Penny Dreadful (2006)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Richard Brandes

Writers:

Richard Brandes (screenplay)
Diane Doniol-Valcroze (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 November 2007 (Malaysia)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Don't forget to breathe...

Plot:

Young Penny goes on a retreat with her psychologist; the intention is to help her overcome her phobia, an intense fear of cars. Unexpected events find her in a nightmarish situation where her worst fears come true. |

Plot Keywords:

Phobia | Car | Psychologist | Throat Slashed | Flashback

Cast

Rachel Miner	...	Penny Deerborn
Mimi Rogers	...	Orianna Volkes
Chad Todhunter	...	Alvin
Mickey Jones	...	Eddie
Liz Davies	...	The Hitchhiker
Michael Berryman	...	Gas Station Attendant
Lucy Rogers-Ciaffa	...	Young Penny
Elyse Mirto	...	Penny's Mother (as Elyse Marie Mirto)
Tammy Filor	...	Mary Saunders
Casey Sander	...	Truck Driver

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/terror, some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Malaysia:18PL | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Big Bear, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Brandes Films International

Trivia:

Plagued with horrible weather, the cast and crew had to work through a sandstorm and several inches of snow in order to finish production.

Goofs:

Continuity: When they're driving up into the mountains, the moon is in first quarter. But when the storm hits a few hours later, the moon is full.

Perhaps An Acquired Taste, But I Liked It

Penny Deerborn (Rachel Miner) and her therapist, Orianna Volkes (Mimi Rogers) take a trip to help Penny overcome her fear of cars. But as with any horror film, things go wrong and the car they are traveling in ends up becoming a prison for Penny (wedged between two trees). Oh, and there's also a serial killer loose in the woods.

What is going to be the real deal-maker (or breaker) for this film is if the audience can relate to Penny's fear of cars. Roughly an hour of the film has her in the car by herself being scared. Not much of a plot, or much dialog -- just the actress and her expressions of fear. Many viewers will find this intensely boring. I, however, could relate quite well with this (as someone with anxiety, I often experience attacks in cars and can put myself in her shoes -- if I had been Penny, I would have been much less brave).

Rachel Miner deserves full credit for being amazing. I was not really familiar with her before this, though her name was somewhat known. She seems to have a very solid range, if this movie is any example -- she was asked to carry a film all on her own with no characters to talk to. And in my opinion, she did it.

Mimi Rogers (the former Mrs. Tom Cruise) also plays a unique role. As a corpse. I think that deserves some credit, too, as even acting dead must take some skills -- never really moving or breathing on camera. Definitely a new direction for Rogers.

Secondary characters were nice, if for no other reason than to round out the film... and I loved the visuals... the colors of the dark, snowy mountains. I don't know much about cameras, but I like the way the light was filtered to give it this dark, lonely look. Very good move.

I say check this one out. It may not be for you -- it might bore you to tears. So if you think you're one of those, don't watch it late at night when you're about to take a nap. If you have any sort of anxiety or claustrophobia, I think you'll get a lot more out of this one. And as long as everyone just ignores how conveniently coincidental the whole plot is, we'll be fine.