Review - Dark Places

If a film's title is called DARK PLACES, you better expect it to be dark. And director Gilles Paquet-Brenner's latest film stays true to its title, though the end result is not entirely satisfactory. Regardless, it's a film that, while not being too proud of its structural integrity, I did enjoy.

Libby Day (Charlize Theron) narrowly escaped being included in her family's massacre as a child, and now, as an adult, is still haunted by the past. Since the moment 28 years ago when she testified against her brother, Ben (Tye Sheridan), who was convicted of the crime and given a life sentence, Libby has led a shell of an existence, living off of the money donated to her by strangers and the sales of an "autobiographical" book that she didn't even write. But when the Kill Club, a group of "solvers" who work through old cases, approach her to ask for her help in absolving Ben of the murders, Libby is thrust into the dark undertows of her past. She must contact people she'd never have contacted again to unravel the mystery, including her brother (later played by Corey Stoll), estranged father (Sean Bridgers) and her brother's old girlfriend (Chlöe Grace Moretz).

While the concept of the film sounds fascinating, the final result is a film that is far from perfect, but still wraps you up in its intensity. The voice-over narrative is either an attempt to connect you with the protagonist or to give the story more of a film-noir feel, but on neither account does it actually have any impact -- in fact, the film lazily relies on the voice-over, dropping Libby's backstory and characterization into your lap. But though the first twenty minutes are lush with forced exposition, you don't ever really get a moment to sink your teeth into her pain.

However, once the plot picks up, you will find yourself sucked into the eddy of clues that Libby finds as she begins to map out the actual events of that night. Her present journey is interspersed with brief flashes of her memory of the night, and various scenes from her brother's perspective leading up to the event. So a lack of effort in Libby's character may bring the film down, but the plot evens out the score a bit. No mercy is spared for the Day family as bit by bit of horrifying information gets thrown into the mix, notes of child molestation and Satanic rituals to name a few. Again, not perfect, as the scenes seem crammed in at times, but that, perhaps, is the downfall of a screenplay adapted from a book -- and as a result, you will feel some form of connection with Libby by the end of the film.

Given the crowded plot line, the cast does a pretty solid job. Theron is intriguing as the mean-spirited, self-centered woman that Libby has become, and Christina Hendricks carries the family as Libby's harried mother in the flashbacks. Overall, DARK PLACES may not be too high up on the list of films to see, but it also isn't a waste of cinematic space, and it does have some heart. Check out the film and see for yourself this week at the Midtown Cinema!