Крик совы (2009) Online

Virtually ignored on it's release, barely reviewed in the press, I think this is a great film that is misunderstood and unfairly misjudged. This movie is essentially a dark comedy and a bad dream rolled into one. The story, based on the novel by Highsmith, is absurd, of course it's a comedy as all Highsmith's work is essentially darkly humorous, come on, a stalker who gets stalked by his victim? The director has a very subtle touch and I think this is why so many people watching this film are lost, the film doesn't make conventional choices, it simply doesn't make it easy on the viewer that's why so many people feel confused by this movie, but in my opinion many viewers these days are unable to recognize when a film is interesting, doing something different from the norm, and this film is doing exactly that. The film has touches of Lynch, Cronenberg and the Cohens about it yet refuses to follow any of those directors paths.

You could say it is quite old fashioned, it relies heavily on mise on scene, a lost art today in most films, but to label it Hitchcockian is doing the film a great disservice because the label is too easy to apply here and the director, I believe, is well aware of the obvious comparison and is constantly playing with those notions. This is perhaps more a philosophical thriller than a psychological one and perhaps that is why it doesn't satisfy everyone, maybe the film could have benefited from a little more tension, but for me it is an intelligent dissection of the dangers of the romantic mind.

Robert wants the perfect woman, he stares at her through her window as if in a painting, but he knows the perfect woman doesn't exist, when Jenny invites Robert in the 'real' woman is exposed as being even more nuts than him. Look at what Robert says to Nickie, his ex wife, at the end, 'when I first saw you , you were like a statue, then you moved and it was all...downhill from there on in.' He's only happy with the frozen image of a woman, I believe both Jenny and Nickie's death are kind of willed by this man in some dark way, set in motion by him at the very least, the women he loves are more beautiful to him in death (as statues) than alive. At the end Robert gets what he wishes for, to be in the painting (the window) himself but always alone. Recommended only for those with a wicked sense of humour, patience and a sharp intellect.

I was drawn into this film by the uneasy feeling that the central characters were being drawn into a slow-sucking situational quicksand, an experience that for most of us only happens in nightmares.

If you prefer snappy pace and predictability in your films, move on. As the other reviews indicate, you either really like this film, or really dislike it for any number of reasons. At times I wanted to grab the "hero" by the shoulders and give him a shake to snap him out of his apparent lassitude. At that point I realized the movie was working for me, I was invested emotionally. Casting stays refreshingly clear of stereotypes with not a "pretty boy" in sight, and direction, performances and technical credits are mostly right on the mark.

This picture would have done so much better at the box office if it had let the potential audience know that Patricia Highsmith was the author of Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train." For those of us not familiar with Highsmith's work, the title "The Cry of the Owl" is just too far removed from the essence of this film to be a draw.

So when you have the opportunity to see this film, relax, put your feet up and watch the first ten or so minutes. If you fall asleep, or find your mind turning towards undone kitchen tasks, then get back to "Jersey Shore" or whatever else gives your entertainment rush. If this film passes the ten-minute endurance test, you'll find it evolves into 100 minutes of compelling entertainment, destined to linger in the dark crannies of your mind for longer than you might expect.

I have never read the novel, nor heard of the movie. After reading some of the reviews here, I decided to give it a shot. And I have to say, I do not regret it.

This is a very dark movie with disturbed main characters, greatly acted by Robert Considine and Julia Stiles. This isn't your typical fast-paced Hollywood thriller. I consider this movie to be "different", the plot develops slowly and is very unpredictable, which makes it in my opinion very enjoyable.

I totally recommend this movie to anyone, who likes dramas / thrillers with a dark touch, and enjoys great acting.

I give it a 7 out of 10.

