Dark Water (2005)

A mother and daughter, still wounded from a bitter custody dispute, hole up in a run-down apartment building, where they are targeted by the ghost of a former resident.

Director:

Walter Salles

Writers:

Kôji Suzuki (novel), Hideo Nakata (film Honogurai mizu no soko kara)

Stars:

Jennifer Connelly, Ariel Gade, John C. Reilly

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Connelly	...	Dahlia
John C. Reilly	...	Mr. Murray
Tim Roth	...	Jeff Platzer
Dougray Scott	...	Kyle
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Veeck
Camryn Manheim	...	Teacher
Ariel Gade	...	Ceci
Perla Haney-Jardine	...	Natasha / Young Dahlia
Debra Monk	...	Young Dahlia's Teacher
Linda Emond	...	Mediator
Bill Buell	...	Mediator
J.R. Horne	...	Man in Train
Elina Löwensohn	...	Dahlia's Mother
Warren Belle	...	UPS Man
Alison Sealy-Smith	...	Supervisor

Storyline

Dahlia Williams and her daughter Cecelia move into a rundown apartment on New York's Roosevelt Island. She is currently in the midst of divorce proceedings and the apartment, though near an excellent school for her daughter, is all she can afford. From the time she arrives, there are mysterious occurrences and there is a constant drip from the ceiling in the only bedroom. There are also noises coming from the apartment directly above hers, though it would appear to be vacant. Is the apartment haunted or is there a simpler explanation?

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | supernatural horror | female protagonist | apartment | water | 

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Taglines:

Some mysteries were never meant to be solved.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, frightening sequences, disturbing images and brief language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dark Water was released in two different versions for the home media release; the theatrical cut and an unrated cut. Since its release rumours about said versions began to spread. On the internet one can find numerous reviews in which the writers can only consternately remark that they just can't recognize any difference between the two versions. Some reviewers even claimed that the two versions were identical, and others again that the unrated version only included more swear words.

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Goofs

(at around 31 mins) After Dahlia dumps out the first bucket of water that has dripped from the ceiling, the sink is flooded with dark water. The next shot showing the sink has drops of clean water, and no dark water residue anywhere in sight. The water in the sink had not been turned on yet, so there should not have been any clean water in it.

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Quotes

Dahlia: [Referring to Natasha] There's water everywhere! She can't be here!

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Alternate Versions

Unrated version adds one scene (dream sequence) but removes the dream/reality scene (where Dahlia dreams that her daughter returns from her father) and the scene where Ceci calls Dahlia. In the end the unrated version runs ca 1 minute shorter.

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Connections

Referenced in High Chaparall: Robert Englund (2004)

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Soundtracks

Itsy Bitsy Spider
(uncredited)
Written by Traditional

User Reviews

This is a beautiful film

I have never posted a review on this site, but I feel that I should inform some people on "Dark Water".This is NOT a horror film.Yes,it's being marketed that way but it's not.This is a drama about a mother and daughter trying to make it on their own with a bit of a ghostly twist.Jennifer Connelly is amazing and has become one of my favorite actresses.In this,she is strong and fragile.She almost made me cry once or twice as she tried to hold things together and convince herself that she is not crazy.The little girl playing her daughter is sublime;The next dakota fanning maybe. This film is slow paced,there are NO big scares,no blood-just tension and mystery under the surface.The pace brings you to really care about the characters and not root for dahlia because it's Jennifer Connelly,but because it's Dahlia.It has one of the saddest yet hopeful endings I've seen in a while.This stands head and shoulders above "The Ring" (which I liked) and "The Grudge".Give it a try if you're looking for a good drama.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dark Water

Filming Locations:

Chandler Valley Center Studios - 13927 Saticoy St, Panorama City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,939,251, 10 July 2005

Gross USA:

$25,473,352

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$68,357,079

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Pandemonium Productions, Vertigo Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 103 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1