Desolation Sound (2005) User Reviews

Average TV-movie: not good, not bad. Nothing spectacular

[NoName1989 · 6/10 · 26 November 2006]

The only reason why I planned to watch this film, was the name of the film. I think "Desolation Sound" is an excellent name for a movie. It attracts the attention. I expected a lot of this film, even though it was a TV-film.

I was disappointed after seeing it.

It was't by far as good as the title sounds. The acting was mostly pretty good, the cinematography was by moments also nice and the music was pretty good to.

But in general this is an average film that is enjoyable at some moments. If you don't expect too much of it, you will find it O.K.

sound off

[wrlang · 4/10 · 30 September 2006]

Desolation Sound is about two longtime friends that have a falling out. The friend made out with the husband, the wife made out with the constable, the daughter sleep walks, and the local bike riding village idiot is an ex-con. As Joy's husband (Tracey) takes of for a few weeks in Alaska on a picture shoot, Beals arrives to visit her blood girl friend Joy at desolation sound and engages in death by friend. Only Joy doesn't get it at first so she hides the murder in her rose garden with the help of local idiot Bluteau, changes her hair color, and sleeps with the local constable (Begley). When the constable and the husband find out about the death they take the path less chosen. Technically a pretty good film, but it moves a little too slow.

Has a Serious Case of Schizophrenia.....

[sophybliss · 3/10 · 2 July 2005]

Not the characters, mind you, the movie! Apparently the screenwriter (Glynis Davies, who appears as "Kathy")had several ideas of what was going on, but never really chose one to focus on. First we meet Laurel, Michael & Margaret Elliot. Laurel is scattered, nervous, seems to have something going on, but what is it....we never find out. Elizabeth sleepwalks, even venturing out on the roof (aha! important plot contrivance!), so maybe that's the focus, but no....not really. Michael is a photographer conveniently sent away on a six week assignment, just as Laurel's sexy "friend" Elizabeth (Jennifer Beals) shows up. He hangs around just long enough to establish that he and Elizabeth have had an affair, she smolders at him, he says "no" unconvincingly, then he's gone until the end of the movie. There seems to be more back story with this family, but it's never revealed.

Desolation Sound gives off some spooky vibes in the beginning. There's a somewhat pathetic ex-addict guy who lives in a trailer,is Margaret's playmate (!!) and makes incredibly creepy puppets. After Elizabeth meets her fate, he steals some of her hair & makes a witchy looking puppet of her. Could Elizabeth's spirit be inhabiting Laurel, who dyes her hair black (like Elizabeth), starts smoking (ditto), becomes a slob (she was a neat freak before, which Elizabeth made fun of), and begins making bizarre witchy drawings??? She even has a quickie with the local cop (also Elizabeth-like). Laurel and Elizabeth made a blood pact! O-o-o-o, Could Laurel be possessed??? Nah, she's just weird apparently.

This movie tries to be many things and ends up being a confused mush of nothingness. The acting isn't very good, there are lots of plot points left hanging (why DOES Laurel see the cop car after she dumps Elizabeth's suitcase in the lake???) and in the end there isn't a real resolution, just a convenient diary entry that gets Laurel off the hook. Bleah, give me "Diabolique" (1955 version, please) any day over this trash!!

Good independent Canadian flick with a cold, cold heart (some spoilers for early events)

[thesnowleopard · 9/10 · 5 August 2005]

This little noir thriller from Vancouver plays out a destructive friendship between a depressed housewife and her childhood friend to an ugly conclusion. Laurel (Helene Joy) and her husband Michael (Ian Tracey) live in Desolation Sound on the coast of British Columbia with their daughter, Margaret (Emily Hirst). The movie doesn't waste time establishing them as a very unhappy family. The first scene shows Laurel and Michael rescuing Margaret from sleepwalking on the roof. The girl also steals things. Then, there's the girl's playmate, a really weird French-Canadian ex-con named Benny (Lothaire Bluteau, who is very good in a perfunctory supporting role). Benny lives in a trailer behind the house and makes creepy puppets with real hair. Yup, everybody has issues in this one. Soon after, Michael, a wildlife photographer, gets an assignment in the Aleutians which could solve the family's financial problems for quite some time. He takes it, despite Laurel clearly being unhappy about his always being on the road and the kid being miserable about his leaving again.