"The Cry of the Owl" is a scrupulous adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel with the same title. The novels of miss Highsmith are generally considered as crime-novels, but in my opinion they're more like psychological thrillers. Apart from her famous Tom Ripley novels (a series with a slightly different approach), the rest of her work is set up around pretty much the same theme in every novel: a man (almost always a man!) gets into trouble by a death for which he somehow is (or feels) responsible, either trough accident or by an impulsive act. The rest of the novel is spent on how this man deals with his mounting feelings of guilt and remorse, and whether he will turn himself in, or get caught, or succeed in wiggling himself out of the mess he's caused. The main character is usually a friendly but slightly neurotic, pondering kind of guy who means well but seems to make one wrong decision after another. Miss H's novels are also always (and rather surprisingly!) a bit misogynous: women play a dark role, they are unreliable to say the least, sometimes air-headed or at other times downright conniving and vicious. In many cases they not only are the cause of the initial crime but they enhance the ultimate downfall of the main character.

"The Cry of the Owl" is about a man who's in the middle of a messy divorce and who accidentally witnesses a (supposed) marital bliss when he peeks through a window in his neighborhood. When the woman catches him spying on her, she asks him in, and all of a sudden the tables are turned: she starts to stalk him and he gets to deal with her jealous dumped boyfriend.

This film has much to say for it. It seems to be pretty true to the book (I checked the ending with my copy of the novel, it almost fits literally!) and the typical Highsmith-atmosphere is captured flawlessly: the slow pace, the tentative communications between the protagonists, the unglamorous, almost dull settings, it's all quintessential Highsmith. I very much liked Julia Stiles here, she's totally convincing as the subdued but inwardly resolved Jenny who turns the quiet life of recluse Robert upside down. She's lovely and compelling in an unobtrusive way and her acting is great with only few words but a very subtle use of expressions of her beautiful face.

On the other side I did have some trouble with Paddy Considine as Robert. Sure, he played the dull, neurotic, passive and slightly cowardly character to perfection. Yet something was amiss. All of miss H's anti-heroes have to be handsome in an all-American way, they have to look and behave like someone's ideal son-in-law. It's partly this contrast between their outward charm and their inward neuroses that's responsible for the troubles they get themselves into. So it should be the same in this story, where it's even more important that the main character is a nice and charming guy, to make it believable that there's this very sexy and debonair ex-wife who still lusts after him and that he can have at the same time such an appeal on this pretty Jenny. It's also important for us, the audience, to have enough reason to sympathize with him. With Considine unfortunately this is rather very hard and his supposed attractiveness is totally unbelievable. He looks old, ragged and worn out, drags himself around, speaks in a slugged, drawling voice and more or less looks like an escaped convict the whole movie through. This only fits in the parts where he looses his cool and beats the hell out-off someone, but in the rest of the movie it's just not enough in sync with the premise of a charming guy who's sought-after by two beautiful women.

The other main parts are well covered: James Gilbert is convincingly menacing as the dumped boyfriend and Caroline Dhavernas is the perfect counterpart to Jenny, as the sexually aggressive, vindictive but still caring ex-wife.

All in all, I compliment director (and writer!) Jamie Thraves in capturing Highsmith so well on screen, where so many others in my opinion have failed in this (like the terrible "Ripley's game" with John Malkovich!). Apart from the casting of Considine this is an excellent movie. I rank it 8 out of 10.

Withholding in the best sense of the word.

I started watching this movie laying in bed and by the time I was nearing the end all my blankets were twisted one way or another. And I admit, I did not even know this was from the guy who did The Talented Mr. Ripley, which I would probably have given a 6.5/7 after seeing in theaters.

This was an incredibly refreshing approach to a thriller. The settings subdued and passive, set up from the opening scene. The score was never Hitchcock, in that notion of action/suspense/surprise follows ominous cords. The cast all held something back that I couldn't quite place my finger on but by the time the credits rolled, wow... what a job they did.

The only thing I would say to those reading this-- If you like your standard Hollywood movies go ahead and pass on this (nothing is spoon fed). But if you enjoy those parts of a good novel that compel you to keep reading, then this movie will surely please.

I know the review is a bit vague, but watch this movie... If my words mislead you then feel free to come back and thumbs down me 2x.

Coming from the viewpoint of a person who had neither heard of this movie or known of the novel, I was pleasantly surprised. The story in itself was cleverly presented by exceptional acting. This is not a Hollywood blockbuster by any means but was effective. The music and cinematography were nothing special but still feel like this complimented a compelling story. After watching I do feel like there were a few psychological undertones to this film that leave you with an uneasy feeling while watching. All of the characters were highly developed and nearing the end you will understand what I mean. For a movie many have never heard of, I would recommend it without a doubt.

