No. 16 Can’t Come Out To Play (aka The Harvest) (2013) 57 of 100

 

As my loyal reader is doubtlessly aware I reviewed this film under its alternative title of ‘The Harvest’ in my definite Article movie blog. I said in that that the title and poster, as shown below, were massive spoilers. What things can you harvest? Well there’s crops and… - and this film isn’t about agriculture!

The film opens with surgeon Samantha Morton saving a young boy who suffered an injury whilst playing baseball. We initially think she’s a good sort, but her cold manner and chunky knit sweaters suggest otherwise.

At home she has a bed bound son and a husband in Michael Shannon whom she’s not shy in putting down. She is always the doctor and he the nurse in all aspects of their relationship. Michael has one outlet in his miserable existence, as he’s sleeping with the pharma rep who provides him with the drugs needed to sustain his son.

The film develops when orphan Maryann moves in with her grandparents across the woods from the Shannons. She’s a nosey girl and apros pos of nothing she sticks a ladder up as the window to have a peek at what’s going on in the neighbour's home. She sees the bedridden boy and climbs in to play video games as you do.

You’d hope that Samantha would be onside with this social outlet for her son but instead she has one of many hissy fits and reports the girl to her chilled out granddad, Peter Fonda. Not to be shooed away Maryann goes snooping and finds a second bed bound boy in the basement. Strangely his x-rays have his name on them and after some basic Googling, she finds that the lad is actually a baby who had been kidnapped years ago. Her instant deduction is that the boy in the basement is being used to harvest organs for the sick lad upstairs. She’s wrong, but not by much!

The race is on to save one or both boys – what is happening and why is everyone in knitwear?

I quite like this film. It’s been four years since I last watched it and it still kept me interested. Samantha Morton chews the scenery as the mad surgeon and spends most of her screen time yelling in frustration. Shannon is a bit underused and it’s a shame to see him downtrodden and not offering much. He does have a redemption of sorts towards the end but it’s unclear why he’s have hooked up with Morton in the first place, given she was nuttier than squirrel shit.

The teen actors do well, especially Natasha Calis as Maryann who it appears has done mostly TV work since.

Shannon is in mostly quiet mode throughout and sports a short haircut and look somewhat lean. He sports a variety of jumpers throughout the film and his performance is low key and understated, which was pretty much what the part demanded. He was an effective presence but was dominated by Morton who was clearly told to ham it up as the mad doctor.

I quite like this film and prefer the European poster and title which adds a little bit of mystery to the proceedings. There is basically one big twist, and not a very well hidden one at that. It is however a decent study of family and friendship and, although the roles aren’t that well defined, it still offers plenty of interest and snooping around tension.

When is Shannon-On? - 05.32

Outcome? Likely dead due to drugs, fire and a house on his head

Film 3.5/5

Shannon Stars 3.5/5