeing this movie out it's worth writing this review.

Please God do not try to watch it all the way through, you will feel only rage.

Seriously, I am legitimately angry at the producers of this movie for allowing it to be released. I've been robbed, beaten, and berated, but this movie is the worst crime ever committed against me.

I don't think I've ever hated anything this much in my life.

Well done but very unpleasant.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 12 June 2014]

This has been a tough week movie-wise for me. While I have seen some excellent films, I must say that a few of them were so violent and so disturbing that it makes me want to take a break and seen something pleasant. After all, generally films should be enjoyable and the last two I've seen were incredibly well made but extremely upsetting to watch. And, "Repentance" DEFINITELY makes me want to take a break from violent films.

"Repentance" begins with a couple drunken men driving home from a binge. The driver is a mess and hits some pedestrian and then you see the car smash. Suddenly, the movie jumps forward four years. The driver of the car, Tommy Carter (Anthony Mackie), is a respected author who writes new age self-help books. He's at a book signing and Angel (Forest Whitaker) tells him that he loves his books—so much that he'd love to have some one on one counseling. However, Tommy declines--saying he's too busy and doesn't take on clients any more. Soon Tommy's ne'er do well brother arrives from prison and demands that Tommy give him a lot of money because he 'owes him'. You assume it probably has something to do with the opening scene, as the brother was the passenger in the car of the night of the accident. So, reluctantly, Tommy decides to take Angel on as a client to get money for the brother.

The work Tommy does with Angel is like a combination of being a life coach and a lot of new age mysticism and ceremonies. The problem is that this sort of work might work fine for reasonably well adjusted folks, but it's very obvious that Angel is emotionally disturbed…VERY emotionally disturbed. Freaking crazy emotionally disturbed! Angel hallucinates and clearly should be seen by a team of psychiatrists—not some self-taught counselor. However, Tommy decides to treat the man. Further, he feels that Angel's problems can be solved by him stop taking his medication, working through some grieving ceremonies and thinking positive thoughts! Soon, Angel descends further and further into madness. Now it's obvious to Tommy that he's way in over his head—his brand of feel-good counseling is no match for 100% nuts! At first, he unwisely ignores Angel's requests for more sessions and later he goes to Angel's house to tell him that he needs to get help that he cannot give him—professional help. And then….things get violent and really, really crazy! Tommy is attacked and awakens in a basement—bound and at the mercy of a man who is out of his mind. Believe it or not, this is only about a third of the way into the film. What follows is terrifying and Tommy is tormented by this madman. But there's more…far more. Exactly what's next you'll need to see for yourself.

While I thought Repentance was a very good film—especially because of its acting and clever twists—I also thought it was very hard for the average person to watch. After all, much of the film involves torture. There is a lot of blood and the film is definitely NOT for the squeamish. It also has a lot of loose ends that are deliberately left that way at the end of the film. I didn't mind that at all, as I like films where the viewers can debate exactly what will happen next. My wife, though, HATES films with such endings and I doubt if I ever could get her to watch a film like this.

So is it appropriate for you? Well, if you could sit through "Misery", you might be able to handle this one okay, but it's a bit gorier and more difficult to watch. It certainly is NOT a film for kids, your mother or anyone else who is looking for a feel good film! But, in its defense, the film IS well done, has some clever writing and delivers a very powerful punch. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Waste of a good cast. 3/10

[leonblackwood · 3/10 · 29 November 2014]

Review: I had high expectations from this film because it had some decent actors in it, but the storyline is sketchy and the pace of the film made it quite boring. If you use your head, the film is predictable from beginning to end although it's supposed to be a suspense thriller. It also seemed a bit over acted and the director chose to jump right at the deep end which didn't give the characters that much depth. The concept, which is about a man who has psychological issues after the death of his mum and he decides to get help from a psychologist, doesn't seem to go anywhere for the first half of the movie and then it gets extremely dark out of the blue. The ending was also very sketchy so you end up feeling a bit cheated after spending so much time waiting for the story to unfold. Personally, I thought that the movie seemed a bit cheap and not very well thought through. Disappointed!

