Elsewhere

I always enjoy going back and watching actor/actresses work they did before they were household names. 2009 was very early in Anna Kendrick's career, although it should be noted she was nominated for an Academy Award for 'Up in the Air' which was released the same year. 'Elsewhere' came out first though and although it was likely very few recognised her at the time, they would've noticed she was a class about the rest of the cast. She's given some reasonably clunky dialogue in a lot of scenes in this movie and almost always finds a way to make it work.

The tone of the movie is a little off. It's dealing with some pretty serious subject matter, and yet at times it feels more like a romantic-comedy than anything else. I understand you have to build your characters up and keep them likeable, however don't do it at the expense of the tone of the film. This film was at its best when it was treating itself seriously and dealing with the dark subject matter at hand.

'Elsewhere' could've done with a lot of polishing, however it is certainly not unwatchable. Kendrick's performance and a decent whodunnit story-line are enough to keep it afloat. A generous 6/10.

Movie has okay acting, but the plot line is dull and clichéd, much like every other aspect of the movie. Cinematography is pretty artsy and tasteful, although much of it is blue-toned (reminiscent of Harry Potter 7 Part 1) for added mysterious and negative effect. No surprises with character development (there is hardly any) or plot twists (again, none) and while you might like it to watch Anna or Tania, you'd be better off watching the actors and actresses in better-formulated movies. You'll spend a better use of your time.

Also, I have a BIG BEEF with the setting!!!

This is SO not Goshen, IN. None of the picture or sets they used are actual places or even close to it. And Goshen has never had mysteries like women disappearing because of internet creeps....Ugh, this irritates me when they try to cliché real towns. Goshen's not even that small! And in fact, it's very much into the modern age - bigger and better than Elkhart, the neighbor city I grew up in, that's for sure. School systems are excellent, the County seat and Fairgrounds are there (2nd largest Fair in the country, and no that doesn't mean it's hicksville, we had Lady Antebellum two years ago), some of the best craftsmen in the country, and even a college. Geez, it's not some "small-town Indiana where bad things happen and kids feel trapped" like this movie wants to make it into. As a writer myself, I firmly believe that unless you are very familiar with with the city or town you are setting something in, you just need to make up your own town. Otherwise you make an entire audience view it in whatever light you want it to be for your story, and that's not fair to the city or the people that live there.

I thought this was a pretty good movie overall. It is not a horror but it contains a thrill or two. Its very real and it has a smidgen of mystery to it as well. I thought it was a good twist and I love movies that allow enough time for you to work out the ending or who it was! So some might say it was a 'slow' film. But it kept me interested long enough. It has pretty much no romance in it though. But I have grown to love the main character in lots of her movies overtime. So if your running low on movies to watch or a little bored you could enjoy this one. I enjoyed it. Corny, Mystery and humour all in the one. so i have rated it 7/10 because it doesn't really tickle my sensitive nerve which i love when movies do.

Although the Movie Looks Pretty Good and is Slickly Presented for a Very Low Budget Entry in the Teen Hottie in Peril Category, this is Far from an Engaging Story and is So Bland, Considering its Subject Matter, One Wonders, What's the Point?

If it's an Attempt at Making a Non-Gory, Serial-Killer, Social Media Warning, it Mostly Fails to Make an Impression, of Any Kind. It is Even Less than Mediocre Because it is Even Less than Anything Approaching Entertaining for its Target Audience.

The Acting is Universally Bad, Especially the Non-Hotties. The Trailer Park Mother is a Clichéd, Chain Smoking, TV Watcher who is So Familiar it Bores to Tears. The Shaking Alcoholic Mother of the First Missing Girl Overacts So Much it is Amazing the Director Allowed the Performance to Stand. The Male Actors, the Cop, the Nerd, and the Father are All just Awful.

Overall, it is Not Even Worth a Watch because it is Anemic, Embarrassingly Acted, and Fails to Deliver the Minimum of Suspense and Thrills that is Central to this Kind of Thing.

Note...For Fairness and Balance...there is one good Acting turn and that is Olivia Dawn York. She delivers the only believable Character in a Cast of Thespians who would have benefited from a Director that seemed to be Elsewhere.

(2009) Elsewhere THRILLER/ SUSPENSE/ MYSTERY

Watchable straight-to-rental Nancy Drew-like mystery thriller co-written and directed by Sheldon Lettich about a couple of missing teens, and the one looking for one of them who happens to be the star, Sarah (Anna Kendrick) of the movie's best friend, Jillian (Tania Raymonde) meeting someone on-line. Expect plot holes, logic and the fact that viewers may be able to guess the perpetrators doing this before the star herself even knows herself. I appreciate the fact that their are no cringing-like moments, and that the tone itself is reminiscent of a Nancy Drew novel.