DARK TOUCH - TRIBECA REVIEW
In the new psychological thriller DARK TOUCH we meet eleven year old Neve (Missy Keating) living on the Irish countryside with her parents and baby brother. And not all is well at all in the home, as quick cuts and creepy images show you that there is a good deal of abuse happening to poor Neve from her parents. Suddenly, and mysterious, mysterious scenes of violence occurs in the house. Objects one by one attack and eventually kill both of her parents and set the entire house of fire, killing both parents and her younger baby brother (who she tries to save but suffocates due to all the smoke). Neve escapes and is taken by her concerned neighbors Nat and Lucas (Marcella Plunkett and Padraic Delaney). They try and help young Neve but she’s withdrawn and the horrors seem to continue to follow the young girl. Accidents seem to continue to happen around her and Nat and Lucas, along with a social worker, are forced to examine what exactly is happening around them, and is there any way to stop it?
Writer/Director Marina de Van (Don’t Look Back, 8 Women) creates the first half of the movie as a slow meditation on the horrors of child abuse, filled with sparse dialogue and eerie imagery. The movie is set up as a house of mysteries; what is going on with Neve and is there a way for her to trust an adult again after her horrible abuse? But what could have become an interesting exploration into the horrors a child can see goes haywire, as the film becomes a third cousin of Carrie and becomes less concerned with answering any questions regarding the abuse story set up and more with a girl and her telekinetic powers. Most of the last half becomes laughable, and goes from an intriguing set up to not making much sense at all. With the exception of Missy Keating, who is haunting and affecting, not much can be said for the rest of the acting in the film and by the ridiculous end, you’ll just want it all to be over. Dark Touch starts off with an interesting idea and quickly ruins it by forgetting what that idea was in the first place.
VERDICT: SKIP IT
Written and Directed by Marina de Van Starring Missy Keating, Marcella Plunkett, Padraic Delaney, Aidan Gilen, Charlotte Flyvhom Country Ireland, France Content Disclaimer (Adult Situations, Adult Language, Violence) For ticket and screening information: http://tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets
BOTTOM LINE: Starts with intrigue and ends like a TV movie of Carrie but one that makes little sense and adds up to very little.