Directed by:
Stephen GaghanScreenplay:
Stephen GaghanCinematography:
Matthew LibatiqueComposer:
Clint MansellCast:
Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt, Charlie Hunnam, Zooey Deschanel, Fred Ward, Melanie Lynskey, Philip Bosco, Gabriel Mann, Will McCormack, Gabrielle Union (more)Plots(1)
Oscar-winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (TRAFFIC) makes his directorial debut with ABANDON, a dense, moody psychological thriller. Loosely based on the book ADAM'S FALL by Sean Desmond, ABANDON tells the troubled story of Katie (Katie Holmes), a college senior who's having a tough time keeping herself focused. She is still struggling with memories of her boyfriend Embry (Charlie Hunnam), who disappeared two years earlier. Her past comes back to haunt her when recovering alcoholic detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt) is assigned to Embry's case. As Katie struggles to finish her thesis and secure a job with a prestigious firm in the city, she must contend with the reappearance of Embry, who seems intent on destroying her life.Gaghan's stylish picture, shot by acclaimed cinematographer Matthew Libatique, owes an obvious debt to classic thrillers from the 1970s (he even goes so far as to have Holmes sing a rendition of the theme to ROSEMARY'S BABY, ala Roman Polanski and his starlet, Mia Farrow). Zooey Deschanel (MUMFORD, THE GOOD GIRL) delivers yet another scene-stealing performance as Katie's snide, sarcastic friend. The film dwells in the murky territory between realistic college drama and abstract psychological thriller, making it an unsettling and suspenseful experience. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
An hour and a half of complete nonsense, which in the last five minutes tries to transform into a somewhat bearable movie. The last-minute effort logically falls short, but at the same time prevents me from dragging "Abandoned" to the lowest rating. Nevertheless, the screenplay contains lots of flashbacks that either don't make sense or are thrown together haphazardly, illogical characters, and pointless scenes featuring Katie Holmes constantly changing outfits, which made me wonder why she committed to this project. With a barely functioning point, this mysterious attempt was doomed to fail from the beginning.
()
It is a genre mix, from thriller to melodrama to crime, but with the problem that it’s a little bit of everything, and nothing proper. The screenplay has a few interesting ideas, the camera has a few interesting shots, and even the directing is not completely bad, but it doesn’t reach average.
()