Open Minds
Stir of Echoes is a Psychic Thriller
There are times when we discover that several songs, books or movies that we appreciate all came from the same artist. It has happened to me recently with the discovery that Richard Matheson is the writer of some great works, including novels adapted into films such as The Incredible Shrinking Man, last year's What Dreams May Come, and the new Artisan release Stir of Echoes.
Written by: David Koepp (screenplay), based on the novel by Richard Matheson
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Kathryn Erbe, Illeana Douglas, and Zachary David Cope
Rated
Running time: 110 min.
FilmGuru's Rating : 7 out of 10.
In Stir of Echoes, a blue collar guy named Tom (Kevin Bacon) finds himself envisioning snatches of images he can't understand after being hypnotized at a party by his sister-in-law (Illeana Douglas). At first he shrugs it off as a side-effect of the hypnosis, but when he sees a dead girl sitting beside him on the couch he becomes unglued. Soon his life is turned upside down by this new ability, and he becomes obsessed with trying to discover its meaning.
The story is a murder mystery, combined with the paranormal world of psychic experiences. While the murder mystery part isn't too difficult to figure out, the joy comes from following Tom on his quest and sliding deeper into the weirdness that has taken over his life. Jake (Zachary David Cope), the son, is likewise gifted, and gives a strange chorus to his father's madness.
There may be some who are put off by seeing a film with Bacon in it, especially a horror movie. I -- for one -- had images of Flatliners running through my mind. (Definitely not his best work.) But all my fears were unjustified. Bacon does a great job, not only at making us believe his character, but in making his character believe in what is happening to him.
The reactions by Maggie (Tom's wife, played by Kathryn Erbe) are right on the money. She is torn between her desire to help her husband and her inability to accept what is happening. When he tells her that this is the most important thing to happen in his "stupid life," she immediately takes offense at how he perceives their way of life. Her responses, and how she plays off Bacon, help to make both characters real.
Stir of Echoes gives that weird feeling that a good "Twilight Zone" episode would leave me with. I don't think it will ever be as popular as the recent Bruce Willis haunted mystery, The Sixth Sense. Still, if you're in a mood for something weird, it's worth checking out.
Something to watch for: there was a nice bit of homage to Matheson's work, but if you blink you'll miss it. The babysitter, Debbie, is reading a copy of his well-known sci-fi classic, The Shrinking Man.
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