Review of Breathe In (2013) by Jennifer L — 01 Sep 2014

The stars are for the acting only. Guy Pearce is phenomenal as usual, but the story is a turgid, predictable Lolita fantasy. A family invites a young female musician into their home - one the same age as their daughter.

The couple has an obvious lack of connection. This is never explored in any meaningful way. Pearce's wife played by the very capable Amy Ryan is very one dimensional - we never get into her perspective but once.

She's flat and boring. The daughter is only slightly more interesting. Kyle McLaughlin has an inexplicable cameo as the old lecherous neighbor that's pushing 60 and making inappropriate comments about the 17 year-old exchange student played by Felicity Jones.

I guess it's supposed to foreshadow the gross attraction Pearce's character is beginning to have for the girl that has moved into his home (as an exchange student and for the time being under his care as much as his daughter would be).

I wonder if this narcissistic character would be happy to have the reverse happen. At any rate, the most predictable things occur amidst this throughly dysfunctional family - the relationship between the three not the least bit explored until it all blows up at the end.

Boring. Boring Boring. And insulting. We don't need another Lolita story. Nabokov wasn't a genius, he was a pedophile. And so is this character who doesn't have to make up for his actions in the least.

Terrible.