Reviews

Cary Elwes does an incredible job as Nick Ruskin. He acts with perfect emotion for every particular scene and brings a unique feel to the character portrayed in the book. Elwes does superb acting in this film, and really displays his range. After reading the novel, I was surprised by Freemans casting. He impressed me with his comittment to the character, however, during the film he seemed over-dramatic taking away from the realism of the story (what makes the film and novel so terrorizing). Ashley Judd played Kate McTieran well and portrayed Pattersons heroine with the courage and bravery expected. Where the movie falls short is in the script. The adaptation leaves out numerous key elements to the story. What makes the plot so riveting is the psychological trauma Cassanova and the Gentleman caller force onto their captives. With brief scenes portraying the womens captivity, they film takes away from the character development of the murderers and focuses too heavily on superfluous tidbits not necessary to the story. If you are seeking a true thriller, you may want to choose another movie. Although the film is entertaining and the acting decent, the novel is much better and the thriller genre is better utilized in other films.

I have not seen the Broadway play but so many people raved about the movie I decided to see it with a friend. The music was excellent but the movie was incredibly long and boring because the acting was terrible. I felt nothing towards the characters because the actors didn't build a connection with me through the character. The story line is somewhat interesting but I cannot feel any compassion for Rosario Dawnson's character. She gets involved with drugs and suddenly becomes a bum on the street. Maybe it is the actress herself who makes the character unpleasing both vocally and dramatically. Had she not screeched through three numbers I may have enjoyed the feature a bit more. If you don't seriously enjoy it, it will at least be enjoyable when you heckle it.