It was absolutely incredible. So tense and horrifying, and Elizabeth Olsen was amazing in it. Definitely one of my favorite movies of the year, and incredibly haunting. The robbery scene was one of the most chilling movie moments of the year. A

Review: http://www.worldofkj.com/article.php?i=495

Elizabeth Olsen deserves the praise.

I liked the movie, it definitely stays with you.

Best movie of 2011 for me. I dare say a classic in the psychological descent into the heart of darkness subgenre, and there's been lots of good ones in it. Doesn't need any visual, editing or overblown emotional breakdown hijinks to terrify the crap out of you, just a unnervingly still camera and lead character, two entirely claustrophobic, unescapable settings and a TWBB like score. It's raw darkness. This is the Elizabeth Olsen to the skin deep phony Black Swan's Ashley/Mary Kate. Also, OUTSTANDING ending

It's pathetic that Meryl Streep got nominated for a role she could perform even if she went both deaf and blind while Elizabeth Olsen didn't. She is by far and away the only actor (male or female) who completely commanded the movie she was in, and for a first time outing that's unbelievably impressive. She makes the movie.

As for the film itself, the tone is perfect. The movie does a great job of creating a sense of never ending dread that just stays throughout its entirety. I also thought did a very affecting job with the use of sound during the last twenty minutes of the film. There was a low pitch that just seemed to keep building until the very end which definitely gave the film an even more of a sense of uneasiness.

There were a couple of scenes towards the end that involved the sister that I thought absolutely brought the film to a halt, and that song Hawkes sings was a little too on the nose, but other than that, I though it was well done.

**** (A-)

i turned it off, life is short and I don't eat healthy

Well-shot and acted but ultimately hollow. The ending is complete bullshit too. I like a good ambiguous ending as much as the next guy, but here it simply doesn't work.

I can see how one would find it hollow as the movie is about someone whose unable to process their emotions and memories, but it's technically flawless. The sound editing made what could have easily been silly transitions mesmerizing, and there isn't a poorly framed shot to be found.

Being this subtly sinister is not an easy tone to master. I personally preferred We Need to Talk About Kevin for it's startling imagery and deeper psychological insights, but thanks to Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes pitch-perfect acting it's not far behind that film and The Last Circus among 2011's strong crop of intellectual horror films.

A-

I absolutely adored this. I didn't have many expectations for it and it really surprised me. Elizabeth Olsen is fantastic here and deserved an Oscar nomination. She was wonderful. The film is incredibly haunting and intense. I also loved the ending, it didn't bother me at all.

9/10

Wow, couldn't possibly disagree more. Except that I agree that it was well shot.

Hollow is the last word I'd use to describe this (harrowing, frightening, powerful is what I would use) and I thought the ending was perfect.

Yeah I'd call this like the opposite of hollow. Like a sushi piece with no seaweed wrapping.

Booorrrriinngggg.

With a terrible ending.

But Olsen was really good.

Very chilling film and Elizabeth Olsen is aces and John Hawkes is quite spectacular as well. ***1/2

This.

I'm not sure why people hate the ending so much. It's so...perfectly paranoid and creepy and melancholy. This movie obviously wasn't headed for a tie-the-bow-neatly climax.

YOU'RE BOTH TERRIBLE AND BORING.

But really, this is in my Top 3 for 2011.

One of last year's best films, indeed. The editing in it is TERRIFIC. The way the blend in the flashbacks with the present narrative...wow.