"The Cry of the Owl" is a 2009 Canadian psychological-drama with thriller elements based on the Patricia Highsmith novel. The story revolves around Robert Forrester (Paddy Considine) who has a great job, but is in the process of a divorce and has recently moved out of the big city. He becomes intrigued by a random girl he spots at a country house and secretly gazes at her from the woods at night. A relationship eventually develops and the girl, Jenny (Julia Stiles), starts overly-monitoring him and he begins to regret the relationship. Meanwhile, Jenny's ex (James Gilbert) isn't happy about the situation and neither is Robert's ex (Caroline Dhavernas). The situation soon spirals out of control.

The story is fairly engaging and the actors are effective, particularly Considine as the protagonist, but the ending is ambiguous and left to interpretation. Regardless, the themes are intriguing: romanticism vs. logic, fate and fatalism vs. chance encounter, omens and signs vs. random happenings and the irony of role reversal or reaping what you sow.

It's not great and it's too pessimistic -- probably because it's really a tragedy -- but it's a solid psycho-drama with intriguing ideas that'll leave you pondering or scratching your head. The latter is why many people don't like it.

The film runs 100 minutes and was shot in Ontario.

GRADE: B

Saw this movie on TV the other day and was really impressed with it. I'm becoming a Paddy Considine fan after seeing some of his other movies and I was not let down by his performance in this. He portrays Robert Forster, a quiet and melancholy man sneaking a peek (quite literally) into a world in which he sees some peace, happiness and a lil escape from his otherwise tortured existence. Julia Stiles, which I had seen but was more familiar with her teen movie career was very surprising. Not only because I hadn't seen her in anything for a while but seeing her in something like this was not what I had expected. Her performance was great and had me convinced that she was in fact as mysterious (and possibly unbalanced) as Forster. This film was well directed, well acted and had a pace that had me interested and wondering what was going to happen next. It had the feel of a Hitchcock film and is a top notch thriller in my book. Some may not have the patience for a film like this because it's not riddled with action or CGI but there's a good story in there, and I'll take a movie with a story to tell any day.

I just finished watching this movie for the SECOND time...

I knew I had seen it a while ago, but I couldn't quite remember what was going to happen. MAN, what a Suspenser! The mood, the style, the Suspense... The director frigg'n NAILED it. The look, the writing, the performances were all top notch.

I remember when I saw this the first time that I didn't really care for the lead guy too much; he was really just SO annoying because he didn't seem to be able to communicate with others at all. VERY frustrating... But, as the film progresses you begin to see other sides to him and he is not at all as self-absorbed and one dimensional as one may have thought.

Talk about PSYCHOLOGICAL... I think this is just about as psychological as a Thriller can get, unless of course you venture into Horror territory where you have masterful films like 'SESSION 9', for example. The characters are well portrayed. When Julia Styles and Paddy first meet it is amazing; I would think that it would be very DIFFICULT to do a scene like that and be CONVINCING, enough to draw the audience into the story as much as it did. And then, when you first meet Paddy's almost ex-wife... Talk about a mind-bender. You are seeing some absolutely first rate writing, directing, and acting here, let me tell you...

Normally, speaking very broadly, I do not usually care for films like this; where happenstance, fate, or whatEVER draws these innocent people into this web of disaster, no matter what they do. BUT... in this case, the film is done SO damn well that you truly have NO choice but to ride along, gripping your @ss the whole time, hoping and praying for the best. That is, unless you happen to be one of these vacuous reviewers here who are so jaded, bored, and clueless, that they wouldn't know a good film if it went down on them (so to speak...)

Seriously....

Bottom line... this is an exceptionally well done film with Suspense and Tension dripping out of every orifice (the film's, not yours...) It will take you and smack you around until you bloody well beg for mercy...

Paddy Considine as Robert Forrester is very good here. He is a man going through an at-fault divorce, Caroline Dhavernas is irritating as ex- wife Nikki. He relocates and changes jobs from New York City to get away from her and start over. He thinks.

