Case 39: Foster Care Will Never Be The Same Again

 1 out of 5 Popcorn Kernals

Watch Trailer Here

Okay maybe now I understand the delay of this movie, considering that it was filmed in 2006 in Canada, released to America in 2008, delayed to be released in 2009...then finally released in 2010. Sounds like a bad case of something all right.

Maybe they are trying to get in on this years Halloweed crowd, or they have a secret vandetta on orphanages. Why is it whenever we are introduced to a child caught up in the foster care/adoption system, they turn out to be a lot more than we bargained for? Then again, this movie could have bargained for a lot more than it delivered with this collection of fine actors.

Another Day In Hell's Kitchen

Case 39 is about a social worker Emily Jenkins(Renee Zellweger), who is assigned to investigate the family of 10-year old Lillith (Jodelle Ferland), from what appeared to be abusive parents, as her grades and emotional state have been declining in school.She has already been saddled with 38 other cases, and this would be her 39th. Upon a visit to the parents home (Callum Keith Rennie and Kerry O'Malley) she is treated with disdain by a pair of zombie-like guardians that creep her out, and when the same parents come into the office and change into the model suburban pair, Emily knows something is up. Taking the child aside, she is told that her parents, "Want to return her to Hell"...and later in this movie she discovers just how they plan to do it. She decides, with the child's coaxing, to fight for the right to be Lillith's guardian until an adoptive family comes along.

Well the union seems perfect for a while, until lives are threatened, especially the one of her present colleague Douglas (Bradley Cooper). Emily suddenly realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew...or that can chew her.

Once the lights went out in the movie theater, and the opening scene came on, I knew I was in trouble. The look of the film is rather cheap, with a score that scared me more than the actual plot. Usually I don't notice the score of the movie, as it turns to gentle piano when Emily's cooing for this child, or when it pounds with scorching violins at the turn of some action; but this was way off, and distracting. I hear the piano and was thinking, "That was sweet, but not THAT sweet," and the sound of a car revving up is NOT action, it's a car revving up - because I hear the rush of music, anticipate something is going to happen, and all she is doing is driving down the street. PLEASE!

Renee Zellwegger and Bradley Cooper are waisted in this film, and I could tell they did not know how to react in a horror setting, and their fear seemed just a little too acted for me. Thank goodness for little Lillith at the films mid-point, because when she goes from sweet to sour, it is a moment to sit up in your seat; but a child emulating adult motives only can keep your attention for so long, before you realize there are other actors in this movie too.

I have to give a special nod (because not many critics will) to Adrian Lester as Wayne. He has done much television, and still shows that good acting still comes from Britain. I would liked to have seen more of him, as he is the calm to Zellwegger's culminating storm, as she attempts to understand and take command of the evil spirits this child is forcing upon her. But aside from him, this film is evenly spread with a good minority cast, and the actors - despite the deadpan script of one liners - give it their best. The direction by Christian Alvert is so choppy it could have been on The Food Network. There were obvious reshoots up until the actual movie's release date, but with a slow paced script, uneven editing, and a thin as air plot which all may have looked good on paper...but this movie should have been wrapped up tight, and sealed in case no.40.