ORPHAN (2009)

ORPHAN (2009)  

 "Kate and John Coleman are rebuilding their marriage after a troubled relationship, since Kate had drinking problem but is under therapy with Dr. Browning and has been sober for one year. Her addiction cost her job; a serious accident with their deaf-dumb daughter Maxine; and the abortion of their stillborn baby Jessica and John had a love affair ten years ago. They decide to adopt a child and when they meet the nine year-old Russian girl Esther at the St. Marina Orphanage, they immediately fall in love for the well-educated orphan. Max becomes close to Esther while her reluctant brother Daniel does not welcome his newcomer stepsister. Sooner Kate feels that Esther is manipulative and has some disturbance and she believes it could be hormone or borderline personality disorder but John refuses to listen to his wife and the wounds in their marriage reopen. Kate calls Sister Abigail in the orphanage and the sister advises Kate that Esther had been involved in many troubles in the past. When Sister Abigail visits Kate, Esther kills her with a hammer and is witnessed by the scared Max. When Kate goes further in the investigation of the past of Esther, she contacts the Saarne Institute, a mental hospital in Estonia, and discovers that the girl is not who she tells she is." 

CAST

Vera Farmiga ( The Departed ) stars as the troubled mother, Peter Sarsgaard ( Rendition ) stars as the very sympathetic father and  the evil orphan is played by Isabelle Fuhrman. CCH Pounder ( Avatar ) also stars.

 

DIRECTOR

Jaume Collet-Serra ( House of Wax )

 

REVIEW

From as far back as The Omen to more recent movies like Joshua, we've seen movies where kids are the tormentors of their parents and even the world, so the question is then, what can this movie bring to the table?

 

It remains to be said that if that is what you're thinking, then you will be pleasantly suprised to learn that this movie is as creepy and as sinister as they come. Not only is the little orphan a terror, and I mean that in all sense of the word TERROR, but Isabell Fuhrman plays her so well that you will sit with your mouth open as she executes acting which in some parts surpasses her adult actors! If anything watch this movie just to be amazed by her, her performance is incredible.

 

As for the story, as discussed earlier, this has been done before, but the ending will be such a shocker that I'll be amazed if anyone says those famous words, "I saw that coming" because they'll be blatantly lying!

 

RATING

I'm giving this one a wicked 7 out of 10 popcorn ( especially considering the genre it's in )

 

MOVIE BABE

No orphan to good looks, the insatiable Vera Farmiga!