Review of Homecoming

Homecoming (I) (2009)
6/10
Wait, Wait... You Say You've Seen This Before?
31 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
IMDb plot says: A jilted ex-girlfriend has a plan in store for her former beau, who is coming back to his small town with a new lover. Gavin says: This is true, if we say he's coming back for one weekend and that her plan is only developed on accident, not ahead of time.

I had a difficult time with "Homecoming". The film is not anything particularly new. Many have compared it to "Misery", and you can see a connection in just about any kidnapping film. So, if you're looking for a whole new plot, you won't find it. You will probably just end up wondering why the kidnapper (Shelby) doesn't kill the girlfriend right away. I mean, if she wants to get back with her ex, it doesn't really help to have his current love tied up in the bedroom. But the difficult time for me wasn't because it was bad -- in fact, the suspense was so well crafted, I kept myself up well past a sensible bed time to catch the end.

Mischa Barton does a fine job as Shelby. Her personal problems aside, Barton is a decent actress. Most people probably know her from "The OC", but since I never saw that show, I know her from a little film called "Walled In" (which, I suppose, was not as good as "Homecoming"). The other actors are also good, but I've already forgotten their names.

Director Morgan J. Freeman (no relation) has an interesting vision. The film is bland in its cinematography, its angles, its use of music, its pace... there's really nothing exciting here. There's the suspense, as I said, and a little bit of gore. But the film doesn't shine as bright as Freeman's "American Psycho 2" (which I loved, I don't care what you say). For the first twenty or so minutes, I thought my boss had sent me a drama to review, and I was somewhat bitter about it.

But yes, the film is decent, and better than many of the films you'll find on the video shelf. I think two other films I caught recently, "Nature's Grave" and "Sick Girl", would be better choices for the horror fans, but if you want a light thriller, this might meet your needs. By no means will it go down as a classic or even all that memorable, but it's worth a view.
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