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The River King (2005)

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33 out of 35 people found the following comment useful :-
The Mystery : Finding the Multiple Stories and Making Them Relate, 12 febbraio 2006

Author: gradyharp da United States

THE RIVER KING is a high profile film that went directly to DVD without the benefit of a theater run. It is anyone's guess why a film of this quality should not make it commercially while there are so many less well-made movies that linger on the screens for weeks or months. The film is well acted, well directed, beautifully photographed and well scored.

The possible reason for its lack of attention may have been due to some test screenings where the audience was asked to evaluate. Despite all of the fine points of the film the problem lies in the screen adaptation by David Kane of the haunting novel by Alice Hoffman. Too many loose ends do not a story make and in the final analysis it is difficult to converse with someone who has not seen the film just what it is about.

Ostensibly, THE RIVER KING is about a private prep school out in the snowy fields of somewhere, a place where secret societies still haze, faculty are still under the control of the school's funders, and appearances are far more important than truths. Abel (Edward Burns) is called in to investigate the found drowned body of a student, and with his partner (John Kapelos) the two detectives suspect foul play - suicide, murder, hazing. Their investigation includes questioning the victim's only friend Carlin (Rachelle Lefevre) and one photography and English Lit teacher Betsy (Jennifer Ehle). But as the investigation proceeds, Abel has flashbacks to his childhood memories of his own older brother's suicide, dark secrets that have haunted him, and it is this psychic matrix which serves as the canvas for him to resolve the case as well as to relate to the various characters within the confines of the prep school.

Many of the questions raised by the narrative remain unanswered by this frustrating script, but the actors bring as much involvement and credibility as they are able to create a film of mystery and self-realization in the snow and ice of the fields around the school. For those who wish more, reading Hoffman's novel will be more satisfying. Grady Harp

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21 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :-
A good story well acted, 25 gennaio 2006

Author: okieindian da United States

I don't know why it is called "The River King", but it is a compelling movie. It has a good story line. There are some great possible endings and at least one of the best was selected. Any weak moments are covered over pretty well by the fine, believable acting of Edward Burns. Jennifer Ehle is worth watching anytime. Rachelle LeFevre should do well in the acting business. I'd recommend the movie to anyone who is interested in entertainment without unrealistic computer graphics. It was most entertaining. While it may well perpetuate the "myth" that all elite schools have bad boys leading other bad boys in deadly hazing rituals, it does not portray them in a good light.

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17 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
A Fast-Paced and Well-Acted Mystery., 25 gennaio 2006

Author: Ty da Hamden, CT

"The River King" is a well-acted mystery. Edward Burns plays detective Abel Grey. He finds a body in the river and it's one of the students of the Hadden School, an exclusive college. Everybody Abel talks to, says it's suicide, but Abel has his suspicions. He also has to fight his personal demons that are intruding on the investigation.

Edward Burns puts in a really good performance. You care about his character. You definitely want to find out how the mystery ends. It looks great and the music is different too. The only thing I didn't get was the character of Betsy Chase. (Jennifer Ehle) She was not necessary to the movie.

It is odd that a film of this high quality went straight to video. Don't be fooled by that though. It's a film that's worth watching.

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17 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
I liked it, 25 gennaio 2006

Author: starwolf da Texas, USA

It was a very good movie, with a wonderful mood and fairly strong story, although it wasn't telling the story you thought it was. The characters were very strongly drawn, I thought, and the pacing was terrific.

Nothing blew up, no CGi effects, and it's not based on a comic book, but I liked it anyway. And the two women leads were well worth watching, and Edward Burns is worth watching anytime. The musical score was well chosen to pace the movie.

I recommend it for a contemplative mood, when you're in the mood to "curl up with a good movie."

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18 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
Great acting, well-written...worth a watch!, 4 febbraio 2006

Author: gotfong da United States

I work in a video store and had heard nothing of this film, so i rented it on a whim and was very pleasantly surprised. The acting was fantastic, and although the film was a little slow getting started, I was glad I stuck around. It pulled at my mind in a way very few films do these days, and it did so without a lot of hype and overacting. I also found the film score very refreshing--it was unexpected for the film's subject (think: Bernard Herrmann's score for "North by Northwest"--not what you expect, but it fits beautifully). Overall a very enjoyable film, if just a bit slow at the beginning. Makes me want to go buy the book!

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10 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Some Truths Are Better off Hidden, 5 dicembre 2006

Author: Claudio Carvalho da Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In the city of Hadin, when two children find the body of the student Gus Pierce (Thomas Gibson) underneath the frozen water of the River King, the policeman Abel Grey (Edward Burns) is assigned for the investigation. The dean of the powerful and conservative local Haddan School where Gus studied, afraid of a possible scandal, tells the police that the outcast boy committed suicide. But Abel, after interviewing his best girlfriend, Carlin Leander (Rachelle Lefreve), suspects that Gus was victim of a hazing of the Order of the Elect, a secret society of the Chalk House. Along his investigation, Abel, who has a trauma with the loss of his brother Frank years ago, finds corruption in his department and love with the teacher Betsy Chase (Jennifer Ehle). In the end, he discloses the truth about the death of Gus, and resolves his innermost issues with the ghost of Frank.

