Hide and Seek (2005, DVD)

Watch out, Dakota Fanning is a force to be reckoned with. At the tender age of 10, she has already made her face known via a series of successful films including I Am Sam, Man On Fire, The Cat In The Hat and now this one, Hide And Seek. Aside from playing a startling variety of roles, Dakota is now (gasp!) dying her hair too. (And is it just me or are those teeth an awful lot bigger than just a year ago?) At this rate, she'll be married in another 3 years and go on to become the first female president of the United States. Stranger things have happened.

In H&S, Dakota plays Emily, a perfectly carefree little girl spinning on the merry-go-round. Her spiral turns downward after the horrific and bloody suicide of her mother. David (Daddy) decides that a move out into the country is just what the doctor ordered...literally, since he's a psychiatrist.

Well, no sooner are they settled in than does Dad (Robert DeNiro) discover that Emily has a new friend named Charlie. Charlie is imaginary, but you wouldn't know it considering he can rip baby doll faces in half and open windows that even David couldn't budge. You might have seen it in the papers... "Who is Charlie? What is Charlie? Where is Charlie?"

Well, he doesn't own a chocolate factory, get his clothes knocked off by flying baseballs, or compete with Hank for Irene's love.

This Charlie seems to think that David is responsible for Mommy's death. The obvious answer is that he is a manifestation of Emily's anguish over losing her mother. Oh, that it were so simple.

One thing H&S gets right is giving us a lot of suspects. Steven, the neighbor, sure seems to get friendly with Emily, as does the Sheriff who drops by now and then. Steven's wife is one of those old ladies who always seems to know more than she lets on about. Then there's Elizabeth, a freshly divorced mother of one who becomes a good friend to David. Finally, there's Emily's psychiatrist who looks like Sandra Bullock and offers advice from afar.

I guess it's kind of "the thing" lately to refer to actors/singers as looking/sounding "constipated". But I'd lie to say that DeNiro didn't look just that way here. I suppose, though, if you had just lost your wife you would look about the same. I can't exactly say whether or not he's brilliant, I think I'd have to see it twice.

Elisabeth Shue plays Elizabeth, and it is a surprise that she still looks so young. Indeed, this is the same one that played Ali with an I in The Karate Kid! I couldn't help but laugh out loud during one part that was meant to be scary, because it was so obvious they were trying to get in as many cleavage shots as possible.

My first assumption on some of the many clues was "uh..okay", 'cause I figured they couldn't possibly mean a thing. On the other hand, I heard a few people exiting the theater saying they had figured it out long before the end. So I don't know, maybe I'm just dumb.

Anyways! But, you know, at the same time there was also a lot of stuff that, even now, doesn't make sense, like Emily deforming Amy's doll, and the sound in the basement.

Having seen about as many movies in the month of January as in the last 4 months of 2004 combined, this old mind's in a comparing mood. But normally, I wouldn't feel inclined to give very high marks to this one. Still, it has stood out in my mind and I wouldn't mind seeing it again.

Given the chance to see it with friends, I would probably worry more about them not liking it, since there isn't much of a "niche" for it. It's not really scary enough to be horror, it's way too dark for a simple "family movie" (although on many other counts, it passes well for one), it's kind of slow for a suspense. Mystery is where it fares the best.

Hide And Seek is not what a lot of people would consider brilliant or profound. But if you go, you'll have a good time and you'll talk about it afterwards. If that's enough to float your boat, then sail on my friend.