User reviews

IRRESISTIBLE is a little film from Australia with big ideas and a clumsy script. The story itself is good with enough variation from the usual thriller scripts to make it enjoyable, but the writing borders on improvisation and doesn't provide the motivation for the development of the story to flow smoothly enough to maintain the credibility of the characters.

Set in contemporary Melbourne, Australia, the story begins in media res with our heroine Sophie (Susan Sarandon), a successful illustrator, wife of an equally important architect (Sam Neill), and mother to two little girls, hearing noises and finding odd incidents. Recovering from the death of her beloved mother and caring for her grieving father (Charles 'Bud' Tingwell), Sophie's stress factor is further heightened by the fact that she has a block about the illustrations for a book whose deadline is nearing. Her husband is supportive and encourages her to get away from her problems by attending a party given by a new associate of his at the firm - the bright and beautiful Mara (Emily Blunt) - who just happens to be wearing the same new dress Sophie has purchased for the party. The two meet, dance together, drink together, but innuendos have started: party guests offer condolences for her mothers death but also suggest she join AA for her 'drinking problem'.

Sophie's mind continues to fragment as she imagines she is being stalked by Mara because of events that happen in her house, with her wardrobe, and with paranoia that her husband and Mara are having an affair. She decides to observe Mara closely, discovering facts that feed her paranoia, and is caught in Mara's house - and arrested. From there the story disintegrates into revelation of facts that border on melodrama with ill-defined motivations marring every scene. To reveal the ultimate nidus for the story's plot would rob the viewer of what little surprises there are here.

Ann Turner could have used a script doctor before shooting this film, as the story is fine: it is just clumsy and not finessed. But once again Susan Sarandon proves she is such a fine actress that she can pull off even a spotty script and create a credible character. Sam Neill and Emily Blunt likewise do the best with what they are given with lines and direction. This is not a bad movie at all, just one that needed a bit of surgery before placing it on the screen, and the film is well worth watching for Sarandon fans. She still is one of our finest actresses on the screen today. Grady Harp

Okay first of all let me tell this. The reviewers that think this is one of the worst movie they ever saw must not have watched a lot of movies in their sorry life. I am the first to admit Irresistible is not a masterpiece but saying it's the worst is just ridiculous. The story is watchable even though you kind of see it coming from miles away. But it still remains a movie that keeps you entertained for an evening. Susan Sarandon en Emily Blunt are good actresses and in this movie they are as well. So for all the haters just watch some more movies, I'm sure you will watch thousands of worse movies then this one. I'm glad I watched this one. I probably won't watch it again but does it really matter?

Once you start watching this film you have to see it through to the end. It draws you in with a very strange tale which twists and turns and keeps you routed to the screen. The acting from the 3 main characters is superb. Emily Blunt's performance is absolutely stunning as the suspected source of Susan Sarandon's character's concerns and Sam Neill's character's attention. No spoilers!

Watch and see. My ideal rating would be 6.5/10

Susan Sarandon goes "slumming" in Australia and comes up with a pretty nifty thriller, IRRESISTIBLE. She plays a mom and wife and professional artist who begins to imagine things. She hears voices after her mother dies. Doors open and close of their own accord. Family photos disappear. An elderly neighbor swears someone dressed like Sarandon has been going in and out of her house! Changing the locks doesn't appear to help, and hubby Sam Neill is less than sympathetic. The solution comes at us unexpectedly, but then the writer or director decides to take it for one more turn -- at which point I was crying, "Enough!" It comes to A LIFETIME-type conclusion. Sarandon makes the film. Without her edgy performance as the aging, distraught mother, IRRESISTIBLE would be absolutely nothing. Neil is just window dressing.

Predictable, moderately solid...

And it could have been much better if only the plot wasn't so drawn out...

There is a lot of idleness, some situations are unnecessarily emphasized, some are insufficiently emphasized, even the acting in some scenes looks dilettante...

Regardless, I don't regret watching this movie because I'm a huge fan of both Susan Sarandon and Emily Blunt... for whom it's not possible to see all the endless finesse of exceptional acting quality in this movie, but not every movie can or should be a masterpiece- work, which does not mean that it is automatically trash.

A movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon, under a blanket with a cup of tea...

Was it the worst movie ever? No. Was it below mediocre? Yes. Surprisingly poor development for a reputable cast. I don't blame the actors, but rather the writer, director and editor. timing was off, story development was poor and unimaginative. I kept expecting it to go somewhere other than the obvious. It didn't. The ending was amateur at best. Don't rent it. Wait until it comes on the Sunday morning showcase on public TV when the weather forbids you from going outside, there are no children's shows or Gilligan's's island reruns on to compete for your attention, and you've already vacuumed 4 times. While it wasn't so offensively horrible like the other reviewer insinuated, there are definitely better things to do with your time (counting spots in the carpet, memorizing the different Chinese dynasties, talking to an imaginary friend).

