Louise (Sophia Myles) is an alienated boarding school student in the midst of a hot and heavy affair with the husband of her headmistress, Veronica (Sophie Ward). Suspicion and passion hang in the air of the isolated campus until Matthew (George Asprey) suddenly disappears. Fearing the worst, Louise struggles to uncover what happened to her lover, but is foiled at every turn by Veronica, who begins to take a sadistic glee in the psychological torment she inflicts upon her. When a mysterious woman appears around the campus, Louise becomes convinced that she is being framed for the murder of Matthew, or even worse, being set up to be the next victim. Alone and friendless, Louise must keep herself alive long enough to uncover the truth of Mathew"s disappearance.
Reviews
Wow, what can I say? This film was superb. With a young lady trapped in a whirling story with 2 other ladies, with a dark past to hide, and about her affairs, despairs and strives for life and truth. In a creaky old 'lady's school', it provided the eerie setting for the murders that were to take place. With twists and suspense, and a fine, fine plot, this film will have you gripped. With its stunning mix of complex mysteries and murders to boot, this film was a thrill a minute to watch. Excellent acting skills and the most precise timing I have ever seen in a film really brought it together. I urge any of you people out there reading this to see it, as I hope to again. And hey, why not email me about what you think? Maybe you agree/disagree with my comments? I guess I'll see.
It was a strong cast and tension built up nicely for a good deal of the film. I found the two main characters quite intriguing, as well as convincing. It had a creepy feel to it. The opening music suggested a cheap b film, but the acting lifted it a bit above that and it had some psychological interest. I'd have preferred if it had continued as a psychological drama; it had the potential to be better than it was.I decided not to include spoilers, but the story line really was poor towards the end. Did the writer think that we're so used to twists that we need an exponential number of them in order to keep surprising us? I enjoyed it until the last 20 minutes or so, at which point the story became plain silly. A real pity, as it was a reasonably good film in the beginning.
How rare to find a film that depends less on special effects and "in-your-face" horror, and leans more towards suspense and implied danger. Just as a good paperback thriller makes one want to turn the page, watching this, one wants to leap off the sofa to protect the young protagonists! The lack of exotic locations suggests a rather tight budget, but the story is none the worse for it. After all, an old motel, a shower curtain and a bit of up-lighting served Alfred Hitchcock rather well! Good performances from experienced stage performers and newcomers. This is the sort of piece the UK national broadcaster should be commissioning, not the kitchen-sink dramas that plague UK TV screens. The director should be applauded for taking that old staple, the murder mystery, and giving it an entertaining and contemporary twist.
I thought this was a fantastic English thriller, and very well cast. It was gripping, the twists were fantastic, and it was lovely seeing that a great film can be made without spending a ridiculous budget. As a girl who has been to boardingschool it really was thrilling! I'd highly recommend it!