Round-Up: Forest Whitaker is not an actor that has chose the easiest path in his career. I would have thought that he has earned the right to pick and choose what roles to take, so it might just be down to bad choices why he has starred in so many dodgy movies lately. From big movies like the Butler and The Last King Of Scotland to the dodgy Pawn, Crossfire and the Truth, he has really had a rollacoaster of a career. Maybe he's just addicted to work like Samuel L. Jackson and Robert De Niro. Anthony Mackies career has picked up lately with roles in the new Captain America, Pain and Gain and the new Avengers movie, so I doubt that this film will harm his portfolio. In all, this film must have looked good on paper but it just wasn't put together well by the director. 

Budget: $5million Worldwide Gross: $1million

I recommend this movie to people who are into their suspense/drama/thrillers about a man whose suffering with psychological problems after the death of his mother and seeks for help from a successful book writer. 3/10

needed better casting and better organization of sub-plots and back story

[jon_manuel · 6/10 · 11 June 2014]

This movie had lots of potential but fell short. Still worth watching but I was disappointed. Forest Whitaker was amazing as expected but the rest of the cast was mediocre. Honestly I felt it wasn't so much bad acting...more bad casting. Tommy Carter played an intellectual therapist/life coach which made for some border line soap opera acting scenes. Mike Epps acting was fine but again wrong guy for that role; he's a comedian not a tough guy ex-con. Many reviewers mentioned this is a tricky, twisting, confusing movie...I have no clue what they watched. Between the trailer and the first scene I had the basic plot figured out which left to real no jaw dropping surprises. The ending was meant to be thought provoking but it felt more like a bad ending to a book. So much untapped potential, so many relations left unexplored.

Absolutely Miserable

[joelcberzas · 1/10 · 10 June 2014]

First, let me say that I was born and raised Cajun in South Louisiana. I usually check out the movies that are made in, or are made about, the area that my family and I call home. The acting in this movie was good enough. The writing and plot, however, were terrible. What a horrible message it sends the audience in its conclusion. The other thing is, I can't imagine how they spent $5,000,000! There were no effects or any even relatively expensive looking sequences. I think the only person to speak his honest mind here was kyale100 in his review. Or, maybe he was the only reviewer (besides me) not on the producer's payroll! No disrespect to Ms Milfort, who did a fantastic job in the movie, as well as her angelic addition to La Mer!

Really good, very dark

[Mugsta-419-573473 · 8/10 · 13 June 2014]

This movie has gotten a lot of bad reviews and i have no idea why. The twist were at the right place and everyone says the acting was bad. Forrest Whitaker always KILLS everything he does and Anthony Mackie was PERFECT. People say Mike Epps is just a comedian but he was really good in this role. This movie actually had me confused and shocked at some point but i don't regret watching this at all. I really wish i would've went to the movie theatre to see this. I recommend this movie to anybody who loves movies that make you think and that don't just hand their ending out to you on a silver platter. My advice watch this on a rainy day, turn the lights off and pay attention. Hope this helps.

Misery Loves Company

[boblipton · 7/10 · 20 August 2019]

Years ago, Anthony Mackie was driving drunk and got into a terrible accident. He has since reinvented himself as a self-help author, talking karma, spirituality and moving forward. He is approached by Forest Whitaker, who seeks help in getting over the untimely death of his mother, which has blighted his marriage and left him in a state of clinical depression. Mackie agrees. Now, guess how Whitaker's mother died.

It turns into a variation of Stephen King's MISERY, with Mackie's wife, Sanaa Lathan searching for her husband, and Whitaker having too keep his young daughter, Ariana Neal, from finding out about the bloody, manacled prisoner in the basement. Mostly, though, it's about watching two great actors going at it hammer and tongs: Whitaker, playing another of his mostly-functioning madmen, and Mackie playing a character so that, probably, he doesn't know if he believes what he says. Is his smooth line all jive, or has he found redemption in helping others?

Disappointing

[Seth_Rogue_One · 3/10 · 28 August 2015]

Now I went in knowing that it had a 4.7/10 average (at the moment) which does indeed sound low, but with general urban movies with a predominantly black cast a low rating is not out of the ordinary.

I mean despite it's flaws, I did enjoy for instance THE CONFIDANT (2010) which has some similarities to this, and was also a Codeblack Entertainment movie, so I was thinking that this could still be good.

I'm fans of most of the cast... Forest Whitaker especially who is one of my big time favourites.

But, neither of them can save this poorly written psychological thriller (without much logic).

Riddled with plot holes and not a single likable character in sight that seemingly get less likable by the minute it quickly becomes a dull watch.

I'm all for African American movies in diverse settings and genres but this is a really poor attempt of a movie and it makes NO GOOD DEED (2014) look like a masterpiece in comparison.