The story of a hapless man, he tries to do his best but married to an albatross like Nicki who pokes fun at him at a divorce mediation, he eventually leaves NYC to find a fork in the road...he chooses a Northeast Pennsylvania town, where he works for Lavigne aeronautics and seems to settle.

He sort of stalks Julia Stiles "Jenny Thierault", by watching her for a month at her rural house, she seems happy in life and this gives him a semblance of hope for his own new life. Stiles is very good here as instead of rejecting Robert as unstable, as he is watching her from her backyard, she says "depression can crush you" and invites him for coffee. He takes this as empathy, and is surprised she is interested in him at this point.

As things develop we feel for Robert who is going through divorce and suddenly realizes his minor interest in Jenny, is (to Jenny at least ) a true romance. She appears to be a borderline personality, she understands depression, but also becomes attached too quickly to any man who appears. She dumps her brutish boyfriend (Greg Wyncoop) and begins to pursue Robert more vehemently. At first he hides, then submits to her for the physical benefit. Her girlfriend sees Jenny as needing protection, and warns Robert not to hurt her.

Robert knows, deep down it is wrong, but when he tries to confront Jenny after they spend a night together she starts making blueberry pancakes and telling Robert if she were to be on death row this is her favorite last meal, and she'd want to hear vintage Louis Armstrong.

The photography and foreshadowing is noteworthy here.The cry of the owl resounds one night they are in bed together and Jenny is jolted awake. It's nuanced, which may be why (unfortunately ), it was not as widely distributed. The minor suspense points here are similar to Hitchcock, and very rare in film made in Hollywood today, sadly.

This is an excellent suspense film. Even Julia Styles, who I rememberer from only a few previous performances, is perfect here as Jenny, attractive but lost, a winsome sad smile, and need for ...love or something more. Considine also, despite how he befalls the horrible fate, being wrongfully accused of murder etc., is sympathetic in that he is overcoming a breakdown (from his ex-wife goading him).

There is a twist I will not reveal which will make you want to read all of Patricia Highsmith's short stories. "The Cry of The Owl" is haunting and real. 10/10.

The depressed and needy designer Robert Forrester (Paddy Considine) has just moved from New York to work in the Lavigne Aeronautics in a small town. Robert is under pressure and stalking Jenny Thierolf (Julia Stiles), sneaking around the woods every night to see the happiness of the young woman that lives alone in an isolated house. Robert is divorcing from his manipulative and cynical wife Nickie Grace (Caroline Dhavernas)in New York and is not interested in another relationship at that moment. When Jenny sees Robert snooping her, he introduces himself and she surprisingly invites him to talk to her and drink a coffee. When Jenny's boyfriend Greg Wyncoop (James Gilbert) proposes her, she realizes that she does not love him and breaks up with Greg. Then Jenny falls in love with Robert and pursues him everywhere; however Robert does not want to commit with her. Robert is loathed by Greg's friends and one day, Greg forces Robert's car off the road and attacks Robert, but Robert hits him in self-defense and leaves Greg unconscious nearby a river. When Greg goes missing, Robert becomes the prime-suspect of the police. He loses his promotion; he is suspended from his job; his friend Jack Neilson (Gord Rand) leaves him; his landlord asks his house back; and Jenny commits suicide. When Robert is shot on the street, he is sure that the responsible is Greg, but nobody believes in his words.

"The Cry of the Owl" is a melancholic thriller based on a novel of Patricia Highsmith and a remake of a Claude Chabrol's film of 1987 that unfortunately I have not had the chance to see yet. The story is engaging and sad and the performances are top-notch. The beauty of Caroline Dhavernas' eyes and face is impressive and her character Nickie Grace is a real bitch. The jinx of Robert Forrester is credible despite some stupid attitudes. The conclusion is open to interpretations and I Intend to compare with Chabrol's film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Vôo da Coruja" ("The Flight of the Owl")

Mathilda May won a César for her role in this film made by Claude Chabrol in 1987. This is a remake, and it stars Julia Stiles in the role of Jenny. I have been in love with Stiles ever since The Bourne Identity, and, while she will not be as good as May, she is still Julia Stiles, and that's enough for me.