Dreadful mess of a film. Lousy, mixed up plot, poor direction, strange choice of location, indeed a complete balls up of a film. Why Sarandon, an otherwise decent actress chose the script I can't imagine. Besides that, Sarandon is too old. Sam Neil is wooden, something which does work to his advantage in previous outings but not here. Emily Blunt is best as she is creepy, I suspect in reality too... The worst aspect of this film is it's sheer verbosity; with the dialogue stripped down 80% it would have been less risible. The locations were largely unsuitable, reminding me of Ramsey street; although with some variation and careful camera work their mundane nature could have added some desperately needed tension. The director isn't one I've heard of, hardly surprisingly; I'd suggest they turn to making washing powder commercials.

This film explores the darkness that exists in families because of secrets. It has a slow burn, but a deeply satisfying one. I really liked the way the ending was structured - it surprised and intrigued me. A lot of women will love this film and will find it resonates with their own lives, the tensions within it, the darkness and the light. The performances of the children are wonderful. And so are the performances of the rest of the cast. I was especially drawn to the Susan Sarandon character and loved the strength she displayed. It's wonderful to see a great actress in such a strong, central role. It's a stunning movie.

I noticed this listed in the TV section of the Sunday newspaper, and with its stars, and 2006 release date, assumed I'd missed it last year when it must have played theaters here, and I was out of the country for an extended period.

I also glanced at a few of this site's first few comments, and just encountered some highly-enthusiastic ones. Didn't have time to look at others, and then tonight tuned it in.

What a piece of nonsense - and I wish I had read some of the later comments. Can see why it went "straight to video." And as I read some of the later comments here during the earlier part of the flick, I must admit, though, I got somewhat fascinated by its awfulness.

Some movies are so "bad," they're almost fascinatingly "good." This wasn't one. The word DULL describes every aspect of the movie: the writing; the acting; the dimension (i.e. lack thereof) of the characters.

The little girls were cute and totally "cardboard" additions to the cast. Sam Neill looked like he needed a gallon of coffee, strong enough to provide a caffeine high, with a half-bottle of uppers dissolved in the brew. Susan Sarandon has proved herself a real pro at schlepping around in some of her past performances, but positively outdid herself here. The new, young ingénue, whom others here have praised, was only a bit less wooden than Sam, and did her share of schlepping as well.

I really had trouble even relating (much less caring) as to just what in the hell Susan was doing in her work. As an architect, it would seem that Sam, with his level of energy, would probably take a year to design a chicken coop.

And the ending's "big twist" (after a previous twist), was slightly confusing, too brief and undramatic, and by then, who in the hell would care anyway?

With a messy script and quite tedious pacing, this film doesn't really work. Sam Neill and Susan Sarandon do their best with desperately underwritten parts and Emily Blunt feels at times wasted in the role and at other times very miscast. The whole adds up to a waste of your time if you take the risk of watching it. You have been warned.

This is a pretty routine thriller elevated by good performances by a strong cast. The film centres on a wife who believes that a young woman at her husbands work is trying to steal her life.

The main point of interest is whether you believe she is being victimised or whether it's all in her head. It's all pretty straightforward and the plot goes pretty much where you think it will.

With a weak cast this would have been a pretty lacklustre film but thankfully this isn't the case. Susan Sarandon is simply excellent as the confused wife and Sam Neill is as solid as ever. Emily Blunt also puts in a good performance as the object of Sarandons apparent paranoia.

Irresistible has a few nice touches and does build some tension towards the end even if the main twist is signposted a long way from the end. This isn't a film you will probably remember greatly but it is reasonably entertaining and worth at least one watch.

Interested in a thriller with a twist ending, that's supposed to be Australian but really only stars Sam Neil? Check out Irresistible, a movie that tried hard to use cross-marketing with the top stars, but really only raised questions in the audience. Why did Susan Sarandon have an American accent when she had Australian parents? Why did her children have stronger Australian accents than their father, Sam Neil? Why cast a British actress, Emily Blunt, and force her to put on a difficult accent; she could have just been British for no reason like Susan was American. The answer is cross-marketing; the studio hoped American, British, and Australian audiences would desperately flock to the theaters and not notice the other people's accents.

