Dark Water

2005 Mystery & Suspense

Directed by Walter Salles Jr., this remake of Hideo Nakata's supernatural psychological drama Honogurai Mizuno Soko Kara revolves around the plight of a single mother (Jennifer Connelly) whose messy divorce and subsequent battle for the custody of her five-year-old daughter is taking a heavy toll on her emotional well-being. Ultimately, the mother and daughter are able to relocate to an apartment, which, despite its excessively dilapidated interior, seems to be an adequate location for beginning a new life. Before long, however, what appears to be the spirit of a young girl begins to haunt them. No stranger to mental illness, the wary young woman brushes the visions aside as part of the inherent stress of making the transition from housewife to working, single mom. As time goes by and the apparent haunting does not subside, the apartment's new residents are forced to examine the history of its former tenants. Dark Water also features performances from John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, and Dougray Scott. more..

Director: Walter Salles

Starring: Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly,Tim Roth, Dougray Scott, Pete Postlethwaite

Reviews

  • Most important, I cared about the Jennifer Connelly character; she is not a horror heroine, but an actress playing a mother faced with horror. There is a difference, and because of that difference, Dark Water works.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    19 January 2013

  • In a movie with more subtext than "Rosemary's Baby," nearly everyone, including Tim Roth as Dahlia's lawyer, harbors secrets. Salles unleashes a torrent of suspense for one purpose: to plumb the violence of the mind.

    Peter Travers - Rolling Stone

    19 January 2013

  • Brazilian Walter Salles, who previously directed the Oscar-nominated films "Central Station" and "The Motorcycle Diaries," guides this stylish remake through treacherous territory to create a distressing, subtly suspenseful film full of emotional resonance.

    Kevin Crust - Los Angeles Times

    19 January 2013

  • A shudder-by-numbers pseudo-J-horror gothic, full of supernatural stunts you feel as if you've seen before the movie even gets to them.

    Owen Gleiberman - Entertainment Weekly

    19 January 2013

  • Dark Water has more substance and a more interesting look than many horror films, but the familiar elements of the story disappoint.

    Claudia Puig - USA Today

    19 January 2013

Awards

  • Best Actress

    Fangoria Chainsaw Awards (2006)

     
  • Choice Summer Movie

    Teen Choice Awards (2005)