Orphan

Released: 2009

MPAA raing: R

Run time: 2:03

I didn't expect all that much from this one going in, although I did get some positive feedback from friends. At first glance, it seemed like some sort of "Omen" ripoff. On some basic levels, it was sort of similar, but the story ended up being so much better than I expected. A large part of the credit for that belongs to Isabelle Fuhrman, who is simply amazing as Esther, the orphan of the title. After an opening sequence setting up the story, we see Kate (Vera Farmiga) suffer the birth of a stillborn. After she and her husband, John (Peter Sarsgaard) get through the grief, they decide to add a child to their home (they have two) and end up adopting Esther from an orphanage. Esther is a very talented artist and is perfectly angelic. When she first arrives, she seems like a perfect addition to the family. It does not take long, however, for some weird things to start to happen around her. Kate starts to become very suspicious, while John thinks Kate is over-reacting to coincidences. In fact, John and Esther have a very strange relationship, which borders on creepy, almost pedophilia, at times. As tension starts to mount, Kate digs deeper into Esther's past and realizes she has some secrets that need to be explored. This sets up a very intense battle of wits between Kate and Esther and several very good plot twists along the way. This is a very well-done film with good performances all around. I can not say enough about Isabelle Fuhrman, who shows a wide range of talent moving seamlessly from sweet to absolutely evil. It is hard to believe a child can act so convincingly and carry such a dark film. I will actually go so far as to say this kid deserves an Oscar nomination! The other children are spectacular, also.

Grade: A-

Trailer: