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  Richard
  
Attwood
What Lies Beneath
USA, 2000
[Robert Zemeckis]
Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Joe Morton, Miranda Otto, Diana Scarwid
Action /
  
A welcome addition to the recent spate of supernatural thrillers, this effective tale of haunted houses and rocky marriages also benefits from a dependable cast in the two leads, Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford. As their daughter leaves for college and Ford�s work commitments grow, his wife (Pfeiffer) finds herself spending large amounts of time alone in the large house they are renovating. Her boredom and frequent insomnia mean she has far too much thinking time on her hands, and suspicious goings on next door lead her to suspect that all might not be rosy for their neighbours� marriage.

What starts as a hunch rapidly develops into an obsession, especially when she starts to see a ghostly woman in the house. See, it is different from
Rear Window after all. Her fear and determination to solve this mystery result in arguments with her husband, who�s patience is severely tested by her visions, especially when his work is at such a critical stage. He also worries that it might be a delayed side effect of the car crash she had the previous year and insists she visits a psychologist.

With the slasher and cheap-shock horror movies once more consigned to the dead horse flog-factory, this is the kind of film that offers a nice change of pace. Sure, there is the occasional attempt to make you jump out of your seat, but for the most part this is doors opening of their own accord and mysterious faces in reflections; it works satisfyingly well. It also has a developed enough story that when the creepiness is postponed in favour of relationship drama, it is still able to hold your attention.

Unfortunately, like the back of
Fallen�s video box, the trailer gave away a twist which, although only halfway through the film, you would be better off not being privy to. Despite the promotional department�s bungle, the ending more than makes up for this and although it is slightly too drawn out, with the tension probably being the wrong side of breaking point, it makes a satisfying conclusion to a very enjoyable film.
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