Dark Places (2015)

Libby Day was only eight years old when her family was brutally murdered in their rural Kansas farmhouse. Almost thirty years later, she reluctantly agrees to revisit the crime and uncovers the wrenching truths that led up to that tragic night.

Director:

Gilles Paquet-Brenner

Writers:

Gilles Paquet-Brenner (written for the screen by), Gillian Flynn (novel)

Stars:

Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlize Theron	...	Libby Day
Sterling Jerins	...	Young Libby Day
Nicholas Hoult	...	Lyle Wirth
Christina Hendricks	...	Patty Day
Corey Stoll	...	Ben Day
Tye Sheridan	...	Young Ben Day
Andrea Roth	...	Diondra
Chloë Grace Moretz	...	Young Diondra
Sean Bridgers	...	Runner Day
J. LaRose	...	Trey Teepano (as J LaRose)
Shannon Kook	...	Young Trey Teepano
Jennifer Pierce Mathus	...	Diane
Natalie Precht	...	Michelle Day
Madison McGuire	...	Debby Day
Lori Z. Cordova	...	Magda

Storyline

Libby Day is a lifeless woman who survived the massacre of her family in their farmhouse in the countryside of Kansas when she was eight. She's been living on donations and lectures ever since. Thirty years ago, the police believed that a satanic cult was responsible for the murder of her mother and two sisters, and her brother Ben was convicted with her testimony in court. Today, however, an acquaintance, Lyle Wirth, invites Libby to visit "The Kill Club", where amateurs investigate famous crimes, and she finds that they believe Ben is innocent. Libby needs money and, in return, accepts to revisit the slaughter of her family and comes up to the painful revelations and the ultimate truth.

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Plot Keywords:

private investigator | murder of family | farm | murder of mother | oral sex | 

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Taglines:

In 1985, her entire family was murdered. 30 years later, the truth emerges.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some disturbing violence, language, drug use and sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ben Day is seven years older than his sister Libby. In real life, Charlize Theron (who portrayed Libby) is a year older than Corey Stoll (Ben).

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Goofs

During a scene at young Diondra's (Chloë Grace Moretz) house, where she and young Ben Day (Tye Sheridan) have sex and talk about her pregnancy, Moretz smokes a lit cigarette, visibly inhales, but no smoke exits her mouth when she exhales, breathes, talks, or while taking several more drags from the lit cigarette.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Libby Day: Ben learned something in his prison that I never learned in mine. Forgiveness. My mom told us to make a useful life. Nothing big. Nothing grand. Just a start. Finally, a start.

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Connections

Featured in Bringing 'Dark Places' to Light (2015)

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Soundtracks

If I Live Or If I Die
Written by Wayne Petti
Performed by Cuff the Duke
Courtesy of Ernest Jenning Record Co.
By arrangement with Bank Robber Music

User Reviews

shine your light on Dark Places

I didn't care much for Gone Girl -- maybe it was Ben Affleck -- but I was drawn to this movie despite that. Maybe it was Charlize Theron, maybe it was Nicholas Hoult, whom I have enjoyed watching grow into a first rate actor since his days in Skins. In any case, whatever reservations I had at first rapidly dissolved into a distant memory as the first ten minutes passed.

Usually I roll my eyes at flashback-driven efforts, but not so with Dark Places. Each switch back to 1985 is like the tumblers on a lock giving that satisfying click as you pick it, breeding anticipation and certainty that there is a rich reward at the end for your efforts, every scene evoking a subtle revelation that drives the story onward.

Well cast, well scored, well directed, Dark Places deserves more recognition than it has garnered. If I had to point out one flaw, it would be a forgivable one; MISFITS swag was not that easy to come by in 1985.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA UK France

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 June 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dark Places

Filming Locations:

Shreveport, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$208,588

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,090,852

Company Credits

Production Co:

Exclusive Media Group, Mandalay Vision, Cuatro Plus Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1