Official Synopsis:
“Libby Day (Charlize Theron) was only seven years old when her mother and two sisters were murdered and her brother Ben (Tye Sheridan) was jailed for the crime. Now, twenty-five years later, Libby discovers shocking evidence that Ben may be innocent – and the real killer is still at large. Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks, and Chloë Grace Moretz costar in this dark, ingeniously plotted thriller based on the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl).”
Dark Places boasts an impressive cast with great source material. Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl did quite well in theatres, and managed to quickly become David Fincher’s highest grossing film in the United States. With a lot of the same pieces in place, Dark Places certainly has a lot to live up to.
Charlize Theron plays Libby Day, a protagonist that has no drive in her life, who merely gets by off the charity of strangers who give her money because of the tragedy that befell her and her family twenty-five years ago. After being contacted by a group of crime investigating enthusiasts who claim her brother is innocent of the slaying of her family, Libby reluctantly agrees to hear them out. Despite the glaring differences in the character from the book, Charlize Theron has always done a good job playing this type of character. One of the problems in this film, though, is that her character really doesn’t get any more likeable by the end. Yes, she is severely flawed and traumatized by her ordeal, but the journey to overcome that is what everyone wants to see. When the film comes full circle, she is just as helpless and vulnerable as she was as a child. The hardest thing about adapting a book to film is to portray the inner thoughts of the character; showing rather than telling what the character is thinking or feeling, and developing the character in that manner.
Despite my issues of the unlikable protagonist, I enjoyed the film. As the mystery of what happened that fateful night unfolds, you are immersed in the story, getting bits and pieces of information as you try to solve the crime yourself. New suspects are continuously brought into the picture, and we are told the other side of the story through flashbacks from twenty-five years ago. These jumps from past to present are done really well, almost seamlessly, which can be hard to pull off.
It’s hard to go into more aspects of the story without giving away some of the twists and turns this story takes. As a good thriller does, the suspicion is cast in many different directions before you finally learn the truth.
Unfortunately, the film was given a very limited release with an almost non-existent marketing campaign and hasn’t had near the reach that Gone Girl had. However, the opportunity to see it has finally come, and I recommend a viewing for those who enjoy the thriller/mystery type of film.
Video
Dark Places is presented in 1080p 2.40:1. True to its name, the film has a lot of dark scenes that sometimes make it hard to distinguish a lot of detail, which is my only complaint about the quality of the video. The rest of the presentation looks good, with no defects noticed.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the most part, the audio is mainly dialogue coming from the center channel. There are a few scenes that really take advantage of the surrounds, and when they do, they are well balanced and sound great.
Special Features
There aren’t many special features to speak of, but the featurettes included are very informative about the process of adapting the book, and include interviews from most of the cast and crew. Gillian Flynn is interviewed extensively as well, and her insights into the film are very interesting and lend approval of the adaptation.
Bringing Dark Places to Light Featurette
About the Author: Gillian Flynn & Dark Places Featurette
Dark Places doesn’t quite live up to Gillian Flynn’s previously adapted book, Gone Girl, but holds its own as a thriller/mystery story that will be sure to entertain.