Title: Case 39
Director: Christian Alvart
Producer: Lisa Bruce
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Distributor: Paramount
Series: N/A
Release Date: October 1, 2010
Format: Standard
Runtime: 109 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper, Kerry O’Malley, and Adrian Lester.
Synopsis (Product Description):
Prompted to rescue ten-year-old Lillith Sullivan from her parents after allegations of abuse suggest that the child is not safe in her own home, kind-hearted social worker Emily Jenkins discovers to her horror that the situation is far deadlier than she ever suspected.
The Review:
Case 39, starring Renée Zellweger, Bradley Cooper, Jodelle Ferland and Ian McShane tells the tale of a crusading social worker in Los Angeles fighting to save child abuse victim, Lilith Sullivan, from her neglectful parents. From Emily’s initial meeting with the Sullivan family, there’s an air of menace about the parents, especially from Lilith’s father, who won’t even speak directly to Emily. After her first visit, Emily makes it a top priority of hers to keep tabs on Lilith and protect her from her apparently abusive parents. Things are, however, seldom what they seem and there is a lot more to Lilith Sullivan’s case, case 39, than meets the eye. Emily Jenkins, played by Zellweger, eventually gets custody of Lilith. Not long after Lilith moves in, strange things begin happening. People start getting hurt, and Emily even starts seeing things.
Case 39 is a solid horror film in the same vein as The Ring. While not as frightening as that particular masterpiece, it does have its fair share of scares and creepy moments. When the big bad reveals itself, it becomes clear that Emily is way out of her depth. She’s outclassed and outsmarted at every turn and she has no apparent means of escape. As with Let Me In, Case 39 owes a lot to its child star, who does an excellent job throughout. Nothing is what it appears. Emily’s 39th active case, the Sullivan case, only seems like a run of the mill case of child abuse. The truth is a lot scarier than Lilith’s parents mistreating her.
Case 39 is tough to review as any discussion of the story risks ruining the experience. Suffice to say, Emily’s 39th case file brings with it misfortune for her and anyone close to her. Her harrowing attempts to escape the evil associated with case 39 carry the movie forward at a brisk pace and should keep you on the edge of you seat until the end credits roll.
FTC Advisory: We purchased our own tickets.
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