Just watched the Spanish thriller El Orfanato (The Orphanage) last night, and I was blown away. After seeing the Oscar winning Pan's Labyrinth, I became a huge fan of Guillermo del Toro. While he didn't direct this movie, he attached himself to it as the producer, so, I gave it a shot.
The movie's protagonist Laura grew up in an Orphanage but was adopted by a family when she was a little girl. Now, as an adult, she and her husband (Carlos) bought the old orphanage, and dreamed of turning it into a home for special needs children. A noble ambition, but may have been driven by the needs of their own adopted son, Simon, who was born HIV positive.
With no other children to play with, Simon invents friends to play with. His new friend Tomas is particularly creepy....seen wearing a cloth bag over his head.....On the new orphanage's opening party, Simon disappears, and the general creepiness ensues.
I don't want to go into further details on the plot, but just wanted to comment on the production values. Juan Antonio Bayona, the director, knew where to place cameras in order to capture the mood and tension in his actor's face. He masterfully used music and dark lighting to accent the creepiness....
The actors, primarily Belén Rueda (Laura) and Roger Príncep (Simon) were incredible. Laura captured the agony of a mother who lost her son.....the mood swings, the arguments with her husband, and the pain. Simon, as the main child, breaks through upon learning of his disease and his adoption.
yes, the movie is in Spanish, but go see it. Its out on DVD, and its well worth a rental, especially if its dark and windy outside....see it, you won't regret it.
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