"The River King" is a pleasant low budget dramatic thriller, with a very good story, acting, direction and cinematography. The story and the characters are very well developed in a suitable pace and I particularly liked very much the performance of Edward Burns. Surprisingly this simple and efficient film is much underrated in IMDb. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Mistério de River King" ("The Mystery of River King")

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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Slow burning, but intense, 18 luglio 2006

Author: TashC da Singapore

As a thriller, The River King is as fast paced as thawing ice. Its intensity is in the isolation and disillusionment of a man who is determined to uncover the truth, though nothing is what it seems.

The body of a teenage boy is discovered in an ice-clogged river and two local cops from the bumbling school of "what do we do now?" investigate his death. An accident, suicide or homicide? Seems straightforward, except that one of the cops is seeing things that aren't there and a photography teacher is developing some eerie pictures. A conspiracy, misperception, or paranormal haunting? This intriguing film that uses sleight of hand to make you think it is about one thing, when it is actually about another.

No extras on the DVD.

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12 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
A very refreshing movie, 21 febbraio 2006

Author: blackbird-1 da Canada

The River King is a refreshing movie. It has none of the usual clichés. The plot is not predictable. The movie presents the viewer with little hooks and clues that leave one wondering about how they all come together. At times, I was left wondering what type of movie is this? Is it a horror movie? Is it sci-fi? Is it a ghost story? The actors performed their roles convincingly. The character Abel Grey leads the viewer to believe in what he suspects is happening, that he is right. Carlin's character has the right balance, not too dumb, not too incredibly (ie unrealistically) smart, just like a regular person. No super heroes in this movie.

The cinematography and background music is so seductive and blends very well with the subject of the film. The time just fly by as the main characters arrive at a very plausible ending.

If you're tired of comic book hero movies, or TV-like stories, or violence, or CSI-like sleuthing then check out 'The River King'. I'm really happy that I did.

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
A Poor Adaptation, 17 febbraio 2006

Author: BeforeImDead87 da United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"The River King" is a book that I feel is of lesser quality than many of Alice Hoffman's other works, however, I do think it deserved more than this film delivered.

I have several complaints with this film. My first complaint is that we never got to know any of the characters. Why not a little more insight into Abe's character? The movie began with giving us some peek into his personality when Abe discusses his crappy date from the night before. In the book, Abe had commitment problems. Why not more about this? This would certainly tie into his relationship with Betsy, so why didn't we have anything about the two of them? What was his attraction to Betsy? Furthermore, Betsy was the weakest character in the film. We didn't get to know anything about her and she didn't have a lot of screen time. I could say the same things about the characters of Carlin, Gus, and Harry. The film is a failure because it introduces us to characters without letting us get to know them. And why did this happen? The scriptwriter had an entire book to go by!

My second complaint is the baseless relationship between Betsy and Abe. It came out of nowhere and it seemed stupid, pointless. They have two scenes together and then suddenly they're making out? An instant, passionate attraction? OK, but make us believe it. Don't serve us dry dialogue and expect us to accept these two characters suddenly screwing each other out of nowhere.

My third complaint is that the film is a messy jumble. It's a whole lot of dialogue and scenery that doesn't tie in well together. The movie just kept jumping the gun.

Another complaint: the ghost story. OK, a kid dies and his ghost starts flitting around. Ghost leads cop into bathroom. Ghost appears amidst trees. Ghost shows up in photos. Little examination or notice of the ghost... The end? OK, why wasn't more done with this? There could have been something interesting and riveting involving the kid's ghost, but instead he was barely addressed by any of the characters. "Gus is trying to tell us something" and nothing else about this supernatural occurrence, just doesn't cut it.

My comments about the acting? Edward Burns did a good job with what he had. Jennifer Ehle was charming and she also did what she could, but I felt very disappointed with the character. The actress who played Carlin did fine with her first role and the actor who played Gus was suitable, but smiled a little too much. Honestly, I think the most believable and honest character was Abe's cop buddy. He had a realistic personality.

There were a few things I liked about the film. It had a chilly, haunting atmosphere. The cinematography was beautiful and it definitely captured the essence of the book. I also thought the soundtrack was good.

This is one of those movies which is almost not bad, but definitely nowhere near good. I hate being so harsh, but this movie was an honest failure in terms of capturing what the book is about. It's just not good.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Experience Skews Perception, 15 aprile 2006

Author: crashbam da United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This film had important meaning, and in dealing with suicide, we survivors of it understand deeply the plight of Gus, and those left behind to deal with it--in the case of the Cop, for years and years of their lives.

His own past and personal experience with suicide skewed his view of the evidence, but the story gets you to buy into his plausible explanation for this young man's death.

The evidence is gathered slowly, and info trickles in as the officer investigates what his superiors urge him not to pursue, until the last pieces discovered that tilts the verdict.

Slow moving, though pace, kind of like something I would expect to see on Lifetime TV or women's channel, without the crummy made-for-TV acting.

God to see it a second time with a new perspective on the significance of some of the events.

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