Robert's (Paddy Considine) marriage has failed, and his method of dealing with depression is to stalk Jenny, thinking she has a great relationship with her partner.

The tables get turned, and she begins stalking him. If that is not enough, her boyfriend Greg (James Gilbert) keeps trying to kick his arse. But, then he disappears, and Robert is under suspicion.

Twists and turns abound as Robert tries to figure out who is trying to kill him while everyone thinks he is a killer.

The owl cries a lot in the film. I'm just not impressed with Considine, and the ending was abrupt.

This film immediately pulled me in with the first scene of driving-through-the-dark-night, unrecognizable glows of light flying by, signs of life in an otherwise black space and arriving at a warm glow in a quaint house and a woman washing dishes. Robert watches her from the safety of dark woods, night after night, although he has a top design job at an aeronautical firm.

The people throughout this film are all askew and odd, relating to each other around corners and the strange connection that occurs between Jenny, the woman in the window, and her voyeur Robert is a desperate attempt at something real made by two eccentric individuals marked by depression and solitude. Like all Patricia Highsmith material, life exists on the edge and comfort is not so easily had.

I enjoyed the contrast made between the big city, with Robert's malicious ex-wife living amidst its penthouses, and the small town Autumn leaved rurality that Robert has retreated to. Robert makes efforts to keep himself in his bubble but Jenny, upon discovering him, tempts fate and propels herself upon him, breaking up with her boyfriend to do so and thus setting into motion a weblike story of violence, deception, and the inevitable play of loss after loss.

I watched this after seeing Julia Stiles on this season's Dexter and I couldn't help but think the producers must have seen her in this, her characters in both being both haunted with pain, yet filled with resolve. Paddy Considine does a great job playing a man who seems to have been run through the washer and dryer a few too many times, both distant and filled with an undercurrent of emotion.

I highly recommend this film unless you demand nothing but car chases and narratives that spell everything out for you in the first ten minutes.

I am one of those people who believes that all good scary/thriller movies and books have one thing in common that makes them so scary: They could happen to you.

The events that take place in this movie have not happened to anyone, ever. They aren't believable, not in the least. So the film doesn't work as a drama, either, because the entire time, you're distracted, wondering: "WHEN does that happen???" Aside from the outlandish plot, the writing was clumsy. For a long time, I wasn't sure who the protagonist was supposed to be, and when I was sure, I wasn't motivated to care. I was just waiting for the movie to end. And the director, it seems, didn't care, either. Every scene went: Establishing shot, close-up of Paddy, close-up of Julia, splash of red, close-up of Paddy staring at Julia, patch of blue, scene. It didn't help that the actors were walking through their roles, too. They were bland and tasteless, and I'll be polite and leave it at that.

Five minutes in I was laughing hysterically and saying, "It's a dark comedy, right? Please tell me it's a dark comedy." If it were a dark comedy, I'd like it a lot better. Point is, it's still boring. Whether it's a drama, thriller, dark comedy, whatever the hell it was originally intended to be--believe me, I have no clue--I was bored out of my skull, and I wanted my money back.

THE CRY OF THE OWL is a tense, somewhat disjointed story with Kafkaesque overtones ('marked by surreal distortion and a sense of impending danger'): had the film been distributed with the information that it taken from a 1962 novel by Patricia Highsmith ('Strangers on a Train', 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' and the follow-up novels with that character, etc) it would have likely garnered a larger audience. It is a strange psychological thriller that slowly works its way under the viewer's skin. The screenplay was written by director Jamie Thaves who successfully captures Highsmith's extraordinary story.