Susan, as uglied up as much as possible, is made out to be a tired, haggard mother struggling to meet a deadline on her illustrated book. She has mental problems and hallucinates things, like someone sneaking into her house or following her around. Since she's so clearly displayed as being nuts, it's a sure bet that the plot won't be that straightforward. Either she's being gaslighted, someone else is nuts, or she has a very good reason for her irrational behavior.

Sam is her long-suffering husband, and while he does look pretty yummy in this movie, he doesn't look that way for his wife. It's Emily Blunt, his new assistant at work, who gets the best of him. Through her character - by far the most interesting in the film - we see how easy a work affair can start. She's a beautiful and sexy young woman with confidence and poise. Immediately, she compliments him on his desk's family photo, showing she is aware of his marital status and supports him being a family man. If he's interested, she won't make any demands on him. Emily truly is irresistible in this movie, as she prances around in killer outfits and moves like she's gliding through water. How can Susan compete?

She really can't, and that's not the point of the story. In fact, Susan's character devolved into someone so unlikable, I was actually hoping Sam would find some happiness with his "work wife". How's that for an audience reaction? Susan fans might want to skip this one, but if you love Emily or Sam, check it out.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. This movie uses quite a bit of "active" camera movement where the camera moves around to follow the actors, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, one of the scary flashes Susan hallucinates is of her children with slashed throats, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

This is a great film! Susan Sarandon is at her very best in a stunning and captivating performance. It is without a doubt, her most accomplished role since Dead Man Walking, and certainly at least equal to her award winning role in Thelma and Louise. Sam Neill and Emily Blunt both deliver extraordinary, mesmerising performances. Neill captures the sympathetic, but increasingly frustrated husband, whose motives you are never quite sure about, as he appears supportive and loving, but can he be trusted? Emily Blunt keeps you guessing and manipulates the audience with her superb performance.

The script and direction are both tight, flow well and create a wonderfully suspenseful, and tense mood throughout. The psychological drama which unfolds is both subtle and yet emotional and incredibly moving as the main character confronts the very past she has spent her life trying to suppress. The themes of this film – of loss, trust, and redemption – are universal themes which will speak to a range of viewers; you cannot help but be moved by its emotional power.

The ending is a wonderful double twist which is simply brilliant, original - and chilling. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see a first rate, highly intelligent, psychological thriller. It is a truly haunting journey watching this excellent movie.

A family in Melbourne (Sam Neill & Susan Sarandon) is threatened when a young woman attracts the husband at work (Emily Blunt). But is she really a threat or is the wife just paranoid?

"Irresistible" (2006) is a drama/mystery/thriller that throws in bits of "Fatal Attraction" (1987), "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), "Poison Ivy" (1992), "Single White Female" (1992) and "What Lies Beneath" (2000), but is unique enough to stand on its own.

The style of the filmmaking took me a little bit of time to acclimate to. I suppose you could criticize it as a Lifetime movie with a bigger budget. But there are several things to appreciate, including some well-done visuals and the inevitable revelations.

Neill is always effective as the male protagonist. Sarandon is past her physical prime, but still in shape and dramatically effective. As for Blunt, this is one of her earlier roles. So she's attractively youthful, but too thin; she'd fill out better for "Wind Chill" (2007).

The film runs 1 hour, 43 minutes, and was shot in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

GRADE: B-

I don't know why I watched more than 5 minutes of this movie. Well, yes I do. I was intrigued by the description that was written on the DVD jacket and, although I was thoroughly bored from the start, I wanted to see how "Sophie becomes completely caught up in her obsession, turning stalker herself - and makes a discovery more frightening than her worst fear." The description was misleading, but not as much as the title. I still don't know what "Irresistible" means relative the movie. Everything was bad about this movie. Susan Sarandon looked like she was straining to make her role believable. The plot was uninteresting and predictable. The "Twilight Zone" suspense and innuendo was annoying. If you are thinking about renting this movie, Don't! Find something else to do with your $4.99 and the 103 minutes of your life that could be wasted watching this film.

Despite what the previous reviewer said this is a very good film. The excellent globally known actors ( Sarandon and Neill ) portray their characters with subtle, very believable nuance and the virtual newcomer Emily Blunt plays off them like a seasoned vet. With great actors in place all you need is a good story to flesh out and this one hits the mark. Is Sarandon paranoid or is something or someone really unraveling her life, marriage and sense of what's real ? The trip to what happens is worth every second on screen and the ending not only has a twist but a second subtle and more mysterious twist right at the end that turns your first conclusions upside down. This film is well set up for a sequel (which I doubt will happen due to its release straight to video in the U.S>) but also stands very well on its own. Emily Blunt is a new actress with great talent and will surely become a big name once her work gets more exposure. The movie is well worth seeing if for nothing else than its very unique unresolved double twist ending.