Fractured

This movie had so much potential in it's story but the way the movie is directed and acted will make u want to punch the director and ask what was he doing. The movie started off pretty good and i was quite convinced that i might actually be watching a good psychological thriller movie but after a bout 20 minutes into it,a lot of terrible acting by a bunch of actresses started making me doubt it. And then Eric Roberts started his usual overacting that he does nowadays in the dozens of low budget movies he signs up to. I have nothing against Eric Roberts or independent/low budget film making. In fact, it makes me happy each time i stumble upon a good low budget production or a good Eric Roberts performance. This movie had none of the both. At one point it started getting ridiculous and it only got more and more ridiculous by the minute. And the lead actress,what can i say. A pretty face but no talent in acting. Her character cries a lot for most of the movie but other than that,the character does little of anything else and the actress was not doing a good job of convincing us of her emotions. If only the director understood the potential his story had and how he could have made this into a very good movie with some solid performance, my review here would have been totally different. I didn't expect Oscar quality when i started watching the movie but this wasn't what i expected too.

I beg to differ with the previous reviewer. My feeling from the very outset of viewing this psychological thriller was that I had better keep my intellect sharp throughout the film as the plot twists and turns were plentiful and not obvious. I feel that the lead actress who plays May, Athena, does a powerful job of keeping us on the edge of our seats with her intense and quite convincing psychological pain. To be in a situation where you would not be believed about your observations about a person in power (Eric Roberts) would cause intense angst ; which she clearly showed. This is definitely a movie that intelligent and emotionally evolved individuals would appreciate. To be able to "keep present" with the pain and obvious "detachment from self" that the main character was going through takes both mental and emotional stamina. As Mirabai Starr, the author of The Dark NIght of the Soul would say to May -" step around the poisonous vipers that slither at your feet, attempting to throw you off your course. Be bold. Be humble. ... Ask no permission from the authorities. Slip away." from The Interior Castle by Mirabai Starr. Unfortunately, May was unable to "slip away". The Doctor, played by Eric Roberts certainly convinced me that he was a devious, sick psychiatrist using and abusing his authority to get into the minds of his helpless victims and even attempt to pin murders on them in their vulnerable states. It actually brings forward a very important issue in society today; the abuse of Doctors in positions of power. People like May go to Doctors to get help and assume these Doctors are ethical. It's obviously not always the case. After all, there are always "jackals" out there. In conclusion, this movie really made me think. I thought the directing was excellent, I was totally convinced of the sick nature of the Doctor played by Eric Roberts and Athena was a very convincing vulnerable psychiatric patient. As a former English Professor, I would love to have my students view this thriller to see if they can untangle the multiple levels of plots and talk about the need for more checks and balances in mental health professionals.

This sounded like (from the movie description) it would be a pretty good psychological thriller.

A plus for me was that it had Eric Roberts whom I usually like in movies. It also had Gary Busey, who plays an excellent bad guy, so I was quite interested to see him explore his light side.

I almost got to 15 minutes in. I had to turn it off, the acting was really atrocious, even from Eric Roberts and Gary Busey. I was surprised to say the least. I was so embarrassed for all of the actors. I don't know if it was the script, the directing or whether it was just bad acting...?

Such a shame.... I was looking forward to seeing a good thriller. Sadly, I was disappointed.

My advice to you? Don't bother.... there are better things you can do with your time.

There are probably two appeals Fractured has to lure audience; the comedy and eye candy. It is amazing how abysmal the production value is, some short clips from Youtube are better than this wreck. Shoddy camera work, juvenile writing and the plastic acting will erase any glint of horror, if there's any to begin with. There's always the use of attractive females for thriller, mainly they are dressed in skimpy outfits or tank tops. Fractured has nearly all ladies cast, it's ridiculous and highly improbable. Chances are audience would not be able to take it seriously, let alone invest on the horror.

Story revolves around May, a young and troubled girl. She has previously tried to commit suicide and is now in the care of Dr. Jason Ballard (Eric Roberts). Plot is hectic as the movie tries to introduce a group of equally confused young women, but their acting is incredibly and agonizingly bad. May looks really silly and rigid, her reactions are downright atrocious. At times, it's unclear if she's stammering, crying or laughing.

The rest of the women are also bordering on overacting. Every girl in the kind doctor's house wear revealing outfits, even the maid and wife. It's just awkward and lacking any direction. Script is horrible as it uses melodramatic speech like teeny diary. The way they are delivered make afternoon telenovela looks like Academy Award material. Not to mention there's heavy innuendo throughout the movie, fright is the least of its goal.

It also has the luxury of awful camera work. Scenes are shaky and out of focus. There's barely any suspense to speak of, the usual amateurish practical effect or random whispering cannot be considered thrill. The film attempts to use psychology as an anchor and it also gives a few twists, but these are basic at best. Audiences might be numbed by the time they reach the halfway mark, and there's more painful spectacle ahead.

Fractured is a horror flick that is more humorous than frightening, if it's meant to be a horror at all.

Lets first look at story. A complex piece that has all elements to entertain the viewer. The reason, it is layered with subplots and subtexts that keep you thinking. Secondly, the acting: yes this is an indie film - all the better. The actors maintain a nuanced and non linear performance. The leads carry the film and entertain the audience. The genre: for a psychological thriller, the difference in this one than any I have seen is that it is NOT JUST A THRILLER! This separates it from the rest. It has a romantic element. And it is well established. And it gives the film a different feel. This makes me like the film more. The ending, very ending that is, leaves you suspended to think. That makes the film INTELLIGENT. For the above, and a lover of true indie films, this film is a 8/10 for me.