Robert Forrester (Paddy Considine) is a troubled, depressed but decent young man who retreats from the big city and his ex-wife for the tranquility of a small town in Pennsylvania. For some not obvious reason he begins to night stalk a young woman Jenny Thierolf (Julia Stiles), gazing in the dark at the apparently happy Jenny alone in her secluded house. Jenny inadvertently befriends Robert despite the fact that Jenny is in a relationship with Greg Wyncoop (James Gilbert): Greg confronts Robert, a fight ensues and Robert flees after saving Greg from drowning in the river. In a twist of circumstances Jenny begins to stalk Robert, admitting that she has fallen in love with him, but Robert avoids her advances as he is still in the process of an ugly divorce with his wife Nickie (Caroline Dhavernas), a strange behaving woman who feeds on Robert's lack of self worth. When Greg goes missing Robert becomes the prime suspect. With the police on his case the 'crime' becomes threatening, and in typical Highsmith fashion, everything twists and turns at the end, creating a claustrophobic and irrational series of events until the story ends with some questions answered and others left hanging.

The actors are excellent and the cinematography by Luc Montpellier adds to the haunting creepiness of the film. Jeff Daniels' minimal music score underlines the tension. Before watching this film, remind your self that you are dealing with Patricia Highsmith's brand of mystery and the film will be more appreciated.

Grady Harp

Yea this was a waste of time. Though Paddy Considine did a fairly good job of bringing some life to the film via some decent acting, the overall pace and unbelievable plot aspects keep the film on a downward spiral ending in a climax more of a whimper than a bang.

Of note is the lackadaisical way in which this adaptation took key elements of the novel and pretty much left them in the book. And as mentioned above, the lack of believability in certain scenes ruined the suspension of disbelief of this reviewer. Examples (spoiler free) are of characters acting how no one ever would, police behaving moronically, and the sensation that Paddy's character is so much a whip that he deserves anything he gets.

My advice, don't wast any money on this one.

A work of art must have some coherence, even if its gaps and lacunae challenge an auditor. This one is a mess. The girl "inexplicably" becomes attracted to her stalker (as the summary says). He rejects her because he prefers to see her happily washing the dishes. His rival hides out in Chicago with the connivance of his ex-wife (how did they hook up?) and, instead of concocting a clever revenge, the rival just shoots through a window, mortally wounding the young man's neighbor and nicking him. (He later wanders through the hospital, untreated in his blood-stained shirt). The stalkee "inexplicably" commits a ritual suicide (why? -- she doesn't really say). Then the shooter is released (!), albeit when his deadbeat father "inexplicably" pulls in the local power structure. The ex-wife begs for the ex-husband to exculpate her. How could he, even if he wanted to? Styles must have been really puzzled by her character, who is, finally, just plain nuts. But "inexplicably" -- there's no basis for her bizarre behavior. I would not wish this flick on anyone. The final sequence is macabre and unbelievable and, don't worry, the film has no ending. It just stops. But an hour and a half too late. Fantasy demands that we accept the rule of the world the writer creates. Live drama demands that we suspend our disbelief. This one asks that we keep believing in things that both could not happen and cannot be believed when they do.

WARNING AGAIN....SPOILERS AHEAD: (If you already saw the movie you probably won't care)

An incredibly dull man stalks a really dull woman. She likes him and spends time with him talking about stupid death omens, including an Owl . Her boyfriend fights the dull man and disappears. Dull man is then stalked by the an unknown figure, the police, and his ex-wife.

There are no explanations for the odd occurrences in this man's life and why they seem to only happen to him.

After awhile, I didn't care. He was so darned boring. Oh, he does curse a lot.

The dull man is inexplicably and incredibly "unlucky". Everyone around him gets shot, stabbed, or disappears. He looks out the window and hears an Owl.

The End.

What a waste of time...acting was pathetic, as if actors were walking through their roles so they could pick up their paychecks. This movie made no sense, was unbelievable from the beginning, middle,while the ending still did not tie the movie together. The characters were left undeveloped so you had no idea what their motivations were. So many unanswered questions, I lost count. How many of you would actually believe this could really happen?! I enjoy Julia Styles' films, but this one ranks far below her talents. Can someone please tell me what the point of this movie is, if there is one? I am very surprised so many enjoyed this film,guess they had plenty of time on their hands to waste. Don't buy the hype, it's not worth it.