Yeah a very disappointing effort indeed.

psychological thriller lover's delight

[bestactress-1 · 23 March 2014]

Sadly this film may not be embraced by the masses, as bad as they need to see those types of films, but one can hope. One ought to be sharp and capable of following intelligent plot to really enjoy this film. It's not the 6th sense, where everything is pretty much spelled out for you yet still maintains it's integrity by being genius. This is more for the figure it out, use your brain kind of audience.

The cast bring it in terms of acting, my congratulations to the people who thought this would be great for an all black cast. The direction, the casting, was brilliant. Mind, consciousness, terror, a strong sense of reality, moving at real life pace, all the ingredients for a great psychological thriller are there. Very atypical for an all black cast, remember, I said atypical, please look it up and don't get confused. I personally think they should have maintained the original title VIPAKA. I played the Seer so I won't comment on my brilliant work :), I read the guidelines and it doesn't say I can't review a film I'm in, since many actors don't like films they're in, this one, is definitely worth a shot especially if you like the actors in it, (I personally can never take my eyes off of Forest Whitaker) and that genre, you will be happy you saw it.

Potentially interesting idea frittered away

[Buddy-51 · 3/10 · 15 September 2014]

"Repentance" starts off as a reasonably sincere tale of a best-selling author/life coach (Anthony Mackie) who tries to help a grieving man (Forest Whitaker) come to turns with the death of his mother. But at the 35-minute mark, the movie suddenly jumps the tracks, turning into a bizarre, yet strangely conventional, hostage drama, with the psychologically disturbed client kidnapping and torturing the psychologist in an effort to prove which of the two is actually most in need of help.

The movie seems to be making the case that people like the Mackie character are just glib, overpaid shysters, taking advantage of people's suffering by offering them little but shibboleths and bromides to help them cope with their problems - but any message the movie might be trying to convey is subsumed by the unpleasant melodramatics that come to dominate the second half. Yeomen that they are, Mackie and Whitaker work valiantly to overcome the various roadblocks that the script throws in their path, but even these two fine performers eventually have to concede that they're fighting a losing battle here. Even the "surprise" ending and moralistic message can't ultimately redeem this cinematic turkey.

So bad!!!

[lcsm-83444 · 2/10 · 14 January 2020]

This is quite possibly in my top 3 worst movies ever watched. Quite a stupid movie from start to finish!

The film makers should be the ones repenting!

[damianphelps · 2/10 · 23 September 2020]

This is mostly awful with one redeeming aspect Whitaker. He is great but he can't save the movie.

The main flaw of the movie is the Mackie character (his performance is ok I guess), however as a therapist OMG. Some of the crap that comes out of his mouth, if only the writers had done some research on his profession it would have been a better movie.

Also suffers from being crazy predictable.

Skip it and have a nap instead you'll feel better.

MOMMA SAYS "KNOCK YOU OUT."

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 29 May 2019]

***CONTAINS MIDPOINT PLOT SPOILER***

Tommy (Anthony Macke) has an NDE (near death experience) in the first scene and becomes an author and "life coach." He has a beautiful wife (Sanaa Lathan) and an older brother who just got out of prison (Mike Epps). Angel (Forest Whitaker) takes Lithium and has visions of his dead mother. He hires Tommy to be his life coach to help him out which eventually becomes "Misery." The film goes full circle as the therapist gets therapy.

I liked the basic plot outline, I wasn't thrilled with the execution. I kept imagining how much better this film would have been with Samuel L. Jackson as the antagonist. Forest needed to look more bipolar. I found myself waiting for the movie to pick up and once it did, it changed the direction of the film which caught me off guard.

Will work as a rental.

Parental Guide: F-bomb. No sex or nudity.

Was Whitaker low on cash?

[tshawn-90224 · 2/10 · 7 May 2020]

Oh, Dear. Who doesn't love Forrest Whitaker AND Anthony Mackie? I was so looking forward to what I expected to be a film noir battle between good and evil or at least a storyline that was somewhat interesting and believable. Whitaker did his best with what he was given to work with. Mackie was a disappointment. The writing is horrendous. Way too many plot holes. Obvious from the first few frames what the outcome will be. Ridiculous turns, "I wanted her to take dance but Angel insisted on yoga." Really? And who leaves their young child with an obviously disturbed parent that needs coaxing to "take your pills." Just a huge let down and a disappointment in both these actors who I have really enjoyed in the past. Last King of Scotland? Now THAT's a Forrest Whitaker worthy film. Detroit? One hell of a film and Mackie at his best in a role worthy of his talents. This thing bombed.

