PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When I heard that Christina Ricci and John Cusack had recently teamed up in a horror film, I jumped on the chance to watch and review it. Two of my all time favorites together in one movie? What more could I ask for? A lot, I decided, after watching the final product, a film called Distorted. While it is correct advertising in giving top billing to Ricci, Cusack is in it, maybe, a full 12 minutes total. It’s this type of false advertisement that irks me, as I know it was used to lure me in. And I almost wish it was worth it.
In Distorted, Ricci (The Addams Family movies) plays Lauren Curran, a young, grieving woman who is assaulted in her own home, making her feel unsafe, unstable and paranoid. Lauren has a strong support system in her husband, Russell (Brendan Fletcher: Freddy Vs Jason), and he immediately secures them a newer, and supposedly safer, apartment in Pinnacle, a state-of-the-art tower that promises the best amenities and safety. Russell wants nothing more than to soothe his wife and make her as comfortable as possible. She hasn’t been the same since the death of their young child, and lives in an almost completely medicated state.
They have barely moved into their new place when Lauren begins to hear voices and noises. It isn’t long before the paranoia sets back in, and she is seeking refuge in online chat rooms, convinced that she and Russell are being watched and brainwashed by someone in their building. It’s in one of these chat rooms that she meets Vernon Sarsfield (John Cusack: Say Anything). Together, they converge in secret as he confirms her fears, and advises her on how to get out from under their ever-growing spell. Is Vernon helping Lauren, or is he making her worse? Is it really the occupants of the Pinnacle trying to control the young woman, or is her constant narcotic daze keeping her too far removed from reality? It all comes together in the best part of the movie, the exciting climax.
Distorted is not a horror film. At best, it’s a mystery thriller better suited for the Lifetime channel. It’s great to see both Ricci and Cusack in a newer, current movie. However, I wish it was a vehicle better suited for the both of them. They each play characters that are familiar to their fans, but never reach their full potential.
Written by All Dogs Go To Heaven’s Arne Olsen and directed by The Humanity Bureau’s Rob W. King, Distorted is not a bad movie. It has its flaws, of course, but it’s overall pretty decent. My problem with it was the marketing and the filmmakers trying to bank on Cusack. The story is fine, the cinematography is fine, and the actors are fine. And that’s it. They’re all just fine. Nothing really stood out to me, not even the score. The end has a tiny little twist, so I wouldn’t rule it out completely. But see for yourself. Don’t just take my word for it.
