I started off really loving this movie and was really hooked by the opening scenes setting up the main character, who is played to perfection by Leland Orser. A washed-up "expert" on cults and brainwashing, his character is sad, funny, and interesting all at the same time. You also really empathize with him and feel his sense of desperation and frustration at the start of the movie.
As the story unfolds, a mother and father approach him offering desperately needed money if he would be willing to kidnap their daughter from a cult and reprogram her back to "normal."
So far so good and everything leading up to his character retrieving the girl and beginning his treatment seems promising. Unfortunately, the movie slid downhill from there (at least for me). I was expecting a more interesting series of twists and turns and looked forward to seeing the enticing cat and mouse mind game that the movie seemed to be setting up. Instead, the movie just kind of got inexplicably stranger and ended up taking a path that I felt was a bit too predictable and unsatisfying.
It's worth checking out for Orser's performance and character alone. I just wish they had done a bit more with it and carried the quirky and unique tone that was established early through the entire film.
As the story unfolds, a mother and father approach him offering desperately needed money if he would be willing to kidnap their daughter from a cult and reprogram her back to "normal."
So far so good and everything leading up to his character retrieving the girl and beginning his treatment seems promising. Unfortunately, the movie slid downhill from there (at least for me). I was expecting a more interesting series of twists and turns and looked forward to seeing the enticing cat and mouse mind game that the movie seemed to be setting up. Instead, the movie just kind of got inexplicably stranger and ended up taking a path that I felt was a bit too predictable and unsatisfying.
It's worth checking out for Orser's performance and character alone. I just wish they had done a bit more with it and carried the quirky and unique tone that was established early through the entire film.