This movie should not have been made

[jawhite4400 · 1/10 · 11 September 2023]

It's impossible to entertain a movie that paints a character as superhuman in their abilities to kidnap, torture, and self heal. All while watching a child. The premise of the entire movie is absurd. But you have to watch it if you start it just to see where it takes you. And it takes you nowhere. There is no escapism here. Where you can empathize with any character. You wouldn't want to believe you could be as stupid as any of these people sound in this fictional world. I take that back. I empathize with the child. Who is there of no choice of her own. If you come across this review before watching PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF FROM THE AGONY!

It's not very bright to bring a gun . . .

[tadpole-596-918256 · 8/10 · 4 March 2014]

. . . to a shovel fight, and movies teach us that few people use conventional weapons (such as revolvers) in Louisiana. Pipes, power tools, and cloth sacks full of broken shards of glass are among the tools of the torture trade for the vengeful Angel of REPENTANCE, ably played by Forest Whitaker. Going off his lithium to better juggle his responsibilities as a single dad, carpenter, and serial kidnapper, Angel proves the adage, "If you want to feed old ladies to the gators in the bayou, first make sure they don't have relatives." Angel proves to be "crazy like a fox," inducing one of the killers to off himself while he still has enough pieces left to do the trick. The guiltier brother is last shown facing a fate too grisly for the cameras to dwell upon: days of cannibalizing his true love, followed by weeks of starving to death in Angel's basement bomb shelter. The lesson REPENTANCE teaches us is that the "self-help" industry is a crock. No one needs a "life coach." Everyone can find salvation inside their own heads (and if you want to have a REAL "near-death episode," just try throwing a random old lady off a bridge in Louisiana's "Voodoo Alley").

From the Richard Speck Academy of Moral Excellence

[deadbull-95171 · 4/10 · 29 November 2021]

Does this great actor need the money? Serial killers and Medieval torturers aren't just getting their jollies anymore. They are our most profound moral beacons and sublime teachers. And the current era of utter dehumanization, insane sociopathic "leaders", and a species with an average IQ 30 points lower then the Stanford-Binet Wechsler scoring of 50 years ago means their teachings are HEARD. And it isn't even the real killers, especially the minority of them, the caught high profile ones, who, to a man or woman, could give a flying **** about teaching you or me anything, though while they aree in play they occasionally like to teach law enforcement that they are idiots. And I disagree. They are certainly intelligent enough to let the "perps" do all the work, then pinch them, then steal everything that they went to the risk of obtaining. The jurisprudence prevents nothing, always arrives after the fact, catches less then 10% of all "criminals" , and exists as an independent useless agency that pays itself as a small tip on top of what it steals. The whole system is rotted out. If it can't be taxed, it's criminalized so the worst thieves and mass murderers of all, who control the military and money (hyperinflating rapidly) , get paid offf withevery breath we take, while they are depopulating the planet to return us to a technically driven feudalism, where a few geniuses will be allowed to live as private well "paid" slaves to a globalized system of controlled ownership. Putinland, Bezosland, Trumpland etc.

Movies like this, Repentance, Law Abiding Citizen, Se7en, Dot Kill ,Resurrection, Unhinged, to name a fraction of the current crop, are all telling us the same story. The nut jobs of the world theologians and priests, mutilating and ripping their way, ascribing endless lives, except their own, usually, FOR US! By us I mean those who manage to settle matters without filling swimming pools with blood and dismembered body parts.

It's not that I don't see their point. Most people are worthless irredeemable garbage, out to steal everything they can from you , and savagely hurt you as a bonus, true, and it elevates the argument for all of us becoming Judge Dredd, since the wealth needed to properly insulate ourselves is only in the hands of the world's worst thieves and murderers, but they are the only ones who cab "legally" declare war and murder and steal. We don't need Oscar Wilde to remind us life imitates art anymore. All people do is watch this ad-man imagery and let these actors guffaw all the way to the bank. They get a drink of water when they're thirsty. We get some web pics of the ocean. But enough of this science fiction (?) and on to the business at hand...