Before he goes, Laurel's best friend, Elizabeth (Jennifer Beals), shows up unexpectedly. Her father has just died and she's fishing for sympathy. She is also an emotional pyromaniac. The film never comes out and says what her problems are, but words like "sociopath" and "borderline personality disorder" seem to float around her like the haze from the cigarettes that she smokes. Nor does she bring out the best in Laurel, who is already running around playing a distorted version of Supermom with a fixed, skeletal grin on her face. Elizabeth makes snarky comments to all and sundry, which Laurel cheerily waves off. Meanwhile, it's clear to the viewer (though not yet to Laurel) that Elizabeth has either seduced Michael already or is working on it really hard.

Michael leaves. Laurel and Elizabeth go out to a bar where Elizabeth gets drunk and confesses to being an alcoholic (as if this weren't already obvious). She also confesses to having slept with Michael. Laurel doesn't take this well, getting up and smacking Elizabeth twice in the face before storming out with Margaret. Later that night, Elizabeth comes home, ingratiates herself back inside the house and then goes up onto the roof...and it all goes pear-shaped after that. Especially once Michael gets back early from his assignment.

The script and direction are cold and clinical, which suits the two main characters and their problems. For a loving mom and smoldering slut, Laurel and Elizabeth are icy to the core. The beautiful, dark BC coastal scenery and some of the background music (particular RedSuedeRed's "Unlike You" during Laurel's scenes of artistic excess) contribute to a general feeling that the characters are drowning in cold water. The acting is good overall, especially Tracey as the husband and Hirst as the little girl. The scenes between father and daughter give the film its only real warmth.

Canadian films often take tired situations and turn them upside down. People don't do what you think they will and things don't turn out the way you expect. This one is a good example and is well worth a look.

Had me from the start!

[researchqueens · 9/10 · 4 July 2005]

I really enjoyed this film. I like the way the kid was acting out the mother's distress..re: the sleepwalking, stealing..etc. The layering of this film is lovely. It shows the complex nature of friendship and how we mirror each other's fears. I have been to the West Coast and was blown away how beautiful the cinematographer captured the look of it. The night scenes were so captivating I felt like I was there again. The subtleties in the script keep you thinking long after it has ended. I easily became emotionally attached To the characters and the general spookiness of it gave it a nice edge. The writer left out needless filler conversation leaving it to the Director to complete the moment. I was a little nervous about seeing Jennifer Beals again but her performance was outstanding. Refreshing to See a film less concerned with fast cuts and cheap fillers but Confident of it's slow pace and great writing.

Draws you in then holds you in a gripped suspense

[annaandian · 8/10 · 4 July 2005]

Desolation Sound is a tastefully constructed thoughtful picture. It keeps you thinking long after the final credits. Haunting, spooky. I always new Jennifer Beals was good. This movie proves it. Helene Joy and Beals should work together more often. I would like to have seen more of Lothaire Bluteau. This was a good ensemble cast. The script was full of subtle nuance. I want to go to that place Desolation Sound. So beautiful to look at, a perfect place for this scary story to live. Perhaps there was too much music, although I liked the theme song. The director did a great job telling this story. I thought it was going one way then it surprised me. Really enjoyable. It just stays with you.

Haunting

[seenalot · 4 July 2005]

I want to see this movie again. So many details. Great to see Jennifer Beals and Lothaire Bluteau. The acting is really, really good. Nothing is over stated. The puppets were dark and shadowy. This movie has a lot of depth and psychological intrigue. The film makers took me on a scary ride. Weird to see Ed Begley Jr. in a movie like this but oddly enough he worked in the part of the cop. His wife "Kathy" (who also wrote the movie) was good but we needed to know more about her. The location was beautiful. Too bad we didn't get to see more of the area. The story was not so very original but it was surprising how quickly they sucked me in, I was really scared for "Laurel" This story was creepy but there was something so very beautiful about it all at the same time.

I wish I knew what this song was called can anyone help me?

[tweetiechick620 · 3 June 2006]

Well II just saw this movie last night, but not for the first time but there's this song that I would really like to know what it is called. It comes on around the time after she goes to yoga and she puts the wine glass to her lips. It has a creepy feel type of rhythm but it also has piano keys. And I believe it starts out "Remember me when you write at night", or something along th lines of that, can anyone help me out? I'd really appreciate it. This was an incredibly good movie and that song made it even better in my opinion, but maybe I just like it because it sounds depressing and I love depressing music. It seems that this song would relate to me, my life, I lost the love of my life, not in death but in my heart, he hates me and this song helps.