Abandon

Upwardly mobile Katie Holmes (as Katie Burke) tries to concentrate on her college thesis while thinking about a career after graduation. Understandably a little stressed, Ms. Holmes has occasional flashbacks about beautiful blond ex-boyfriend Charlie Hunnam (as Embry Larkin). A rich bohemian artist-type, the charismatic Mr. Hunnam disappeared two years ago. Holmes has had no steady lover since then, although tree-hugging Gabriel Mann (as Harrison "Harry" Hobart) shows interest. Meanwhile, recovering alcoholic detective Benjamin Bratt (as Wade Handler) is assigned to investigate Hunnam's mysterious disappearance as Holmes is frightened by a stalker who looks just like him...

Multi award-winning writer turning director Stephen Gaghan gets good, steady cinematography from Matthew Libatique. However, the positioning of actors and set direction is sometimes obvious and distracting. Holmes has the messiest imaginable room but likes to straighten Bratt's pictures. Matches her psyche. Getting Holmes crotch-level with therapist Tony Goldwyn (as David Schaffer) matches the script. So, there is cohesion. However, you care more about what happened to poor "Harrison" than the lead characters, who come together for the predictable surprise ending. There is life-sustaining support from friendly Zooey Deschanel, mousy Melanie Lynskey and clean-cut Mark Feuerstein.

***** Abandon (3/1/02) Stephen Gaghan ~ Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt, Charlie Hunnam, Gabriel Mann

You might find going into this film, that it borderlines being a 'B' film. Not that it's bad, it's just not very good. Katie Holmes, being what I consider a mediocre actress, should really consider sticking to what she's good at. Playing, 'Joey' on "Dawson's Creek".

For a part this size and with this dark force behind it, the casting really made an error in hiring Holmes for the lead in this piece. While beautiful, and not a bad actress, her innocence and small voice make her the wrong flavor of tea for the pot they were preparing. It was not a bad film overall, however there were times, when it tended to drag on, not make a lot of sense, and although I did enjoy the end of the film (especially the last fifteen minutes, or so), the rest of the time, it was carried a bit awkwardly. Only one part was a bit intense, while the rest of the film, was in my opinion somewhat silly. For some, it might leave you guessing, but I unfortunately figured out the gist of the end of the film, right from the beginning. And, while there is a twist at the end, it still leaves one wondering why you wait nearly an hour and a half to get to that point.

The writing was average, the lighting and set design was good for this type of film, and again the casting was off, not only with Holmes, but also with Benjamin Bratt, who played the cop investigating the disappearance of Holmes' ex-boyfriend.

If you're bored and need a good Friday night flick, and want something a little intense, and dark...you might find that this is right up your ally, however don't hold your breath with an outstanding film, because you won't find it here.

Abandon is a very average movie. It's nothing that's going to blow the viewer away, but it's not a terrible movie either. Katie Holmes does a good job playing Katie Burke a student nearing the end of college, trying to get her thesis done and land a good job. The movie focuses on the investigation by Wade Handler (Bratt) into the disappearance of Katie's boyfriend two years earlier. Although the film had some good twists and wasn't really predictable, most of the characters other than Katie Burke came off as kind of flat and boring. Embry Larkin played by Charlie Hunnam as Katie's ex-boyfriend was made out to be a wonderful, highly talented genius, but he didn't seem anything special to me. I didn't think Wade Handler, the police officer investigating the disappearance, came across as an very interesting character either. Overall, I'd say that this is an all right movie, but I'd only watch it if nothing else better was available.

I went with my younger sister for the sole purpose to see the lovely Katie Holmes. I didn't expect much. But trash, the movie was not. I was very impressed with the story, the acting, the Hitchcock-like suspense, and the turn that occurred at the end. My favorite part was the library scene with the eyes behind the bookshelf. A big stepping-stone for Katie Holmes, who I think will continue to get starring roles and turn into a Natalie Wood like star. She is both beautiful and a good actress. This film is definitely a renter, and should have been better accepted when it was released, critic-wise and box office-wise. *** out of ****. Watch it and enjoy.

Katie Holmes is well-cast as an intellectual college student in this intellectual thriller, a strange bird of a movie to sit alongside the current batch of "teen" horror films (did you know that in this one the students actually - gasp!- study?). Admittedly it moves at a measured pace (some would say "like molasses"), and doesn't really take off until the last 2 minutes or so (!), when it presents a final twist which I, for one, did not see coming, and which saves the entire picture. All through the film you get the feeling they have something to show you at the end, and indeed they do, but perhaps they shouldn't have waited so long to get there. Excellent score and cinematography. (**1/2)