In association with

Stir of Echoes [2000]
from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
starring Kevin Bacon, Zachary David Cope, Kathryn Erbe, Illeana Douglas, Kevin Dunn
directed by David Koepp

Features:

• PAL

Editorial Review:

The only real problem with Stir of Echoes has nothing to do with the movie itself, but with unlucky coincidence. Adapted from a Richard Matheson novel, this film arrived around the same time as The Sixth Sense. Surface similarities made it suffer by cursory comparison and the competing film's phenomenal success. It's a pity, because this one features one of Kevin Bacon's best performances, in a psychological thriller that makes a lot more right moves than wrong ones.

Bacon plays a blue-collar guy who laments his ordinary life, only to learn, when his sister-in-law (Ileanna Douglas) hypnotizes him, that he is a "receiver" capable of seeing spirits and split-second glimpses of past and future events. It's a torturous gift to have--especially since his friendly Chicago neighbourhood possesses a dark secret--and Bacon plays the role with an appropriate mixture of obsession and internalised torment. Similarity to The Sixth Sense applies only to the basic premise and the character of Bacon's young son. Otherwise, this is more of a hard-edged journey of self-discovery, marital crisis, and recovery, with Bacon's wife (played by the highly underrated Kathryn Erbe) involved in an underdeveloped sub-plot about a group of people who share Bacon's gift as paranormal "receivers". Furthering his career as a writer-director of intelligent thrillers, David Koepp makes a few mis-steps in pacing and thematic overkill, but overall Stir of Echoes is a sharp, sensitive thriller that unfolds to reveal a dramatically satisfying solution to its mystery. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• Not often the film is better than the book!
  In one of the earlier reviews of 'Stir of Echoes' there was mention of the realistic characters who played various roles. I certainly agree with this and at the point in the film where Illeana Douglas hypnotises Kevin Bacon, I actually experienced of my eyes getting heavy!
  Echoes certainly of 'The Sixth Sense' and others of it's type, but still worth the price of the ticket!

• I'm afraid I didn't get it but I really tried!
  I feel guilty to be the first person to reveiw this film lower than three as I feel like I must be missing something that every other viewer got, however I have to be honest and say I really didn't understand this film .Kevin Bacon, though normally a strong actor, was far too weak and pathetic for my liking. The storyline appeared jumped and I struggled to grasp the crux of the plot, it just seemed to me that Kevin Bacon was being unnecessarily barmy for no reason and putting hs poor wife through hell... more info

• Freaky!!!
  This film was really enjoyable!!! I'm not a fan of obvious gore and this does subtly with all the "freaky" stuff... keep an eye out for the nail breaking bit - it is gross but really effective. Good plot and Kevin Bacon does single-minded obsession very well! Plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested!!

• A Supernatural Thriller
  This movie is based on the book of the same name written by Richard Matheson. Kevin Bacon plays a fairly typical working-class guy living in Chicago with his wife and his son. One night at a party, he gets into a lively discussion with his sister-in-law, who believes in psychic communication and the power of hypnosis. He challenges her to hypnotize him, and she plants in him a post-hypnotic suggestion to be more open-minded. But the results aren't quite what either of them expected; he sees the spirit of a... more info

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