Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9476 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-12-10
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 100 minutes

DVD Description
After New Orleans hospice worker Caroline (Kate Hudson) answers a help wanted ad, she finds herself working as the live-in caretaker of Ben Devereaux (John Hurt), a stroke victim who has lost his ability to speak. Ben's wife, Violet (Gena Rowlands), presents Caroline with a skeleton key to open any door in the house with the exception of one, which she claims she has never been able to open. But curiosity gets the best of her, and Caroline opens the door to find a wealth of materials representing the old house's history of hoodoo, an ancient form of folk magic. She soon discovers that the house harbours a dark secret one that Violet knows more about than she first admits. Breaking her string of lighthearted romantic comedies, Kate Hudson gives a performance that proves she's more than capable of playing a feisty damsel in distress. Ehren Kruger's (The Ring) script gives her some physically demanding scenes, while providing the audience with a steady string of effective jolts culminating in a twist that few are likely to see coming. Louisiana's swampy, heavy atmosphere is literally a character in the film, while Gena Rowlands, at age 75, astounds once again with one of her most surprising roles.

Synopsis
After New Orleans hospice worker Caroline (Kate Hudson) answers a help wanted ad, she finds herself working as the live-in caretaker of Ben Devereaux (John Hurt), a stroke victim who has lost his ability to speak. Ben's wife, Violet (Gena Rowlands), presents Caroline with a skeleton key to open any door in the house with the exception of one, which she claims she has never been able to open. But curiosity gets the best of her, and Caroline opens the door to find a wealth of materials representing the old house's history of hoodoo, an ancient form of folk magic. She soon discovers that the house harbours a dark secret one that Violet knows more about than she first admits. Breaking her string of lighthearted romantic comedies, Kate Hudson gives a performance that proves she's more than capable of playing a feisty damsel in distress. Ehren Kruger's (THE RING) script gives her some physically demanding scenes, while providing the audience with a steady string of effective jolts culminating in a SIXTH SENSE-style twist that few are likely to see coming. Louisiana's swampy, heavy atmosphere is literally a character in the film, while Gena Rowlands, at age 75, astounds once again with one of her most surprising roles.

Customer Reviews

Hoodoo, you believe, your are?
Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson) is a hospice caregiver living in New Orleans. She still feels guilty for letting her father die alone. She feels that the xxx is just a money factory and sets out to find someone that she can really take care of at the ending g time of his/her life.

An opportunity arises in an old mansion located in the swamps of Louisiana. There Mr. Ben Devereaux (John Hurt) has had a stroke and only a few months to live. Mrs. Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands) does not want Caroline to be there but is convinced by her estate lawyer to keep Caroline on.

Soon Caroline is given a skeleton key that opens every door in the house. However she finds that a hidden door in the attic does not open. Ben had his debilitating stroke in the attic and Violet seems suspicious so Caroline turns to the estate lawyer Luke (Peter Sarsgaard) with her suspicions.

Will Caroline be a good girl and just leave Ben while he is dying?
Will Caroline get to nosy for her own good and try to open the hidden door?
Are Caroline's suspicions founded or is she just being melodramatic?

This movie is just jam packed with great actors. After you get over how Kate Hudson looks like her mother and her miraculous recovery from her recent pregnancy, you realize that you are watching the movie and the character of Caroline. And hoe did John Hurt make it through the whole movie and you did not notes that he did not say anything except a one liner" Ca-ro-Line! Help me!"? We get our first ominous warning from Jill (Joy Bryant) whose character gives the original feel of normalcy to the story. The whole film is glued together and hinges on the character of Violet played to the hilt by Gena Rowlands.

If you like this maybe it is and maybe it isn't type of story then you need to watch a movie based on "Conjure Wife" by Fritz Leiber. His story has the same feel "Night of The Eagle, aka Burn Witch Burn" (1962) with Peter Wyngarde as Norman, and Janet Bliar as Tansy.

Engrossing
A most entertaining movie with a twist in the tail. Very good for the genre.

Great sound
If you've got a half-decent sound system connected to your HD DVD player, you will enjoy this disc. I'm not a particular fan of the horror genre, but it helps having creepy sounds coming at you from all directions and the drama is quite effective, although I wasn't concentrating 100% on first viewing.