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IMDbPro

Wait Till Helen Comes

  • 2016
  • TV-14
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
784
YOUR RATING
Sophie Nélisse and Isabelle Nélisse in Wait Till Helen Comes (2016)
Trailer for Wait Till Helen Comes
Play trailer1:38
2 Videos
47 Photos
FamilyFantasyHorrorThriller

When a reconstructed family moves to a converted church in the country, 14-year-old Molly must save her new troubled step-sister from a dangerous relationship with the desperate ghost of a y... Read allWhen a reconstructed family moves to a converted church in the country, 14-year-old Molly must save her new troubled step-sister from a dangerous relationship with the desperate ghost of a young girl.When a reconstructed family moves to a converted church in the country, 14-year-old Molly must save her new troubled step-sister from a dangerous relationship with the desperate ghost of a young girl.

  • Director
    • Dominic James
  • Writers
    • Mary Downing Hahn
    • Victoria Sanchez
  • Stars
    • Sophie Nélisse
    • Isabelle Nélisse
    • Liam Dickinson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.0/10
    784
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Dominic James
    • Writers
      • Mary Downing Hahn
      • Victoria Sanchez
    • Stars
      • Sophie Nélisse
      • Isabelle Nélisse
      • Liam Dickinson
    • 17User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos2

    Wait Till Helen Comes
    Trailer 1:38
    Wait Till Helen Comes
    Wait Till Helen Comes
    Trailer 1:38
    Wait Till Helen Comes
    Wait Till Helen Comes
    Trailer 1:38
    Wait Till Helen Comes

    Photos46

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    + 41
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    Top cast26

    Edit
    Sophie Nélisse
    Sophie Nélisse
    • Molly
    Isabelle Nélisse
    Isabelle Nélisse
    • Heather
    Liam Dickinson
    • Michael
    Maria Bello
    Maria Bello
    • Jean
    Callum Keith Rennie
    Callum Keith Rennie
    • Dave
    Frank Adamson
    Frank Adamson
    • Mr. Simmonds
    Mary Downing Hahn
    • Mrs. Williams
    Abigail Pniowsky
    Abigail Pniowsky
    • Helen
    John B. Lowe
    John B. Lowe
    • Sheriff
    Darren Felbel
    • Edward
    Jerni Stewart
    Jerni Stewart
    • Girl #2
    Emily Ann Parker
    • Mrs. Miller
    Kally Berard
    • Girl #1
    Tom Young
    Tom Young
    • Banker
    Susan Kelso
    • Nurse #2
    Robin Ruel
    • Nurse #1
    Arne MacPherson
    Arne MacPherson
    • Molly's Dad
    Ethan Chernick
    • Cute Boy
    • Director
      • Dominic James
    • Writers
      • Mary Downing Hahn
      • Victoria Sanchez
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews17

    5.0784
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    Featured reviews

    4wes-connors

    Helen Cometh

    Somewhere in the country, a long-haired girl walks into a body of water. We do not see her face and assume she's the story's main character. That would be moody teenager Sophie Nelisse (as Molly). True, she could also be a 100-year-old ghost with the world's first hair curling iron. Apparently, the ghostly girl appears to get you interested in this story, and she serves as an attention grabber. The story shifts to 1982 Baltimore, Maryland, where our main family is moving. The children are the ones to watch. They are the alluring Ms. Nelisse, her little brother Liam Dickinson (as Michael) and their spooky little step-sister Isabelle Nelisse (as Heather). The family moves into a creepy-looking old church located next to a graveyard...

    When you see the family's darkly Gothic new home, you know weird stuff is going to happen. And, from the introduction of spooky little Isabelle Nelisse (the girls are real-life sisters), you know who is ripe for possession. The little girl immediately walks and acts like a ghost. In case you think she might be normal, we see her wander out in the woods and pick up a butterfly with her bare hand...

    Butterflies are normally shy around people...

    They don't like to be petted...

    This story is based on the novel "Wait Till Helen Comes" by Mary Downing Hahn, which was undoubtedly better. The author appears on screen, as a librarian. Her basic tale parallels most ghost stories, and it is nicely plotted. The relationships formed by a "step-family" add interest, but the film adaptation certainly doesn't make the most of them. Young Dickinson is most convincing as the initially skeptical little brother and it's nice to hear Nat King Cole's "Ramblin' Rose" is still getting airplay after all these years. Director Dominic James and his crew make the most of an atmospheric setting, which is nicely photographed by Rene Ohashi. It and the story take no time to grow and develop, however. Ghost stories should be much less direct.

    **** Little Girl's Secret (11/12/2016) Dominic James ~ Sophie Nelisse, Liam Dickinson, Isabelle Nelisse, Maria Bello
    2westsideschl

    Clearance Sale - Hauntings

    Money has to be the primary motive for making this: 1. The so-overused storyline of family (typically at-odds young female with younger brother) and in this case another (usually female) young one added to be the ghost recipient. 2. Also redundant: Family moves to rural house that (guess what?), not only looks haunted, but is haunted by (guess what?) deceased (and tragically of course) former family member (s). 3. Cheap effects and scenes starting with the so cheaply boring opening scenes of family in car driving on road. Help! Followed by cheap creepy sound effects; closing doors; moving furniture; lights flash; papers fly - you know the script. Oh, and cheap ghostly image. 4. Storyline continues to be non-creative (dare I say ripoff) of parents blaming older daughter for younger daughters behavior and so ends up doing research on house history at (guess where?) local library where we get to see (guess what?) old photos and news clips. 5. Ends predictably so if you want to ff you'll miss nothing. 6. No subtitles; poor enunciation; poor audio levels.
    jensmata

    Just read the book...

    No character development. Most of the book isn't even in this movie. Hard to even make out what's happening due to how dark it is. The sound quality is horrendous, which really just consists of extremely loud annoying screeching. This book was a childhood favorite and they succeeded in utterly butchering it on so many levels.
    6SnoopyStyle

    functional smaller horror

    Molly (Sophie Nélisse) loathes moving away from her late father's resting place in Baltimore. Her mother (Maria Bello) and writer stepfather Dave (Callum Keith Rennie) are taking her, brother Michael and troubled stepsister Heather (Isabelle Nélisse) to an isolated home in a small town. She starts to suspect Heather is falling under the influence of a spirit of a dead girl.

    This is a smaller horror. It's good to some extend. Maria Bello is the big name but she's in the smaller mom role. The apparition is unnecessary and probably detracts from the horror. They should play more with whether Molly should be believed or not. Dave could have been a threatening presence that the audience could suspect some abuse. The dreamscape is not nightmarish enough. The ghost reveal should come later in the movie. Otherwise, it's a functional isolate haunted place horror. The kids are good although the ending is lackluster.
    2violin_babe101

    Read the book

    Don't bother with the movie. Read the book. they of course changed it so much and left out any character building and added their own stuff

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    Related interests

    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The town librarian is played by Mary Downing Hahn, author of the book on which the film is based. Hahn happened to mention during filming that she had always wanted to appear in a film of one of her own books, and the director added a small speaking role for her.

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    FAQ17

    • How long is Wait Till Helen Comes?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 20, 2021 (Poland)
    • Country of origin
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Little Girl's Secret
    • Filming locations
      • Winnipeg, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Agoodah Pictures
      • Caramel Films
      • Don Carmody Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • CA$9,100,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 27m(87 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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