Review of Dark Corners (2006) by James S — 14 Aug 2012

Thora Birch is a good actress. She was stunning in Ghost World and American Beauty and even though The Hole wasn't the best horror movie in the world, it was at least better than this mis-guided psychological thriller with a hefty dose of gore lumped upon it.

Birch has duel roles as two girls, one blonde, one dark, who seem to dream of each other. She goes to see shady doctor Toby Stephens who attempts to put a stop to her nightmares of a serial killer currently doing the rounds, so that she can concentrate on getting pregnant via IVF.

The story moves back and forth between the two Thora's and some of it very well shot and her performance is markedly different between her two personas. That's just about all that is good about Dark Corners.

Elsewhere the film takes advantage of the fact that dark haired Thora just happens to work at an undertakers to throw in some gory moments. Toby Stephens seems to be doing some sort of feeble Hugh Grant impression while the endless scenes of weirdos of the bus wearing funny clothes add nothing and are never explained.

Director Ray Gower shows off some skill with his use of lighting and some extreme close ups which generate a sense of not knowing what is real and what is not but we're all waiting for the big twist to come along and see just exactly how this multi-stranded story fits together and which of the Thora's might be the real one.

It doesn't happen. The ending has been described as open to interpretation but isn't that just a fancy way of saying it doesn't make sense. The climax is quick and unsatisfying leaving the film on a very frustrating note.

Thora Birch is still a fine actress and she is the only thing that really holds this film together and stops it from being a total disaster but even she can't save something with so many holes in it that it was bound to sink from the start.