Another never heard of film that is a great suspenseful thriller! There are so many super movies out there we never hear about unless we check out user reviews on site like this. This is a must-see for those who like suspense & psychological thrillers; it's sort of in the "Hitchcock" style. For those who may not care for Julia Stiles(like me) don't worry. She's a main character but not THE one & she's sanely normal creepy in her role-- like life.

This movie was so captivating that I never left the couch! A really great & sophisticated movie. What a pleasant surprise! The user reviews on this site helped me to pick this & I'm so glad I did.

In the midst of divorce proceedings, depressed aeronautics designer Robert Forrester (Paddy Considine) attempts to cheer himself up by spying on Jenny Thierolf (Julia Stiles), a pretty and seemingly content young woman who lives in a remote house by the woods. When Jenny catches Robert peeping on her, she believes him when he says he means her no harm, and invites him into the house for a chat. However, Jenny turns out to be even more disturbed than Robert, revealing to him her own struggle with mental illness; in the following days, she turns the tables by stalking her stalker. This puts Robert in mortal danger, not from his new 'friend', but from her ex-boyfriend, who isn't best pleased at being dumped for a 'nut-job'.

The first time I popped this movie into my trusty portable DVD player, there were no voices on the soundtrack; I presumed I had a duff copy and was prepared to chuck it straight in the bin (it was only a quid—no biggie). I'm glad I didn't: the next morning I tried the disc again, and this time realised that my headphone jack hadn't been pushed in properly. I watched the film, and it was amazing.

A perceptive study of the fragility of the mind, this isn't the white-knuckle thriller or blood drenched horror suggested by the image of a shadowy figure clutching an axe on the cover, and anyone expecting such will probably feel cheated by the film's real content. As the film develops, there is plenty of opportunity for writer/director Jamie Thraves to succumb to a more exploitative approach, yet he resists the temptation to do so, remaining sensitive to the subject of mental illness, depicting a frightening world full of despair, melancholy and chaos.

However, just because the film doesn't go down the obvious crowd-pleaser route, that's not to say that it isn't a totally engaging and gripping experience. Leads Considine and Stiles give fine, perceptive performances and Thraves measured direction is superb, building slowly and inexorably to a downbeat ending that seems to have confused many viewers: rather than just 'stopping', as has been mentioned in some reviews, the film reaches a logical and startling conclusion, with Robert considering the possibility that he might actually be the portent of death that Jenny eventually perceived him to be.

8.5 out of 10, rounded up to 9 for IMDb.

Looking back at my viewings this year,one of the highlights was finally catching the Bourne franchise. Checking BBC iPlayer over Christmas,I was thrilled to discover a Patricia Highsmith Neo-Noir adaptation starring Bourne co-stars Paddy Considine and Julia Stiles,which led to me getting ready to hear the owl cry.

The plot:

Stuck in a bitter divorce, Robert Forrester begins spying on Jenny Thierolf,due to the image Forrester sees of Thierolf being of blissful happiness. Succeeding in not being spotted when her boyfriend Greg Wyncoop is in, Forrester's tracks get spotted by Thierolf.Telling her about his recovery from mental illness (always a good ice breaker!) Forrester gets set for the cops to be called. Understanding his issues, Thierolf invites him in,and starts a relationship with Forrester. Furious over his lover leaving him, Wyncoop starts making plans for Forrester to hear the "crying owl of death" as Thierolf lets slip how she met Forrester.

View on the film:

Looking ill at ease in every encounter, Paddy Considine gives an excellent,skin-crawling performance as Neo-Noir loner Forrester. Carry a well handled fake US accent, Considine expertly makes Forrester completely uncomfortable in his own skin,which is squeezed into every dark corner by Considine,whose ill-fitting clothes barely hide the shrunk view Forrester has of himself. Replacing Sarah Polley at the last moment, Julia Stiles gets an impressive grip on rural Femme Fatale Thierolf. Giving Thierolf an outer, emphatic appearance,Stiles digs into one of Patricia Highsmith major theme of a "good" character having a narrow vision and being blind to the Noir decay seeping in.

