From Within (2008)

A small Maryland town is gripped by a curse which causes residents to take their own life one after another.

Director:

Phedon Papamichael

Writer:

Brad Keene

Stars:

Elizabeth Rice, Thomas Dekker, Kelly Blatz

6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elizabeth Rice	...	Lindsay
Thomas Dekker	...	Aidan
Kelly Blatz	...	Dylan
Laura Allen	...	Trish
Adam Goldberg	...	Roy
Margo Harshman	...	Sadie
Rumer Willis	...	Natalie
Britt Robertson	...	Claire (as Brittany Robertson)
Steven Culp	...	Pastor Joe
Jared Harris	...	Bernard
Amanda Babin	...	Molly
Michelle Babin	...	Evil Molly
Candace Hammer	...	Mary (as Candace Scholz)
David Ariniello	...	Paul
Jamie Linck O'Brien	...	Kelly (as Jamie O'Brien)

Storyline

In a small Maryland town, the suicide of an outcast teenager triggers a string of violent suicides. These suicides seem to stem from a curse which spreads when any person, who witnesses the suicide, is possessed by an evil force that appears as the person's doppelganger that only they can see. A young teenager, named Lindsey, thinks there is a connection of the events to Aidan, the outcast brother of the first suicide case. But Lindsay must race against the clock when she witnesses her mother fall victim, and must try to find a way to stop the curse before it kills her too. Meanwhile the God-fearing townspeople, led by a fanatic preacher with a connection to the events also, form a vigilante group to take the law in their own hands.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | curse | preacher | whispering | suicide by poison | 

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Taglines:

Death is catching.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing images and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 June 2009 (Philippines)

Also Known As:

A gyilkos bennünk

Filming Locations:

Havre de Grace, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$66,456, 9 January 2009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Burgundy Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed in historic Havre de Grace, MD

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Goofs

When Claire suggests that Sean and Natalie killed themselves in a suicide pact "like Romeo & Juliet", Lindsay states that "Juliet drank poison, she didn't jam scissors into her neck." Juliet faked her death, pretending she drank poison. Romeo really did drink the poison (thinking Juliet dead); when he died, Juliet stabbed herself with his dagger.

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Quotes

Lindsay: Why'd you and your brother come back?
Aidan: This is the house we grew up in. It's our home.
[Lindsay starts look at pictures]
Aidan: That's her.
Lindsay: She's beautiful.
Aidan: You remind me of her.
Lindsay: Really?
Aidan: I don't mean looks. It's how you carry yourself. How you treat people.
Lindsay: Is that you and your brother?
Aidan: [Aiden points to himself in a picture] That's me.

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Crazy Credits

As the end credits start to roll the fate of the survivors is revealed

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Soundtracks

Vissi d'art
Written by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Adelina Agostinelli

User Reviews

Legendary cinematographer scores big with this thriller

Imagine if the award-winning cinematographer of the 2007 epic "3:10 to Yuma" decided to direct his own film. With over 40 titles under his belt, Phedon Papamichael is one of the industry's icons. Well, imagine no more. In the Brad Keene-penned "From Within," which had its World Premiere here at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, Papamichael takes his considerable expertise behind the camera and crafts an auspicious directorial debut in the Hitchcock tradition.

Something is amiss in Grovetown. The suicide in the opening scene triggers a mystery which will bring teenagers Lindsay (Elizabeth Rice) and Aiden (Thomas Dekker) together in a quest for the truth, both about the occurrences as well as themselves.

The performances of Thomas Dekker ("Heroes," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") and Elizabeth Rice ("Mad Men") are at the heart of the movie and it's their believability which makes this film so emotional and poignant. Dekker's frightening gaze and enigmatic demeanor never lets up, in perfect contrast to Rice's innocence and vulnerability. Veteran Adam Goldberg (Roy), Rumer Willis (Natalie), and Kelly Blatz (Dylan) are also standouts.

"From Within" is technically brilliant. The use of single-point lighting and color palette of blues and grays in interior scenes are especially effective in enhancing the shadowy nature of the story, with sunset shots that would likely have been scuttled in a typical Hollywood movie. Here, the dim light works to the film's advantage. The sound effects, along with the Jason Cooper and Oliver Kraus score, also play a particularly distinct role here and are a major plus. As in any film of this genre, visual effects are key and they are top-notch. Most of all, though, the camera-work is simply breathtaking. Shot in widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the chilling locations and copious use of POV shots enhance the Hitchcockian feel of "From Within" -- no surprise given the director's background.

Although the film's first act leans toward horror, it soon becomes apparent that "From Within" is a story-driven psychological thriller more than anything and doesn't need to rely on blood and gore, although there's enough to please fans of the genre. The film's many twists and turns will hold audiences' interest right up to the closing credits. A creepy tale with a strong message about religious extremism and tolerance make "From Within" more than just another gorefest. From Within is a solid thriller with enough suspense to keep the viewer guessing until the end.