Anna returns home after spending time in a psychiatric facility following her mother's tragic death and discovers that her mother's former nurse, Rachel,

Anna returns home after spending time in a psychiatric facility following her mother's tragic death and discovers that her mother's former nurse, Rachel, has moved into their house and become engaged to her father, Steven. Soon after she learns this shocking news, Anna is visited by her mother's ghost, who warns her that Rachel has evil intentions.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for violent and disturbing images, thematic material, sexual content, language and teen drinking)

THE UNINVITED ©2009 DreamWorks Pictures. Review © David Bruce

EMILY BROWNING EMILY BROWNING (Anna)(Anna)

Best known for her role as Violet in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

She won the Australian Film Institute's Young Actor's Award for her role in Halifax f.p: Playing God.


ELIZABETH BANKSELIZABETH BANKS(Rachel)(Rachel)

She had a breakout role as Jeff Bridges' wife in Seabiscuit.

Recent releases include Definitely, Maybe, Meet Dave, W., Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Role Models.


ARIELLE KEBBEL ARIELLE KEBBEL (Alex)(Alex)

She starred in John Tucker Must Die, Aquamarine, and The Grudge 2.

She is also a regular in indie films.

Had a recurring role on the Gilmore Girls.


THE GUARD BROTHERS THE GUARD BROTHERS (Directors)(Directors)

This is their feature film debut.

Previously they had an award-winning series of short films, Inside Out, about chance encounters in London.


WALTER F. PARKES WALTER F. PARKES (Producer)(Producer) Films produced include the Men in Black series, The Ring films, Catch Me If You Can, Gladiator, Minority Report, Awakenings, Amistad, Lemony Snicket's and Sweeney Todd.

THE UNINVITED ©2009 DreamWorks Pictures. Review © David Bruce©2009 DreamWorks Pictures. Review © David Bruce

In 2002, producers Walter F. In 2002, producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald Parkes and Laurie MacDonald produced the hit horror produced the hit horror thriller, thriller, The RingThe Ring, a , a groundbreaking remake of the groundbreaking remake of the Japanese film Japanese film RinguRingu, that , that signaled the start of a new signaled the start of a new trend in genre films - the trend in genre films - the thought-provoking thriller. thought-provoking thriller.


When Anna's (Emily Browning) psychiatrist releases her from a sanitarium, where she has been recovering from an attempted suicide following her mother's tragic death, she is shocked that her father, Steven (David Strathairn), has become romantically involved with Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), her mother's former nurse.


Feeling betrayed and frightened, she seeks solace from her older sister, Alex (Arielle Kebbel). Anna and Alex reconnect in their dislike for dad's new girlfriend, and given Steven's poor parenting skills, they feel totally abandoned.


When Rachel tries to connect with Anna, the resentment turns to hate as Rachel tries to erase all traces of the family's past life.


The chance of any bond ever existing between Anna and Rachel is officially crushed when the young girl begins having terrifying visions of her dead mother reaching out to her for help and suggesting that Rachel may have caused her death.


As tensions escalate and Anna becomes convinced that Rachel was instrumental in her mother's death, she conspires with Alex to come up with proof of her deception - anything to convince her father he's made a terrible mistake.


Homage: As in Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt, there's a sense that a family member may have a past that's not exactly as presented.

Homage: As in What Lies Beneath, there's the sense that there's something wrong in what appears to be a beautiful environment.


DUALSTwo sisters, two directors and two parallel stories being told at the same time. Pay close attention for the clues. The directors state, “We had to keep secrets from the audience, but at the same time it had to make sense if they were to watch it again. The clues had to be there all along. It was really tricky."


43% PositiveConsensus voice: "Though not in the top tier of psychological horror flicks, The Uninvited is well-paced and offers enough jolts and twists to keep an audience sufficiently on the edge of their seats to offset the price of admission.."-- Claudia Puig USA Today


DEALING WITH CONFLICTING DEALING WITH CONFLICTING PERCEPTIONSPERCEPTIONSStevenSteven (father) has become (father) has become romantically involved with romantically involved with Rachel. Rachel. RachelRachel (the nurse) wants is to (the nurse) wants is to help this family heal and be help this family heal and be whole again.whole again.AnnaAnna (daughter) feel more (daughter) feel more threatened by Rachel.threatened by Rachel.AlexAlex (sister) sees herself as (sister) sees herself as the protective older sister.the protective older sister.


What the filmmakers attempt to produce is so true What the filmmakers attempt to produce is so true to life. Producer Walter F. Parkes says, "Every scene to life. Producer Walter F. Parkes says, "Every scene is two scenes. There is the scene the audience is is two scenes. There is the scene the audience is watching …but then it has to be this other scene, watching …but then it has to be this other scene, which is what's really going on." which is what's really going on."

For me this is true in real life. Every day we are For me this is true in real life. Every day we are faced with appearances that may be facades to what faced with appearances that may be facades to what lies beneath. Life is not always what it appears to be. lies beneath. Life is not always what it appears to be. This is why great spiritual thinkers have always This is why great spiritual thinkers have always encouraged focus on the heart and not just the encouraged focus on the heart and not just the outward appearance. This film is a powerful reminder outward appearance. This film is a powerful reminder of this very truth.of this very truth.

THE UNINVITED Review © David Bruce

THE IMPORTANCE OF SISTERHOOD“The thing about sisters is you have an opportunity to share a bond that you don't have with anyone else” -- Arielle Kebbel


Allow yourself to see situations from other perspectives.

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Anna returns home after spending time in a psychiatric facility following her mother's tragic death and discovers that her mother's former nurse, Rachel,