anthonyjlangford

I worked in a nursing home for 5 years and saw things I did not want to see. I'll come back to that.

I've been watching John Lithgow for over 40 years (Buckaroos Banzai, Footloose) and Geoffrey Rush for 30 (Shine). Both are of course, phenomenal actors with a massive amount of A level work between them. And yet, watching this, their well known faces disappeared and became the parts they were playing. In essence, I forgot I watching a movie with iconic actors. It is truly terrifying. I felt very claustrophobic as though caught in that environment myself. With no discernible way out. The powerlessness of that situation is something that many can relate to. Is there anything more terrifying?

I'm also in my late fifties now and can see a future where a scenario like this is possible. No one wants to end up in a home. Trust me, very few go in willingly.

Back to my work experience. Some without experience may ask, how could this happen? It's not realistic. I tell you it is. Nursing homes are notoriously understaffed. Residents are left alone for much of the time. The staff that are there are well meaning (most, but not all), but they're underpaid and often clueless. Mostly, they're just overworked, leaving residents to their own devices.

There are many people with dementia and all sorts of physical and cognitive issues. I've had family members say to me that their loved one was gone and that only the body remained as their behaviour was completely against the person they once knew. The personality had been stripped.

The place I worked in from 2015-2020 did not have security cameras. Even the ones that do, do not have cameras in people's bedrooms for obvious privacy reasons. The bedroom is a place ripe for abuse.

Before you say Lithgow's truly twisted character did not have dementia, I knew a man who did not have dementia and was so cleverly sneaky. He would go into other residents' rooms. He would steal from people. I thought him capable of far worse. I only worked days so who knows what went on at night. There are no locks on bedroom doors. Everyone is vulnerable.

He was never caught stealing but I knew and so did others. At times, I and other staff might say something to him and he would say, 'I just picked it up over there', or some such excuse. No one saw him in the act so he was able to continue. He was very able bodied and a bit younger than most and I can absolutely see a situation as displayed in this film playing out. Class is stripped. This man was very working class and he sat in the lounge by the side of a elderly, distinguished actor, his mind half gone. Different backgrounds entirely, now with class tipped on its head. Much like the film.

Not only is it realistic, there is no way out. No one to help if you are unable to call out for it, like some of the people in this film. It's terrifying.

It's brilliantly directed with many deft touches (the cat under the table). The twisting camera angles. The light in Jenny's eyes. The creepy smile mask of the entertainer. The judge at times unsure where he was in space and time. (Great editing).

The sound design in particular, was very effective, adding immensely to the dread and fear. I had a hard time watching this all the way through.

Lithgow should be given awards for how expertly he brought such evil to life. I hated him so much, I wanted to do him in myself. He is brilliant. As is Rush. George Henare is also very good.

The concept itself is simple and yet never to my mind, displayed on film before.

I hated watching it but that's demonstrative of it's effectiveness, across the board. Utterly brilliant. I never want to watch it again.

Politics do not enter into this review. All 1 and 10 star reviews should be ignored. On this and almost any other film. Very few movies deserve such ratings.

I thought Mission to Mars was DePalma's worst film but this sinks even further into the deep pit which has sadly become the second part of his career, embodying example after example of lazy film making, terrible script writing and bad acting. Shoddy as all hell.

Parts of it are so terrible that it is laugh out loud funny. He's more concerned with using multi media techniques than working on a quality script that respects the seriousness of the subject matter. Every soldier cliche is used, as though it were written by a thirteen year old. Complete with confederate flags. It's insulting to the viewer.

Clearly some let their politics over-ride any semblance of subjectivity. Any one who respects the film making process will be, or should be, embarrassed by what's been dished up.

If students had made this for 10K it would be a decent effort though would still deserve criticism for its cliches and over the.top style. Yet someone with DePalma's lengthy and often highly successful track record, it's a travesty. Simply embarrassing.