For Starters, this is entirely In SPANISH with English Subtitles.
WON the Barcelona 2008 "Best Film" Award, & is Spain's Official Submission in "Best Foreign Language" Film Category in 80th Annual Academy Awards. It's been shown at Major Worldwide Film Fests GALORE & finally opened for General Release in the USA on Jan 11th.

Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona..Stars Belen Rueda as "Laura", Fernando Cayo as "Carlos" her Hubby, Roger Princep as "Simon", her Missing Child, eventually..& Monseurat Serrat Carula, as "Benigna", the Evil Housemistress. Acting was Above-Average, Filming Decent, (Music Tracks really-sucked on the Preview Print, but at least we had The Subtitles...) ;-)>

Here's da Plotline THEY provided, (so I don't spoil YOUR Getting Properly-Scared)... "Laura returns to the house where she was raised, & decides to transform it into an orphanage. Soon, her son, Simon, makes an invisible friend." Was filmed in Barcelona and (on a rather beautiful beach in) Cataluma, Spain.

I always read The Commentary, lately, at imdb.com, when I got to review a Movie I'm Not REAL Sure If I Liked It Or Not...

Here are the words of Victor Franko..(I'll add more about him when I Hear-Back..Heh)..who says it FAR-Better than I could put it into words:

"...I think this movie is being improperly classified (by both the marketing dep't behind the US release) as a horror movie or thriller, thereby giving people false expectations. I think it's actually meant to be more of a tragic supernatural drama (with some suspenseful elements) than a flat out scary movie."

"Personally, I didn't like the film. I was definitely creeped out (in a good way) by the a scenes & enjoyed some of the imagery, but felt the rest of the movie was painfully cliched & forced."

Couldn't have said it any better myself, so a BIG Debt of Gratitude to Victor!!!

It's R-Rated (Graphic Accident Victim..but NOT as bad as the Usual "Slasher" Movie). Leave Kiddies at home, thankee!

I'd give it a "6-outta-10"..one more than I woulda before reading Victor's Crit. Perhaps Viewers with a Good Command of Spanish will like it even more... No problemo, Seniors, I DO understand.

JMO..(Keep-or-Sweep!)
Big Hugs,
Stan