Flying from music Videos to a Noir adaptation,writer/director Jamie Thraves dissects an icy Neo-Noir that cuts deep into Highsmith's major themes,with Thraves making every Noir loner be "detached" and unable to connect with the shattered conditions of each other. Uncoiling a possible murder, Thraves sharply tugs at Forrester's fragile mental state and pushing down to hit Forrester with a freezing shark of Noir serendipity.

Walking on the pure snow with Forrester,director Jamie Thraves & cinematographer Luc Montpellier melt it with a blistering evil under the sun Noir atmosphere,cracking the pristine image of Thierolf by stepping into the dark side street Forrester is trapped in. Bringing acid snow down with a blunt use of violence, Thraves releases pure Noir magic of switching the point of view to the audience,who are given the chance to stalk and look into Forrester finally having a "blissful" view,as Forrester hears the cry of the owl.

I recently watched the film The Cry Of The Owl and found it quite thought provoking. I did fear it was going to be a case of a slow, dull film with an empty conclusion, but was very surprised. It is a film that begs to be discussed as no doubt everyone would have a different thought on it. But is that actually a bad thing as some previous reviews seem to think? Not everyone wants to be spoon fed a story.

The main question you are asked at the start of the film is why is the main character Robert, a seemingly popular friendly man with a good job obsessed with watching Jenny in the window? The film delivers what i think is a very satisfying and intriguing answer by the end. The closing shot also, makes the film feel complete.

I have read previous reviews of the film and some people have found fault with the plot by saying its not true to life and these events would be unlikely in the real world. I think others may argue against that but really, they are missing the point. This is a story with questions embroiled in the human psyche and a plot closer in essence to a Shakespearian tragedy then a true to life story. This is not a 'Imagine if this happened to you film' nor is it a Hollywood thriller/slasher movie with a nice neat ending.

The black comedy came from the realisation that the character of Robert, despite his past history of mental illness and recently suffering a breakdown, was, compared to the other characters the most sane. Maybe that says something about the world we live in.

I had hoped that Julia Stiles could save this movie. She can't. Most actresses and actors cannot overcome a bad script and indifferent direction. And this script is low quality, indeed. The director is not much better. Fans of Ms. Stiles should stick with the Bourne films and "10 Things I Hate About You". People who want offbeat suspense might try "Let Me In" or one of several Korean horror flicks from the last 15 years, including "Tell Me Something". Hitchcock fans will not be impressed with this, though some may opine that is who this director is attempting to emulate. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then incompetence is the worst form of filmmaking.

'The Cry of the Owl' has a wicked sense of humour. On the surface, it may appear as a thriller but it is more of a dark comedy with subtle humour. After all one cannot fail to see the irony in the premise: a stalker being stalked by his stalker. Of course, once the premise is introduced this oddly absurd movie, the story turns into a game of jealousy, betrayal and murder.

The execution is quite interesting. It has an old fashioned look to it. Most of the visuals are quite photographic. The slightly washed out colour give it a gloomy look reflecting the colourless lives of the characters. Most of the film is seen through Robert's point of view and the twists are surprising.

The film is philosophical too. Robert stalks Jenny because she represents the illusion of happiness. However, once Jenny invites him in, this illusion is shattered and he loses interest in her. In a later scene, he describes to his wife Nickie that the first time he saw her, she was like a beautiful statue and then she moved, and it was all downhill. He seems to be more fascinated by an illusion of perfection and is put off by the humanness of people.

Jenny, on the other hand, who is more messed up than Robert, thinks it's fate and that they should be together. She immediately dumps her boyfriend and stalks Robert but eventually she too realizes that her illusion is shattered and the more she tries to cling on the further he slips away. In a way, Nickie too tries to hold on to Robert and, in event, uses more extreme measures. Ideals and illusions are what instigates trouble in these characters' lives.

Paddy Considine is excellent as the awkward, passive, neurotic loner Robert. Julia Stiles is mostly very good as the pretty Jenny (even though there are a few sequences were she's a little off as she fails to depict Jenny's anguish and despair convincingly). Caroline Dhavernas is terrific as Jenny's more sexually aggressive counterpart. James Gilbert is irritating.

Subtle and quiet, yet dark, funny and even twisted, 'The Cry of the Owl' is a well-crafted little film.