How can the guy who did Last King of Scotland and been in so many terrific flicks wind up in this thing? Money, a good agent, a good lawyer, and an actors exhibition and shamelessness. It has some interesting plot threads. Part horror, part ghost, part dramatic tragedy, at best he brings an offbeat touching sense to it at moments, with his daughter, with his sledgehammering (to the audience and the victims) realization that the crazy aren't as crazy as they seem. In fact they are the only ones who really see. His evil anti-psychotic meds washed down the sink to underscore the righteousness of primitivity and the epiphanies that psychoses reveals, the holiness dementia confers, Forest

This much of a spoiler, though he kidnaps and tortures an entire family, in the end he releases the 2 living victims, and we see him blithely strolling down the street, holding hands with his daughter who shares his clairvoyance, unpursued, when within moments the national guard would be surrounding him in reality, and utterly unconcerned, since, having confirmed his wild ideas as true, obtained as they were from slightly unusual duress, inadmissible evidence, he's now spiritually released and pain free.

Well, torture murder is a soothing balm for some folks. There are still traces of Forest Whitaker in this mess, we know he can play a jocular sadist and hit man, and also be the most soft hearted kind of guy, but usually it's one or the other. This time it's a mish mosh. But even with his brilliance he can't overcome the the craziest part on this movie ABOUT craziness, and that's the script.

If you're a die hard fan of his, I guess you have to watch. He's a terrifically talented actor, so you keep looking, and you won't get me putting him down, I just wonder why he took this silly role? Maybe he had a bad shrink at some point and this is his statement, but that is something I think better reserved for politicians, presidents, or lawyers.

Don't waste your money

[kyale100 · 11 March 2014]

I am truly a movie fan. I go out to the movies every other week. I was so disgusted and disappointed while watching this film. I could not believe that Forrest Whittaker would involve himself in this horribly directed and produced film. Mike Epps should be taken out back and scolded for his so called acting skills. Whomever the casting director is should be fired. Hopefully soon one day people will understand that he CANNOT act. Please allow him to stick with stand-up. I really want my $7.50 refunded. The movie was confusing, the main actor was crazy and holding on to the memory of his dead mother. And Sanaa Lathan was absolutely useless. I didn't understand her role in it at all.

Although Forrest Whitaker gives us another excellent performance, the script is not particularly good and ruins the film with unintelligent choices.

[filipemanuelneto · 4/10 · 24 November 2023]

This is one of those films that is largely based on the interpretation of the actors, who do the best they can with the material given to them and the instructions given by the director, Philippe Caland. The story told did not seem to have an exceptional relevance: it becomes quite predictable from the middle onwards and have some serious problems to consider.

So it's not surprising if I say that the best stuff here is the solid dramatic performance by Forrest Whitaker, an actor who has been on the rise since the beginning of the millennium and who has had a very promising career. This film is not one of his best, but his powerful and intense performance gives the film more interest. He is absolutely believable as a person in pain, disturbed, mentally unstable, but who has a heart and is not evil, although he is threatening in a convincing and brutal way. Anthony Mackie cannot keep up with him, but he also does a positive work. His character is denser than it seems at first glance, but this will only be understood as we see him interact with Whitaker. Despite a worthy attempt by Sanaa Lathan, we don't have a good supporting cast, and Mike Eps is particularly disappointing with his uninspired portrayal.

The script is based on the relationship between a visibly disturbed man and a therapist and author of self-help books, who accepts him as a patient despite not usually doing so. After all, he needs the money to help a bully brother. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to understand that this isn't the kind of help his new patient needs: the man is showing signs of psychosis or schizophrenia and needs a psychiatrist, not a guru of happy thoughts and Tibetan meditation. This therapist, if he has any experience, should have understood this: instead, he continues and makes the situation worse by suggesting that he stop the medication, perhaps an antidepressant, that was prescribed. The rest are consequences.

Honestly, I feel that this was enough to make a good film, even with the painful scenes that follow and that constitute the "core" of the film. The story of the car accident didn't need to be there. A disturbed man does not need a logical reason to attack, he just needs to lose his reason and self-control. Giving an intelligible reason for Whitaker's character's actions, in addition to being redundant, is weakening the character and turning him into a villain that he is not. This really ruined the film for me.

The film has many violent and bloody scenes, including tortures and high tension situations. It's not a film to watch with your eighty-year-old grandmother or the children. However, the suspense works effectively, and the tension grows as the end approaches. The good design of the sets (in particular the dilapidated house) and the cinematography help a lot to create this hostile and sinister environment.